Curaçao in 1 day
Day 4: Tuesday Jan 23rd
Docking at 9am; Departing at 10p
Black font is research we did prior to our trip, and pink font is feedback from our own personal experience.
Our plan for this cruise stop was to rent a car, and travel around the island as much as we could. The town is gorgeous with lots to do, and is within walking distance of the cruise terminal, but we figured we might run out of things to do/see if this is all we did all day. We wanted to get the heck out of the touristy part of the island/cruise world, and try to see as much of the ACTUAL country as possible. Matt and I figured if we are spending time and money to travel to another country we have never seen before, and might not get to again, let's make the most of it. So once we had our rental car (easy pickup and drop-off at the cruise terminal)...we headed out!
We hiked Shete Boka National Park, snorkeled and sun-bathed at Kleine Knip Beach, and then came back to explore Willemstad, specifically the town of Punda.
In order to do this, we rented a car and went off and did our own thing.
Please refer to this other post on my blog for more deets on renting. But in brief, we paid $126.30 to rent a Kia Picanto from Smart Wheels (pickup and drop off at the cruise terminal), and went off to explore the island.
Once we got our rental car, we headed to 1 of 2 National Parks in Curaçao, and then a public beach (Kleine Knip). We did this as soon as we got off the boat, so we would have as much daylight as possible, when exploring an unfamiliar country. When we returned back to town to return the car, we got back on the boat to eat dinner (free) and then get back off and explored Willemstad/Punda.
Shete Boka National Park:
Shete Boka National Park is described by visitors as a "breathtaking natural wonder." It translates to “seven mouths” in reference to the series of inlets located along the shoreline, as it spans 6+ miles along Curaçao's north coast. It has 10 "pocket" bays where many species of sea turtles nest and lay their eggs. As you walk along the coastline- the ground is either pebbles making up distinct pathways, or is hardened coral creating terraces along the blue waters of the ocean. 
Look off into the distance to see limestone hills. Lizards roam the area if your lucky enough to spot one. Popular spots in the park include:- Boka Tabla -waves crash into an underground cavern; basically a half submerged cave where waves come crashing in; you can actually go down in and walk across a metal grate holding you above the open seas; Matt did this, and goat SOAKED when a huge wave came in; typically you don't get wet, but he caught it RIGHT before park rangers came to block the area off because the seas were getting too rough
- Boka Pistol - a place to see more fantastic waves and coral rock walls. One of the “geological wonders within the park is Boka Pistol, where you can witness powerful blowholes in action. These blowholes are openings in the rocks that channel crashing waves into narrow passages, resulting in water jets shooting up into the sky. The force and sound are truly impressive, giving rise to the name ‘Pistol'
- Boka Wandomi (Natural Bridge) -The formation is a natural limestone arch carved out by the relentless force of the sea over thousands of years. The waves coming in and crashing against the shore has eroded part of the cliff away, creating what looks like a bridge over the ocean.
Pro-tip: winds can be strong on this part of the island, and there is little shade = sunscreen, hat, protective clothing, water. We went on a day where it was completely overcast (even raining!) and I got BURNT bc I didn't wear sunblock. We were actually soaked at one point, like dripping wet from the rain, and 10 minutes later completely dry bc of the strong wind. 
Hours: 9a-5p daily; no admittance after 4pCost: $15.00 for adults; $2.00 for children 6-12; free for children 0-5
Totally reachable by car. We parked in the main parking lot, right after you pay to enter. Grab a map here; it's a crummy map, but it's helpful. 
There are bathrooms here. We parked here and walked to all the other spots in the park bc we had a rental car and were worried what the roads would be like- didn't want to get stuck in mud bc of the rain or hit any pot-holes and damage our low sitting car. But it didn't look too bad along the road to get to various viewpoints if you wanted to drive. 
More info: check out their official website
- Boka Tabla -waves crash into an underground cavern; basically a half submerged cave where waves come crashing in; you can actually go down in and walk across a metal grate holding you above the open seas; Matt did this, and goat SOAKED when a huge wave came in; typically you don't get wet, but he caught it RIGHT before park rangers came to block the area off because the seas were getting too rough
- Boka Pistol - a place to see more fantastic waves and coral rock walls. One of the “geological wonders within the park is Boka Pistol, where you can witness powerful blowholes in action. These blowholes are openings in the rocks that channel crashing waves into narrow passages, resulting in water jets shooting up into the sky. The force and sound are truly impressive, giving rise to the name ‘Pistol'
- Boka Wandomi (Natural Bridge) -The formation is a natural limestone arch carved out by the relentless force of the sea over thousands of years. The waves coming in and crashing against the shore has eroded part of the cliff away, creating what looks like a bridge over the ocean.
After the national park, we headed to the beach.
Kleine Knip Beach (free):
Kleine Knip is nestled just south of Westpunt, around 25 miles from Willemstad on the northwestern coast of the island. As Kleine Knip is not a private beach, it's free to use and there is no closing time. 
White sand with beautiful clear blue waters. "Kleine Knip is one of the prettiest and most underrated beaches in Curaçao, typically overlooked in favor of the neighboring Grote Knip beach, which is larger and has more amenities." It is not dominated by tourists, so it's a great spot to relax without a lot of ppl.
This is apparently the "best public beach." It is a small, cute beach surrounded by cliffs on both sides (cliffs have cacti all over them!) 
Parking lot can be a bit rough. We avoided the mud since it has recently rained. Cost: Free, but you can pay $15 for umbrellas and lounge chairs. We opted to just use our beach towels. I brought a towel/blanket thing instead of one of the cruise-ships beach towels. It is lighter weight, I use it as a blanket/pillow when traveling through the airport, and it doesn't target you as a "tourist" when you're on the island. 
Kleine Knip does not have bathrooms, showers, or beach cafes. However, there was a food stand/truck that looked good. 
"Therefore, this low-key spot is best suited for those who enjoy a natural, simple beach experience." This was great for Matt and I bc it was free, we packed snacks to eat, had our water bottles filled up, brought our own towels to sit/lay on, and brought our own snorkel masks. (Here is the link to the ones we like on Amazon). Oh my gosh the snorkeling! AMAZING!
Getting into the water is a little rough on your feet, but not enough that I would bother to bring my water shoes. As soon as you are past the waves breaking (small little bobs) you are standing on hardened coral with fish all around.
Swim out just a bit further, and the coral is EVERYWHERE. I have been snorkeling before in various places with tour guides, and this was the best. So many different kinds of plant life, and so many different kinds of fish. You didn't even have to swim- you just floated on the surface of the water. Water was calm. Matt and I went out in rounds exploring the L side of the cliffs and then the R, as this was where most of the coral was tucked in and lively with fish. Healthy coral, clear water, and a variety of fish.
This is where I was kicking myself for not thinking sooner to purchase a GoPro to capture some underwater shots. Ugh. But hey. That's ok. Matt bought one as a gift to me for my birthday shortly after, and it gives us an excuse to go snorkeling again.
Getting into the water is a little rough on your feet, but not enough that I would bother to bring my water shoes. As soon as you are past the waves breaking (small little bobs) you are standing on hardened coral with fish all around.
Swim out just a bit further, and the coral is EVERYWHERE. I have been snorkeling before in various places with tour guides, and this was the best. So many different kinds of plant life, and so many different kinds of fish. You didn't even have to swim- you just floated on the surface of the water. Water was calm. Matt and I went out in rounds exploring the L side of the cliffs and then the R, as this was where most of the coral was tucked in and lively with fish. Healthy coral, clear water, and a variety of fish.
After hitting up Shete Boka National Park, and Kleine Knip Beach, we headed back to town. We couldddd have kept going with the rental car, but we were being cautious with returning the car in time, wanted to eat, and wanted to explore the city of Willemstad still.
In town/port:
The are where most large cruise ships will dock is on the Mega Pier side of the port. This is near the St Anna inlet, on the south section of the island of Willemstad (the capital of Curaçao). The town is just a short walk from the pier/docks.
You will pass through the Renaissance Resort on your walk from the Mega Pier Terminal to the town of Willemstad. Renaissance Resort used to be Rif Fort. It still has the original structure, but it is now filled with adorable outlets and places to eat.
Head up to the roof for a neat view.
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| View atop Rig Fort |
You can then explore nearby streets with 2 famous connecting malls.
We aren't huge into shopping, so we wanted to get going to the bridge and the colorful houses, so we headed on to the bridge.
Keep your eyes peeled for "Chichis" and "Mamas" en route to the bridge, and randomly dotted all over the island. These 7-foot-tall voluptuous statues celebrate the role of Curaçao's sisters and mothers in local life.
We were lucky enough to hear the alarm go off, see the gates shut, and watch the Queen Emma Bridge swing open 2x to allow boats to pass. Depending how large the passing boat, the bridge might be "blocked" for quite a bit of time, leaving the peds on the bridge, "stuck" until the bridge is locked to land again, and the gaits open back up.
Punda:
As you cross over, you enter Punda, a historical neighborhood of Willemstad. Punda is the heart of the town. Very cute, lots of places to shop. Full of life and colors with murals and colorful buildings all over. One of the best photo ops in Punda is Handelskade: the waterfront collection of multi-colored buildings that has become Curaçao’s most characteristic image. Think of it as Rainbow Row in Charleston! It's a stretch of Colonial Dutch buildings painted in brilliant pinks, blues and yellows that line the waters of St. Anna Bay. "In the 1800s, the governor decreed whitewashed buildings gave him migraines, so he ordered every building to be repainted any color other than white. However, according to local legend, he had an investment in the local paint factory!"
We also heard another story from a worker on our cruise ship, that ships coming in were blinded by the sun reflecting off all the white houses, and asked the mayor to paint the buildings. There was a misunderstanding, and instead of painting them ALL yellow, pink, blue, etc. he thought the captains wanted each building a DIFFERENT color.
Punda Love Heart is a hot tourist attraction, as people will travel from all over the world, bringing with them a special love lock, to attach to the sculpture.
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