Five Great Things I Did on a Long Layover in Curaçao

In my never ending quest to go everywhere, I recently ended up in Curaçao for a long layover on my way to Suriname. And during the day too – a rare treat for my weary soul used to landing at midnight! Lets leave out the part where I slept on the seats in departures in Bogotá airport the night before and was therefore shattered… New islands have to be done!

I had around 6-7 hours before my connection to Paramaribo (more on that soon!) so decided to explore what this Dutch Caribbean wonder had to offer. This was not a low-cost decision, because most things in Curaçao seemed to cost the earth… but it was a worthwhile one!

Curaçao is lively but chill. Colourful and vibrant. Full of friendly people. It was also fairly simple to navigate, so made for an easy quick stop. It is a cruise ship destination, so you will find cruise ship passengers wandering around. But not in an overwhelming way (like in Dominica, Bahamas etc).

Here are five things that gave life to my sleep deprived layover escape. 

1. Wandered Through Colourful Curaçao Streets

The historic centre of Willemstad is famous for its bright, pastel-painted, Dutch colonial buildings. I spent time walking around, taking in the Dutch-Caribbean architecture, and just enjoying the atmosphere. The streets are lined with pink, yellow, blue, and purple façades, and loads of street art all over the place. The waterfront area is especially pretty, as is the downtown area. Honestly I wanted to take tripod photos in front of every single one, but I reckon the people living in these houses would’ve been a bit mad…

2. Enjoyed a Rum Cocktail (or two… or three…)

Despite me expecting Blue Curaçao to be everywhere, I realised that instead rum is everywhere. Not as explicitly as in some of its Caribbean neighbours… but curbside mojito bars are aplenty in Curaçao. As are cafes that look innocent but are actually full of people drinking rum cocktails at 10am, this kind of thing. But not in a seedy way. Not even really in a hard core, day-drinking kind of way.  Just in an island vibe, come and listen to our live keyboard player and people watch kind of any. I was here for it.

3. Daytime Hostel Stop

Given I (barely) slept in Bogotá airport, I emailed a hostel (Bed n Bike) and asked if they’d let me stay for the day for the same price as a nights booking. They did, and so I showered, rested, charged my devices, stored my backpack, and felt ready to adventure. For such a short layover, I questioned if it was worth it, but just having somewhere to freshen up, and store things, meant this whole experience wasn’t a sweaty mess of a day (and I didn’t stink on my next flight, my fellow passengers are welcome).

4. Curaçao’s own craft beer by the water

I spied a brewery across the water while enjoying my morning (spiked.. see point 2) iced coffee. So obviously I had to check it out, because since turning 30 craft beer has become part of my personality… Swinging Old Lady, the place in question, did not disappoint. A couple of tropical IPAs in the shade, with views of the town from across the water – honestly so needed.

5. The slavery museum that wasn’t

I visited the Kura Hulanda museum, thinking I’d learn something about Curaçao’s role in the African slave trade. Because that’s kind of how the museum is marketed. Instead I found several rooms with artefacts from various African countries and light touch information about the Empire of Mali, Alexander the Great in Egypt, and former Kingdoms in Ghana. In the museum’s defence, it looked like maybe some exhibits were closed off, so maybe I just couldn’t see the right parts. But still… Bizarre.

Anyway despite note being what I expected it was still enjoyable. Would recommend.

Practical Tips for a Curaçao Layover

Taxis and Transport: I hailed a taxi to the centre on arrival ($35 is average, you might need to negotiate) and then used the 24/7 Taxi app to get around – taxis came super quick and without fuss. The taxis I hailed through the app accepted cards, but taxis hailed at the airport only took cash.

Priciness: Curaçao is fairly expensive. An alcoholic drink will cost you $12-15, a sandwich in a café around the same. Museum entry around the same. And short taxi rides also are pricey. A night in a basic hostel was $36. It isn’t the most bank-breaking place I’ve been, but you can tell the prices reflect the high influx of tourists.

Currency: Curaçao has its own official currency, but USD is accepted almost everywhere — even ATMs dispense it and most prices are show in USD.

Heat and UV: It was over 32°C during my visit, and the UV was intense. Like, unpleasantly so. Sunscreen is essential.

Airport Lounge: The lounge at Curaçao airport was excellent, with good food and comfortable seating. There’s a limit on drinks – 2 alcohol beverages per person, but honestly after a day of sun, rum and craft beer this wasn’t an issue.