Curacao – Mediterranean Holiday in Central America

With the economy taking a downturn and the dollar continuing to fall, vacations in Europe can get to be expensive. However, one can still get a superb vacation just around the corner in Central America. Located in the Caribbean is the Dutch island of Curacao. It is one of the prettiest and elegant places to visit. Unlike other Dutch islands in the Caribbean, Curacao has few beaches but it has a lot more of Europe. The island is small, but have everything for a once in a life time vacation.


Curacao brings back memories of the olden European times. It has a strong Dutch culture, European food, South American Music and a colorful landscape. The most characteristic observation upon arriving to Curacao is the bright colored buildings with orange roofs.


The friendliness of the island is immediately apparent at the airport. Everyone is warm and willing to assist.


Even though the island is fairly small, it is a heaven for the outdoors person. Besides the pristine blue waters, the island offers a range of land activities including hiking, horseback riding and shopping. The island also has national park with a rich reserve of wildlife. Unlike most islands in the Caribbean, Curacao also has a varied collection of museums. The waters surrounding the island are warm, clear and offer every type of water sports.


The shopping in Curacao is more intimate. One does not have the giant malls and plazas like in America but small boutiques and shops filled with quality items ranging from Belgium chocolates, Dutch cheese, fabrics from Indonesia and wooden carving from Borneo. The markets are colorful with foods and fruits of all types.


If you want something to eat, the island has something for every taste. Besides the Caribbean cuisine, the island is rich with European and Asian flavors. For a sea food lover, Curacao is paradise.


For the night lover, Curacao has every type of entertainment to sparkle your life. After dark almost every club, bar and restaurant has some type of musical event and beautiful people. Jazz, samba and hip hop and can be heard till early hours of the morning.


Curacao is not difficult to reach. Most airlines in North America fly direct to the island. Even though the island is small and has decent transportation, one may rent a bike, car or an ATV to get around.


There is ample accommodation on the island. The hotels come in all styles and many come with inclusive packages. The hotels cater to every type of budget and most offer some type of package deal for divers. Those tourists who want to stay long; there are luxury villas with private pools that can be rented for any length of time.


Curacao is ideal for families, couples or singles who want to escape the cold winter. It is a superb place where one can sit under an umbrella at the pool, stroll along the waterfront or dive along the beaches. The biggest surprise is that package deals available today are generally less than $1000 for a 5-7 day trip.

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