The airport is well served from the U.S., Amsterdam and South America.

Curacao Travel & Tourist Information

Area: Curacao is 180 square miles, 38 miles long and from 2 to almost 8 miles wide.

Language: Officially Dutch but Papiamento, Spanish and English are widely spoken.

Population: Around 140,000 with 55 different nationalities.

Time Zone: Atlantic Standard Time, one hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time.

Rainy Season: Most showers occur from September to December. The island receives less than 30 inches of rain.

Getting There: The major gateways to the ABCs are from Miami, Atlanta and New York. American Airlines ( www.aa.com ) and Air Jamaica (www.airjamaica.com) are the major carriers from the U.S. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
(www.klm.com) and Dutch Caribbean Airlines (www.flydca.net) fly from Amsterdam. Aeropostal
(www.aeropostal.com) comes from Venezuela, Avianca (www.avianca.com) from Colombia.

Documents: Americans and Canadians need only valid proof of citizenship. All others need passports. A return or onward ticket and proof of sufficient funds may also be required.

Getting Around: Rental cars are easily available on all the islands and most of the large name companies (Avis, Budget, Hertz) are represented. Cost is reasonable, around $200 per week for a small car. Driving is on the right.

Where to Stay: The Marriott and Hilton are among the large chains. There are also many guesthouses and several dive resorts, including Habitat Curacao, the sister operation of Captain Don's Habitat on Bonaire.

Currency:The Netherlands Antillean guilder (abbreviated NAFL) is used on Curacao and Bonaire . US$1 equals 1.77 florin. Prices are often quoted in both currencies.

Restaurants: Read Curacao Restaurant Reviews from our partner Travelocity.com

Taxes & Tipping: The room tax is 7% plus a 12% room service charge and a 5% government sales tax. The departure tax is US$22 for international flights, US$7 for interisland hops. Porters expect about US$1 cents for each bag.

 Electrical Current: Curacao is also 110-130 volts and 50 cycles instead of 60.

Hiking & Walking Services: Check with Christoffel National Park for the latest information on any tours.

Safety/Health Warnings: The drinking water is actually desalinated sea water. Locals claim the water is why Curacao-made Amstel beer tastes so good. Wear long pants, socks and good shoes for protection against the elements, i.e., cactus.

Snakes & Other Venomous Creatures: Scorpions, no poisonous snakes.

For More Information: Web site,
www.curacao-tourism.com .

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