Curacao- Dutch Caribbean

This is the second time we have gone to Curacao.  We came here about 4 months ago and enjoyed our time so much, we decided to come back. It also helped that I had a free Level 7 Hyatt hotel room that was going to expire mid February that we wanted to use and not lose. Living in Bogota, Curaco is a quick 2 hour cheap flight away, so it is easy to hop away for the weekend to sit in the sun at an all inclusive resort.

Curacao is part of the chain of 3 islands, referred to as the ABC islands, in the Caribbean.  The most notorious one is Aruba. We love Aruba and have been there twice and I am confident we will go again, Aruba has great beaches and is really a place made for tourist.  It is very enjoyable, but very touristy.  Curacao isn’t quite there yet, which adds a nice little charm to the experience.

Curacao also has multiple all inclusive experiences, which differentiate it a bit from  the other islands.  All 3 ABC islands have a Dutch influence, but Curacao exemplifies this the most.  The main city area, Willemstad,  resembles a quaint little dutch town and is simple marvelous to experience.

Our first time in Curacao, we stayed at Sunscape Resort, known to be a slightly lower end all inclusive resort tied to the Hyatt.  It is on a beautiful beach with beautiful sunsets, but not ideal to swim in because of the rocky shoreline. We had a great time at the VIP pool and the drinks were amazing.   We also enjoyed the food options here and felt we had a lot of  choices for dining. The resort had nightly shows, including a rendition of the Curacao carnival, which was beautiful to observe and fun to participate in.

The second time went to Curacao, in February 2023, just a few months later, we stayed at a higher end Hyatt property, Dreams.  Our room was lovely, with a nice view of the ocean. Although considered a higher end property with a higher price point, I would consider it fairly comparable to the Sunscape and if we didn’t have a free room, may have opted for the lower cost option.   I also learned, through  this experience, that Dreams, is a luxury vacation destination for FAMILIES.  I am not opposed to family vacation destinations, as long as you are prepared.  We were not expecting this and it does change the dynamic of the resort

Our first time to Curacao, we did a tour of the island and learned about the history  and visited some old forts.  We also went to the Curaco distillery and tried the multiple varieties of Curacao Liquor. It is a beautiful  Caribbean island with Dutch influences and architecture wi multiple activities to keep the visitor entertained.  On our second trip, the plan for the entire weekend was relaxing on the beach and by the pool  and enjoying the food and drink. We were not disappointed.

Did you know that if you live in South America, a cheaper way to get to Europe, specifically Amsterdam, is through Aruba or Curacao?  As part of the Dutch Caribbean, they have direct, economical flights between the island and Amsterdam.  Just a little something to consider as you plan your next adventure… and want to save a buck… or experience the Caribbean for a weekend before your European adventure.