What was your favorite thing to do in Curacao?

[cctimmom]

This is our first time to Curacao and just wondering what is a MUST do (in your opinion).

 

Thanks for sharing!

[curacaoqueen]

Eric's atv tour

[cruiseapril]

We enjoy going to a good swimming beach (like Blue Bay) and then later exploring Willemstad -which is a good walking place. Lots to see and do there.

[SeaBands]

and enjoy the ship that day.

[Hestia]

We seem to be among the minority in that we always seek out culture whenever we can as we visit new places. We've been to Curacao once before and sought out the Kura Hulanda Museum.

 

Here's some info on it: http://www.gadling.com/2010/10/08/the-kura-hulanda-museum-in-curacao-looking-back-on-a-dark-hist/

 

After spending much of the morning there, we had lunch at a charming outdoor cafe next door and still had time to puruse the art galleries along the open air area en route back to the ship.

 

I would highly recommend the museum. In fact, we're returning to Curacao in a few weeks and plan to visit again. My dd is old enough to understand more about what she will see there and I feel it's an important part of Caribbean history.

 

Whatever you choose, enjoy! Curacao is a beautiful island...

[LindaSSF]

Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao (the ABC islands) are well known for their snorkeling & SCUBA diving on the coral reefs. On Curacao, I recommend Curious2Dive as a guide. If you've never dived before, they can do an intro or "discover" SCUBA dive on the reef under close supervision. Most of the dives are "beach entry" on sand from protected coves.

[OCruisers]

We don't normally like to just go into town and hang out. In Curacao we do! It's a lovely area with lots water front bars and places that overlook the water, chat with others, and people watch. :)

 

LuLu

~~~~

[gold1959]

That's what we're doing! We love to ATV (living as we do in WV :D), and we've never been to Curacao, either, and there were lots of choices! Eric's ATV Tour sounds great- Great TripAdvisor reviews, and and he was easy and nice to deal with.

 

It s

Eric's atv tour

[truel1111]

We seem to be among the minority in that we always seek out culture whenever we can as we visit new places. We've been to Curacao once before and sought out the Kura Hulanda Museum.

 

Here's some info on it: http://www.gadling.com/2010/10/08/the-kura-hulanda-museum-in-curacao-looking-back-on-a-dark-hist/

 

Thanks for sharing.

The Kura Hulanda Museum will be my to do list.

[LBumb]

great walking port

[PH8]

It's going to be our first time there..thinking of a island tour....we are in port 2pm till 10pm.......

 

I'm not really sure how it is all laid out.............we get off the tender and are in the middle of town?? yes? no?.......

 

Not sure if we should do the island tour or just do our own thing in town:confused:

[tinybabynurse]

Thanks for sharing.

The Kura Hulanda Museum will be my to do list.

 

 

TBN's hubby here...

 

Been there several times. Went to this slavery museum and hotel last week (Celebrity Eclipse) and it was really worth the time and small fee. The hotel grounds are also beautiful and there are three restaurants that all looked wonderful.

 

We sometimes walk across the floating bridge then turn left and walk by the open-air market.

 

the Jewish Synagog and museum is very interesting and also worth the small fee. In the center of town. The entrance is on the side and is a bit difficult to find.

 

The town is lovely and we sometimes spend most of the day walking around and doing some nice shopping at some interesting shops. There are little alleys with small shops and some interesting murals and 3D artworks that we just run into so if you walk around be certain to peek down each little side street even if it is just barely wide enough to walk through.

 

Lunch with the locals is interesting in the old market building. To find it just continue walking along the same street where the open air market is and it is just beyond the 'new' market. (the new market is a concrete round- shaped building full of small booths of goods) Brain Cramp right now on the name, but it is a rectangular wooden lattice-work building with the name (something) Blue over the door. Open fire cooking by several local groups with a bunch of picnic tables and a $12 each lunch that is more than I could eat. Just look around and pick what you want. Stewed goat, stewed chicken, veggies, plantain, fish, pumpkin pancake, fresh lemonade or soft drinks, and on and on and on... great fun.

 

Kon Tiki Beach is nice and fairly close with food and many nice locations, chairs and beds to sun. Small entrance fee.

 

Hope this helps

[GiannaD]

TBN's hubby here...

 

Been there several times. Went to this slavery museum and hotel last week (Celebrity Eclipse) and it was really worth the time and small fee. The hotel grounds are also beautiful and there are three restaurants that all looked wonderful.

 

We sometimes walk across the floating bridge then turn left and walk by the open-air market.

 

The Jewish Synagog and museum is very interesting and also worth the small fee. In the center of town. The entrance is on the side and is a bit difficult to find.

 

The town is lovely and we sometimes spend most of the day walking around and doing some nice shopping at some interesting shops. There are little alleys with small shops and some interesting murals and 3D artworks that we just run into so if you walk around be certain to peek down each little side street even if it is just barely wide enough to walk through.

 

Lunch with the locals is interesting in the old market building. To find it just continue walking along the same street where the open air market is and it is just beyond the 'new' market. (the new market is a concrete round- shaped building full of small booths of goods) Brain Cramp right now on the name, but it is a rectangular wooden lattice-work building with the name (something) Blue over the door. Open fire cooking by several local groups with a bunch of picnic tables and a $12 each lunch that is more than I could eat. Just look around and pick what you want. Stewed goat, stewed chicken, veggies, plantain, fish, pumpkin pancake, fresh lemonade or soft drinks, and on and on and on... great fun.

 

Kon Tiki Beach is nice and fairly close with food and many nice locations, chairs and beds to sun. Small entrance fee.

 

Hope this helps

 

All of the above suggestions are great. Whether you are Jewish or non Jewish I would highly recommend the Jewish Heritage tour offered by Gigi Scheper. She is a wealth of information and a marvelous guide. The tour ends at the Synagogue in the center of the town which gives you time to explore the places suggested above. You can walk back to the ship over the pontoon bridge, take a cab or Gigi will take you directly to the ship. We were on the Celebrity Eclipse last week and really enjoyed Gigi's Tour.

 

She includes:

 

Beth Chiam Cemetery, oldest walled Jewish Cemetery of the Western Hemisphere dating from 1659.

 

Mongui Maduro Museum/Library situated in an old plantation house which was used as a vacation retreat in the summer by Jews living in town. The house is furnished with lovely antiques original to the house and sits on a breezy hill with a view of the surrounding area. The adjoining library is fascinating.

 

Curacao Liqueur Factory home of the the famous Blue Curacao Liqueur, invented by a Jewish family. The present holding company is 95% Jewish.

 

Drive through the old Jewish neighborhood of Schaarloo 1850-1970.

 

Visit to the Mikve Israel Emanuel Synagogue, and the adjoining Jewish Historical Cultural Museum. The building dates to 1731 and the congregation is one of the oldest in the Western Hemisphere. This is the highlight of the tour!

 

Along the way you see some of the sites of Willemstad and the surrounding area.

 

We are not Jewish and thoroughly enjoyed spending time with Gigi.

 

gigischeper@hotmail.com +(5999)697-0290

 

I would be happy to answer any questions you may have.

 

Gianna

 

 

[PH8]

 

The town is lovely and we sometimes spend most of the day walking around and doing some nice shopping at some interesting shops. There are little alleys with small shops and some interesting murals and 3D artworks that we just run into so if you walk around be certain to peek down each little side street even if it is just barely wide enough to walk through.

 

Lunch with the locals is interesting in the old market building. To find it just continue walking along the same street where the open air market is and it is just beyond the 'new' market. (the new market is a concrete round- shaped building full of small booths of goods) Brain Cramp right now on the name, but it is a rectangular wooden lattice-work building with the name (something) Blue over the door. Open fire cooking by several local groups with a bunch of picnic tables and a $12 each lunch that is more than I could eat. Just look around and pick what you want. Stewed goat, stewed chicken, veggies, plantain, fish, pumpkin pancake, fresh lemonade or soft drinks, and on and on and on... great fun.

 

 

Hope this helps

That sounds really good to me!!Thanks!

[Fozzybear61]

We don't have many other points of reference since it was our first time there, but we just visited last week and I can tell you we thoroughly enjoyed the luncheon sail and snorkel with Bounty adventures. email reservations@bountyadventures.com

[Are we there yet?]

and enjoy the ship that day.

 

 

Wrong side of the bed today???:confused:

[UNV-IT!!!]

All of the above suggestions are great. Whether you are Jewish or non Jewish I would highly recommend the Jewish Heritage tour offered by Gigi Scheper. She is a wealth of information and a marvelous guide. The tour ends at the Synagogue in the center of the town which gives you time to explore the places suggested above. You can walk back to the ship over the pontoon bridge, take a cab or Gigi will take you directly to the ship. We were on the Celebrity Eclipse last week and really enjoyed Gigi's Tour.

 

She includes:

 

Beth Chiam Cemetery, oldest walled Jewish Cemetery of the Western Hemisphere dating from 1659.

 

Mongui Maduro Museum/Library situated in an old plantation house which was used as a vacation retreat in the summer by Jews living in town. The house is furnished with lovely antiques original to the house and sits on a breezy hill with a view of the surrounding area. The adjoining library is fascinating.

 

Curacao Liqueur Factory home of the the famous Blue Curacao Liqueur, invented by a Jewish family. The present holding company is 95% Jewish.

 

Drive through the old Jewish neighborhood of Schaarloo 1850-1970.

 

Visit to the Mikve Israel Emanuel Synagogue, and the adjoining Jewish Historical Cultural Museum. The building dates to 1731 and the congregation is one of the oldest in the Western Hemisphere. This is the highlight of the tour!

 

Along the way you see some of the sites of Willemstad and the surrounding area.

 

We are not Jewish and thoroughly enjoyed spending time with Gigi.

 

gigischeper@hotmail.com +(5999)697-0290

 

I would be happy to answer any questions you may have.

 

Gianna

 

 

 

How much was the tour

[hillside]

We took a taxi from our ship over the huge bridge and asked to be dropped off at the floating market. We walked back along the water front, crossed over the Queen Emma floating bridge, and back to our ship through the hotel and shops along the water. This area has really been built up with lots of shops and a nice pedestrian walkway along the sea to the ship. We spent a very pleasant day doing this.

[GiannaD]

How much was the tour

There were only 6 of us so we paid $65 each which included all admissions and transportation around the island and to and from the ship.. If Gigi has a larger group the price goes down accordingly. While not cheap I felt we got a lot for what we paid. You can discuss the price with her depending on the itinerary. We had a private van with driver and I think she does a walking tour of just the town that is of course less.

 

Hope this helps.

[Keith1010]

Go to the caves.

 

They were spectacular.

 

Keith

[WillSam]

I would recommend Stand Up Paddle boarding. We went on it two weeks ago and had a great time. Very easy too do. Such a nice change of pace coming off the cruise ship. Very well run. Highly recommend it.

[Keith1010]

Favorite place was the caves.

 

Keith

[jennmaybe]

Favorite place was the caves.

 

Keith

 

Keith--could you provide some additional info (or a link) for the caves? We just booked our 1st cruise to Aruba & Curacao, so I'm researching all of our excursions options.

 

Thank you!

[Garn]

http://www.hatocaves.com/

 

From my review:

As we were waiting for the next tour, we got to see a number of iguanas and lizards on the grounds. But for the kids, the highlight of the cruise was these land turtles. My daughter poked a leaf through their cage, and the turtle was so comical and adorable when she tried to take a bite. Clearly, I could have saved my money, skipped the cruise and gone to the free zoo in St. Paul.

 

The caves themselves were pretty impressive. Not huge, but still enough time in a cave. The guide was again informative, on both history and geology. Afterwards we walked the grounds, looking at the different trees, animals and Indian carvings along the “Indian trail”.

[jennmaybe]

http://www.hatocaves.com/

 

From my review:

As we were waiting for the next tour, we got to see a number of iguanas and lizards on the grounds. But for the kids, the highlight of the cruise was these land turtles. My daughter poked a leaf through their cage, and the turtle was so comical and adorable when she tried to take a bite. Clearly, I could have saved my money, skipped the cruise and gone to the free zoo in St. Paul.

 

The caves themselves were pretty impressive. Not huge, but still enough time in a cave. The guide was again informative, on both history and geology. Afterwards we walked the grounds, looking at the different trees, animals and Indian carvings along the “Indian trail”.

 

Thank you Garn!