Curacao Central!

Ever been in the situation where you’re on vacation and just sitting around in your hotel room thinking about what else there is to see and do? Do you need more options?

With Curacao Landmarks, you’ll have lots of choices. There’s everything from a fantastic park with interesting animal and plant life, to lively beaches where topless bathing is permitted, to a place where you can feed sharks by hand!  

For history buffs, a good place to check out is the Hato Caves. Still in a process of formation, complete with dripping water from the walls, these caves contain some spectacular stalagmites and stalactites that are in the process of being shaped. They date back quite far, to the days of the Amerindian Arawaks who used them as shelter. There are also petroglyphs, otherwise known as cave drawings, which are more than 1,500 years old.

Christoffel Park and the Sea Aquarium also provide the visitor with many thrills. If you are an animal or plant lover, these Curacao Landmarks are for you. People that like lounging around on the beach will enjoy Curacao as well. These beaches are little-known, but fantastic. They offer a range of outdoor activities, as well as a relaxing place to watch the waves and beautiful scenery. They are one of the main reasons to come here for tourists.

People interested in architecture will also be very pleased among Curacao Landmarks. A couple interesting sites of note would be the Lanhuis Ascension and Fort Amsterdam. At the Lanhuis Ascension there now exists a recreation center that boasts a variety of shows and features local music. You can also pick up souvenirs here.

The Landhuis Brakkput and the Tafelberg must not be missed either. Romantic types will be swept off their feet by this landmark. It’s an open-air restaurant that was once an 18th century plantation building. You can find great food offerings here, along with delightful Caribbean music, and an ambiance that has “tropical” written all over it. This well-known restaurant is perfect for a dinner for two, or even a massive party. It’s also a good place to take children. Kids can enjoy themselves with supervised coloring activities.

The capital city, Willemstad, is also a major landmark in Curacao. There are famous carnivals that take place here between the beginning of January and the final days of February or March. These events draw tourists from all over the world. It’s a perfect chance to dance in the street with the locals.

Shopping addicts will also get their fix in Curacao, and then some. There are more than just Dutch-inspired treasures here to gawk at. There is also a famous shopping district, comprising five blocks, called Punda. The truth is that shopping here isn’t duty-free. But you definitely need to haggle to get a good deal. So that’s why some people seem to think that it is duty-free.

There are Curacao Landmarks to satisfy everyone. People who have experienced Curacao all agree that it’s the hottest destination in the world.

It is always a good idea to know one’s culture. It will make you feel closer to the place and to the people. For this reason that we give you the culture of Curacao. Let us find out what makes this place a very popular tourist destination, aside from its beautiful beaches and amazing landscapes. 

The Curacao culture is world renowned because it is influenced by African and European cultures. One of the distinguishing marks of the famed Curacao culture is its festivities. Curacao’s yearly festivity (which is also known as “Curacao Carnival”), is rapidly gaining attention in the tourism industry worldwide. It is a gathering of different cultural groups that participate in a roadmarch, showing their cultural heritage. 

The Curacao community is composed of more that 42 ethnic groups (mostly of African and European descent). Because of its strategic location, and the Dutch motivated religious freedom, it has attracted market trade from different parts of the globe during the nineteenth century. Even its language (Papiamentu) is a variation of Portuguese, Spanish, and African languages that originated from the slaves that were part of the history of Curacao. Papiamentu is the most common language spoken on Curacao, but it is slowly diminishing in popularity. The Curacao government is trying to develop Papiamentu, and now it is being taught in their schools. 

Curacao music and dances are of mixed heritage too, but as time goes by the originality of the tradition is slowly losing ground. Like many countries worldwide, Curacao culture can only be recognized through their beliefs and attitudes. 

The strongest trait of the Curacao culture that the locals show is their love for music and dancing. This trait came from their African influence. This characteristic originated from the slaves, who came from Africa, and was passed along from generation to generation. Known as “tambu”, this African tradition is an ancient form of dance and music. The main foundation of “tambu” is drumming. 

Farm tools were the first instruments used by the slaves. The slaves later on converted cargo containers (which are hollow) into drums, by covering them with dried goatskin. The rhythm is accompanied by a type of dance called “baila ban”. In this form of dance, the partners only make contact through their bodies and hips, with the feet staying in place, while dancing through the rhythm of the drums. 

Although this tradition was banned by the slave masters and the Catholic Church, this tradition somehow survived. At the present time, tambu is celebrated each year and famously known as the “Tambu Festival”.  Tambu is also performed in various festivities, like the “Curacao Carnival” and other cultural festivals. 

Curacao’s rich culture adds to the beauty of the place. One can say that they are music and festival loving people. So next time you visit Curacao, take time-out to be part of their festival, and experience their culture first-hand.