Frequently asked questions

Curaçao sits on the southern edge of the Atlantic hurricane region, and the hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, according to the Meteorological Department Curaçao. The department describes direct impacts on the island as relatively rare compared with islands farther north. Relatively rare is not the same as never, so Curaçao should not be described as immune to hurricanes or as lying outside the region altogether. For how those months compare with the rest of the year, see our month-by-month guide to the best time to visit Curaçao.

The rainy season in Curaçao starts in October and ends in January, as stated by the Meteorological Department Curaçao. Its first two months, October and November, also fall inside the Atlantic hurricane season, which the same department gives as June 1 to November 30. Those two months overlap with the September through November off-season named by the Curaçao Tourist Board, a period when the board says hotel rates may be lower. Weigh rain against price with Curaçao's weather pattern and prices by season.

Blue Curaçao is an orange-flavored liqueur. The version made on the island, Genuine Curaçao Liqueur, is produced by Senior & Co. at Landhuis Chobolobo with the dried peel of the laraha, a bitter orange that developed on Curaçao from the Valencia oranges the Spanish planted there in the 16th century. Blue is one of five colors the producer lists, with clear, orange, red and green as the others, and its own article names the coloring as FD&C Blue No. 1 (Brilliant Blue). Other brands of blue curaçao do not necessarily use laraha. Read more in our Blue Curaçao explainer or see the Curaçao liqueur distillery page.

Call 912 for an ambulance in Curaçao. Police and firefighters are both reached on 911, and the coast guard on 913, as listed in the Government of Canada's travel advice for Curaçao, updated May 26, 2026. Curaçao Medical Center publishes +5999 745 0000 as its contact number, which is the hospital's general line and does not replace 912 in an emergency. All four numbers were checked on October 9, 2026. Save them before you fly, and find hospital and police details on the emergency contacts page.

Jan Thiel is 10 minutes from historic Willemstad by the one estimate found on the Curaçao Tourist Board's site: its listing for Livingstone Jan Thiel Resort, which also gives 30 minutes from the airport. Both are travel-time estimates for a single property, so another address in Jan Thiel may differ, and no official distance in kilometers or miles was found. As an editorial suggestion, not a measured fact: choose Willemstad for a first visit focused on the city and Jan Thiel for a resort-focused stay. Compare the two in where to stay in Curaçao, or read the Jan Thiel area guide.

US, Canadian, UK, Dutch and EU citizens can visit Curaçao without a visa for short stays, according to the Dutch government's NetherlandsWorldwide site. Your passport must have been issued within the previous ten years and remain valid throughout the stay. Official sources conflict on the maximum stay: NetherlandsWorldwide gives 90 days in any 180-day period (180 consecutive days in any 365-day period for Dutch and US nationals), the Curaçao Tourist Board gives 30 consecutive days and up to 90 days in 365, and UK government advice gives British visitors 90 days in a calendar year. Ask immigration before planning a longer stay. See visa and entry requirements.

Carnival activities in Curaçao begin in the first week of January, the Curaçao Tourist Board says, but official 2027 parade dates could not be confirmed when sources were checked on October 9, 2026. For reference only, the board's event listing dated the 2026 farewell parade February 17, 2026, and that date does not carry over to 2027. The government lists the Monday after the Grand Parade as a public holiday that moves each year, next to fixed holidays that include January 1, April 27, May 1, July 2, October 10, and December 25 and 26. Background is on our Curaçao Carnival page.

Hotel rates may be lower in two off-season periods, May through June (after Easter) and September through November, according to a Curaçao Tourist Board article dated August 4, 2026. The board does not promise a fixed discount, and it says airfare savings depend on the airline, route and travel dates. The board names periods, not a single cheapest month. Compare real quotes for your own dates instead of assuming September, October or November is always cheapest. Budget ideas are in Curaçao on a budget.

You fly into Hato Curaçao International Airport, IATA code CUR (TNCC in aeronautical listings). The official aeronautical publication places its reference point 4.5 nautical miles northwest of Willemstad, which is a map reference and not a driving distance. Car rentals, taxis and public transportation are listed at the airport, and the Curaçao Tourist Board also recommends checking whether your hotel offers a transfer service. As one example of travel time, the board's listing for Livingstone Jan Thiel Resort puts that property 30 minutes from the airport. Terminal and transport details are on our Curaçao International Airport page.

Some are free and others charge. The Curaçao Tourist Board lists Grote Knip (Kenepa Grandi) as free entry, about 40 minutes from Willemstad. As listed by their operators on October 9, 2026, Cas Abao charges US$6 per car Monday through Saturday and US$7 on Sundays and holidays, covering up to four people, plus "Nafl. 2,50" per extra person (the operator's outdated guilder label), while Porto Mari charges US$3 per person. A rental car is not the only option: Porto Mari says taxis bring visitors to the beach, though its nearest bus stop, at Willibrordus, is about two miles away. Compare more in the best beaches in Curaçao.

A car is the easiest way to get around Curaçao, says the Curaçao Tourist Board, which adds that the island has no ride-sharing services such as Uber or Lyft. Licensed taxis can be ordered through the 24-7 Taxi Curaçao app. Public buses run by ABC start or stop at the Punda or Otrobanda terminals and take cash. On October 9, 2026 the ABC fare page listed ANG 2.00 for city and east-side routes and ANG 2.50 for western routes including Westpunt. The page still prices in ANG, which the Caribbean guilder (XCG) replaced in 2025. Minibus fares were not verified. More in getting around Curaçao.

Visitors arriving in Curaçao are required to complete the Digital Immigration Card (DI card) within seven days before departure. It is an online form, submitted through the official DI card portal. The Curaçao Tourist Board describes the requirement as per person and per trip, so children need their own submission, and it says to have the submitted form ready on arrival, digitally or as a printout. The official portal states that completion of the card is free. The steps are in the Digital Immigration Card section of our first-timers guide.

Both the US and Canadian governments advise normal precautions for Curaçao. The US State Department advisory is Level 1: Exercise normal precautions, issued September 9, 2026, and Canada's advice, updated May 26, 2026, is to take normal security precautions. UK government advice describes the main tourist areas as generally safe while warning that petty theft and street crime are a concern. All three pages were checked on October 9, 2026. Everyday precautions are covered on the travel insurance and safety page.

The Caribbean guilder (currency code XCG) is Curaçao's currency, and the Curaçao Tourist Board says US dollars are accepted across the island, usually with change given in guilders. The Caribbean guilder became legal tender on March 31, 2025, replacing the Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG) at 1:1, and the central bank gives the peg as US$1 = Cg1.79. ANG stopped being legal tender on July 1, 2025. The central bank will still exchange old ANG until March 31, 2055, which is not the same as shops accepting it. Read the money tips in our Curaçao budget guide.

Yes: the Curaçao Tourist Board states that Curaçao's tap water is safe to drink. The utility Aqualectra says the island's drinking water is produced by desalinating seawater, through evaporation or reverse osmosis, at plants located at Mundo Nobo and Sta. Barbara. That is the position for the normal supply; temporary local notices or interruptions were not checked for this answer. More everyday basics are in the water and comfort notes for first-time visitors.

Whether the Queen Emma Bridge is back in service could not be confirmed on October 9, 2026; the pedestrian ferry, for its part, is described as free of charge. Curaçao Ports Authority announced that the bridge would be out of service for maintenance from August 2 through September 25, 2026, and no reopening notice was found on its pages. In normal operation, when the bridge swings open for ships, a small ferry called the ponchi carries pedestrians free of charge, as the Curaçao Tourist Board describes it. Check the Curaçao Ports Authority website for current status, and see our Queen Emma Bridge guide.

Dutch, Papiamentu and English are the three official languages of Curaçao. The Curaçao Tourist Board, the source for that list, describes Papiamentu as the native language and as a Creole language. It also says many locally born residents speak English, Dutch, Spanish and Papiamentu, so Spanish is widely spoken even though it is not one of the official languages. Language notes for visitors are on the local tips page.

Standard outlets in Curaçao supply 110 to 130 volts at 50 Hz and take the two-pin Type A plug, as listed by the Curaçao Tourist Board. Some hotels and apartments also have 220-volt outlets. Because that varies by property, confirm with your accommodation which outlets your room has before you pack an appliance that depends on a 220-volt socket. Other pre-trip details are in our planning notes for a first trip to Curaçao.

Curaçao Express Pass is a mobile-based border pre-processing service that works with the free Airside Digital Identity App and contactless eGates. The Curaçao Tourist Board lists it for travelers aged 16 and older who hold an eligible chip-enabled passport (an e-passport), and its eligibility list includes US, Canadian, UK and Dutch passport holders along with listed European nationalities. It is a separate service from the Digital Immigration Card, which visitors still have to complete. Arrival details are on our Curaçao airport guide.

Reef-friendly sunscreen is recommended, turtles must be left alone, and drones may not fly above 400 feet (120 meters) without the aviation authority's approval. The sunscreen point is a Curaçao Tourist Board recommendation, not a stated ban, and the board also asks for a respectful distance from sea turtles and other marine animals. Carmabi's Shete Boka visitor material says not to touch, catch or chase turtles and not to come near nests or hatchlings. The Curaçao Civil Aviation Authority's undated drone leaflet bars flying within 50 meters of people or buildings and requires the authority's prior approval for restricted airport operations; later amendments and registration rules were not verified. See snorkeling with turtles.