Relax in the Turquoise Waters of Curacao

Staying at all-inclusive resorts is a popular thing to do in Curacao. With luxury resorts, you’ll find lots of activities within the property or they can even help you book sunset cruises or diving experiences.

If you are just spending the day because you’re on a cruise passing by, you can choose one of their beaches to spend the day or walk around Willemstad to discover their culture and culinary scene.

If you have more days available on the island, a great thing to do is rent a car and go beach-hopping for the day. A great way to get to know Curacao and find your favorite beach. You definitely need to rent a car to get around, as some locations can be as far as 40 minutes, depending on where you are located on the island. I would recommend starting early in the day and visiting around three or four beaches. Once you find the one you like the most, you can come back another time and spend the whole day. Most beaches are public, but some of them will charge you a small entrance fee.

Some of my favorite beaches in Curacao:

• Cas Abao Beach: This is a beautiful beach with turquoise waters and white sand. It is large enough that you do not feel overcrowded. They have a restaurant where you can get snacks and drinks. There’s also restrooms and showers available.

• Porto Mari Beach: There’s a lookout tower in the parking lot where you can appreciate beautiful views over the beach. White sand and turquoise waters. The beach is big, but there’s a lot of lounge chairs available for rent so it can feel a little bit crowded. The restaurant has great food options.

• Grote Knip: Along with nearby Kenepa Grande, this beach has white sand with coral stones and clear water. This beach is pretty quiet and has trees and greenery where you can lay and relax under the natural shade. You can also find pigs wandering around.

Other beaches you can visit:

If you are looking for a beach where you can go snorkeling and likely see turtles, you should visit Playa Grandi. It gets crowded and parking is limited, so make sure you visit early in the morning or towards the end of the afternoon.

If you would like a more lively beach with music and lots of restaurants options, you should visit Mambo Beach. There’s cabanas for rent and a boardwalk with shopping. The water in this area is very calm, so if you’re traveling with kids this is also a good option.

Playa Kali is another option. It's a small beach with crystal-clear waters that has a restaurant with a terrace overlooking the beach.

• Olas y Copas: Located next to a hotel and close by Mambo Beach, this restaurant has great options, friendly service and delicious food. I visited a few times during my stay.

• The Green House: This restaurant has a great variety of food and two locations on the island.

• Mambo Beach: This area has different restaurant options.

• The Willemstad: This area has a lot of streets with cute restaurants with lots of different cuisines.