Local Tips for Curaçao
Money, tipping, language, mobile data, plugs and packing for Curaçao. Figures from official sources are attributed; the rest is general travel practice.
Money & Currency
The Caribbean guilder (currency code XCG) is Curaçao's currency. It 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. The Curaçao Tourist Board says you can use US dollars everywhere on the island and that you will usually get your change in guilders.
Do
- Use ATMs attached to a bank branch, and check the fee and currency shown before you confirm
- Carry small bills and coins: ABC buses take cash on board, and Playa Porto Mari listed a US$3 entrance fee per person in October 2026
- Confirm whether a price is quoted in guilders or US dollars before paying
- Credit cards work at hotels, larger restaurants, and shops
Avoid
- Don't assume small vendors take cards, keep some cash
- Don't rely on one card, bring a backup
- Don't count on spending old ANG notes: they stopped being legal tender on July 1, 2025, though the central bank exchanges them until March 31, 2055
- Don't withdraw from ATMs in dark or isolated areas
Tipping Culture
| Service | Suggested Tip |
|---|---|
| Restaurants | Check the bill for a service charge first, then add extra if you wish |
| Hotel housekeeping | A small cash tip left in the room |
| Taxi drivers | Fares are agreed in advance; rounding up is a courtesy |
| Tour guides | A cash tip per person at the end of the tour |
| Resort staff | Small bills for a bellhop or pool attendant |
| Boat and dive crew | A cash tip after the trip; ask the operator what is usual |
Language
Papiamentu, a Creole language, is the native language, and it is one of three official languages alongside Dutch and English. The Curaçao Tourist Board says many locally born residents speak English, Dutch, Spanish and Papiamentu, so a few words of Papiamentu are a courtesy, not a necessity.
Papiamentu Words You May Hear
Internet & Connectivity
Hotels, cafes and restaurants in Curaçao commonly offer WiFi, and you can add mobile data with a local SIM card or an eSIM.
Local SIM Card
Digicel and Flow sell prepaid SIM cards in Curaçao. Ask in the shop which data bundle fits your stay, and take your passport in case it is needed to register the SIM.
eSIM
Providers such as Airalo and Holafly sell travel eSIMs. Check that the plan lists Curaçao and that your phone is unlocked before you buy.
WiFi
WiFi is common at hotels, cafes and restaurants. If you need to work, ask your accommodation about speed before you book, especially at the western end of the island.
Food & Dining
Dishes to Know
- Keshi yena: stuffed cheese, usually filled with chicken or other meat, which the Curaçao Tourist Board calls the unofficial national dish
- Stoba: a slow-cooked stew, often goat (kabritu) or beef
- Funchi & tutu: cornmeal sides served with stews and fish
- Arepa di pampuna: pumpkin pancakes
- Pastechi: a fried turnover filled with cheese, meat, or fish
Dining Tips
- Roadside snack trucks (truk'i pan) are an inexpensive option for a casual evening meal
- Menu prices may be in guilders or US dollars, so check which before you order
- Curaçao liqueur is an orange-flavored liqueur made with the peel of the laraha, a bitter orange native to the island; Landhuis Chobolobo offers distillery visits and tastings
- Tap water is safe to drink, according to the Curaçao Tourist Board, so you can ask for it or refill your own bottle
- Say what you do not eat when you order: recipes for the same dish vary from kitchen to kitchen
Weather & What to Pack
Curaçao sits on the southern edge of the Atlantic hurricane region and is warm all year. Average daily highs at Hato Airport run from 30 to 33°C (86 to 91°F) and average lows from 24.5 to 27°C (76 to 80°F) in the Meteorological Department Curaçao's 1991-2020 figures, with sustained winds from the east.
Dry Season (Feb to May)
The dry season named by the Meteorological Department Curaçao. It overlaps the last months of the December to April high season given by the Curaçao Tourist Board.
Rainy Season (Oct to Jan)
The rainy season starts in October and ends in January, with November the wettest month on average. Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30; the department calls direct impacts relatively rare compared with islands farther north.
Packing Essentials
Lightweight clothing, swimwear, reef-friendly sunscreen, insect repellent, comfortable walking shoes for Willemstad, and water shoes for rocky shore entries. Standard outlets supply 110 to 130 volts at 50 Hz and take the two-pin Type A plug, according to the Curaçao Tourist Board, and some hotels and apartments also have 220-volt outlets. Bring an adapter if your plugs are a different type, and ask your accommodation which outlets the room has.
Culture & Etiquette
Greetings matter: a friendly “bon dia” or “bon tardi” goes a long way, even in shops
Music: tumba, ritmo kombiná and salsa are the styles to listen for
Timekeeping: allow some slack in your plans, especially around bus connections
Many roots: Dutch, African, Latin American and Sephardic Jewish heritage all shape island life
Dress code: casual is fine; cover up over swimwear when away from the beach
Carry ID: Canada's travel advice notes that you must always carry valid identification, and suggests keeping a copy of your passport with you
Ask before photographing people, especially in residential neighborhoods
Carnival: activities begin in the first week of January and close with the Grand Farewell Parade, which was on February 17 in 2026
Next: choose where to go
Compare Curaçao's areas, then its beaches, from free-entry Grote Knip to the coves that charge per car or per person.