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Welcome to Curacao on the Paradise
Islands website.
Located in the
Leeward Antilles part of
the West Indies which is
situated in the southern
region of the Caribbean
Sea, just over 35 miles
to the north of the
coast of Venezuela and
42 miles east of
Aruba.
The
Leeward
Antilles are divided
into two groups
of isles; the
Dutch
islands of
Aruba,
Bonaire
and this island; plus
the Venezuelan
isles of Las
Aves, Magarita,
Islas Los Roques,
Orchila & Tortuga. |
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Curacao is the
largest of the "ABC"
islands, 38 miles long
and between 2 and 8
miles wide, with a
population of 142,000.
Mostly flat or hilly,
the highest point is
Sint Christoffelberg at
1,230 feet above sea
level. The land is dry
and desert like with
little vegetation or
agriculture. Scrublands
contain cacti, low
shrubs and the national
tree called the Divi
Divi Tree. Fabulous
beaches and coral reefs
line the southern coast
and the island is
popular with divers. |
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The island's capital and
main port is Willemstad,
which is famous for it's
pastel coloured houses
and buildings which are
built in the Dutch
architectural style. Willemstad
is split into two
districts which are
divided by the Santa
Anna Bay harbour
entrance channel and
linked by the modern
Queen Juliana bridge and
a floating pedestrian
Queen Emma bridge. The
east side of the town is
called Punda and the
west side is Otrobanda. |
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Travellers arriving by
cruise ship dock either
at the cruise terminal
on the the west side of
Willemstad (Otrobanda
side); or very large
ships that are unable to
pass under the main
Queen Juliana bridge tie
up at the "Mega Pier".
Both terminals are a few
minutes walk to downtown
Willemstad, or cross
over the floating Queen
Emma foot bridge (known
locally as the "Swinging
Old Lady") to the Punda
side for the main
shopping area.
Air
passenger arrive at the
Hato International
airport located in Plaza
Margareth Abraham on the
northern side of the
island, which is a ten
minute taxi ride to the
capital. International
destinations to and from
Curacao are more limited
than from Aruba airport
and include Amsterdam,
Miami, Valencia and
Caracas as well as many
routes within the
Caribbean region,
including the famously
scary
Princess Juliana Airport
in Sint Maarten. |
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Travel, holiday, vacation and cruise
guide to Curacao in the Caribbean Leeward Antilles. All text and images are
Copyright
Paradise Islands
org. All photographs on this website are obtained with
the permission of the owners and come from various sources
including the island's tourist boards. |
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Quick Facts
Capital
Willemstad
Main Airport
Hato
International
Main Port
Willemstad
Language
Dutch
Currency
US Dollar
Government
Constitutional
Monarchy
Island Size
171
Square Miles
Population
142,000
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Willemstad |
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Cruise Port Guide |
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