3 Days in Curaçao

Start in the heart of Willemstad, the capital and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Begin on the Punda side along the Handelskade, the row of pastel Dutch-colonial townhouses that line the harbour and give the city its postcard look. Walk out onto the Queen Emma Bridge, the floating pontoon bridge that swings open to let ships pass, then explore the small lanes of Punda on foot.

Step into the Mikve Israel-Emanuel Synagogue, one of the oldest synagogues in continuous use in the Americas, famous for its sand-covered floor. Nearby, Fort Amsterdam anchors the old defensive heart of the town.

Join a Willemstad walking food tour to taste your way through the old town, from local snacks to the national dish, keshi yena, a baked round of cheese filled with spiced meat. If you would rather go at your own pace, cross to the Otrobanda side and visit the Kura Hulanda Museum, a thoughtful museum on the island's history and the transatlantic slave trade.

End the day with dinner on the waterfront, watching the Queen Emma Bridge glow against the harbour. The Handelskade is especially photogenic after dark when the colourful facades light up.

Drive west into the rural Bandabou region, where Curaçao's most photogenic beaches line the calm leeward coast. Start at Cas Abao, a wide crescent of soft sand with clear turquoise water, loungers and a beach bar, then continue to Playa Porto Mari near Sint Willibrordus, known for its double reef just offshore.

The water here is calm and clear, perfect for easing into the day with some snorkeling straight from the beach.

Carry on to the twin coves of Playa Kenepa Grandi (Grote Knip) and the smaller Playa Kenepa Chiki (Kleine Knip), two of the island's most beautiful beaches, framed by low cliffs with brilliant blue water. If you dive, Curaçao is one of the world's best places for shore diving, with reefs reachable straight off the leeward beaches inside the Curaçao Marine Park.

Time your drive back so you reach a west-coast viewpoint near sunset, then return to Willemstad for dinner. If you have energy left, a relaxed evening on the Jan Thiel strip offers more dining and a livelier scene.

Save your last day for the island's signature excursion: a Klein Curaçao day trip. Boats depart early, most from the Spanish Water marina on the southeast coast, and cross open sea to the uninhabited islet of Klein Curaçao. The reward is a long, untouched white-sand beach, an old lighthouse, and some of the clearest snorkeling water around.

Spend the day swimming, snorkeling over the reef, and relaxing on the sand; most tours include lunch and gear, and sea turtles are often seen in the shallows. As the boat heads back in the late afternoon, you get a last long look at the Curaçao coastline from the water.

Back on the main island, wind down with a farewell dinner in Willemstad or near Jan Thiel. If your flight allows extra time, the Curaçao liqueur distillery at Landhuis Chobolobo, where the bright-blue liqueur is made, makes a quick and fun final stop, easily reached on the way to the airport.