In this article:
More than 150,000 people live on the island, mostly around the capital Willemstad, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List for its typical Dutch façades.
However, the island is no longer the right place for a hardcore surfing holiday. Unfortunately, the beautiful spots on the south side, where you used to be able to surf, now have buildings right up to the water's edge, so that the wind no longer has a clean run-up. On the island of Curaçao, surfing is now mainly done in the sheltered lagoon a little to the east of Willemstad. Spaanse Water is the name of the winding body of water, which is also home to the Windsurfing Curaçao centre.
"I dare say: anyone who learns to windsurf with us can really do it afterwards," emphasises Ingmar Schnitzler, the owner of the surf school.
1st Spaanse Water / Windsurfing Curaҫao
A very relaxed place that, despite not having the crystal-clear, turquoise water of Bonaire, invites you to chill out with a real surf vibe and exudes a true Caribbean feeling. The centre has also had its own bar and kitchen for a year now - a happy hour is held here every few weeks on Fridays. As the Spanish Water is very winding and surrounded by mangroves, the wind here is not so constant and you can only surf relatively short strokes.
Windsurfing Curaçao therefore focuses mainly on beginners and children who would like to try out a day of windsurfing in addition to a dive, a day at the beach and a day of hiking.
Surfing and wave spots on Klein Curaçao
Curaçao does indeed offer good spots for surfing, with three main spots on the island: Playa Kanoa, Sint Joris and Pistol. But the island of Klein Curaçao, an hour and a half boat ride away, has the very best waves of the ABC islands. If the wind is strong enough, there is a hollow left-hand wave on the south side, which can also be good for windsurfing for cracks. And with a good northerly swell, a really hollow right-hand wave breaks along the shallow reef at the northern tip of Klein Curaçao - pretty powerful by Caribbean standards!
Food, drink and party
The Truk'i pan (literally: bread lorry) is a household name on Curaçao:BBQ Express,Hot Pepperyou can hardly go wrong here. TheCulture Deli Café in Punda offers local dishes such as pan ku stobá or sop'i karni. And on ThursdaysMundo Bizarro its weekly salsa night with live music (it's fun even if you can't dance). On Fridays it is recommended to visit theHappy hour at the surf school or in theBonita Beach Club - the perfect way to start the weekend, followed by happy hours in the many other beach bars.
Those who don't mind the heat will also find many beautiful mountain bike trails and hiking routes on the hilly island of Curaçao. And - as on all the ABC islands - you can dive very well. The Pietermaai Dive Centre makes a real party of it: they regularly visit all the island's dive sites with their legendary scuba bus - except on Thursdays, when they are closed for their famous happy hour in the city.
Additional information about Curaçao
The Curaçao Tourist Office offers structured overviews of accommodation, car hire offers, activities and everything else you need for a successful stay (apart from windsurfing) on Curaçao.
Further information and activities:
- Windsurfing Curaçao : The colourful building is located directly on the Spanish Water, at the end of the Caracasbaaiweg.
- Dive Centre Pietermaai :If you want to explore Curaçao's underwater world, you're in good hands here.
