Travel insurance & safety
Use this page to prepare, then confirm the latest safety and health guidance with official sources before departure.
Check the current safety advisory before you fly
In an advisory issued September 9, 2026, the U.S. State Department lists Curaçao at Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions. Canada's advice, updated May 26, 2026, is to take normal security precautions, and UK government advice calls the main tourist areas generally safe while warning that petty theft and street crime are a concern. Check all three again before you fly.
Official safety & health sources
U.S. State Department Travel Advisory
Level 1: Exercise normal precautions for Curaçao, in an advisory issued September 9, 2026. Check it again before you fly.
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UK Government: Curaçao Travel Advice
UK government advice for Curaçao: it calls the main tourist areas generally safe and warns that petty theft and street crime are a concern.
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CDC: Getting Health Care During Travel
General CDC advice on medical care abroad and evacuation cover. It is not specific to Curaçao.
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Why travel insurance matters
The Dutch government lists medical or travel insurance among its requirements for visa-free travel to Curaçao: cover of at least US$15,000 in medical expenses, including hospital care, emergency treatment and repatriation. Curaçao Tourist Board guidance describes insurance as recommended, so carry proof of cover either way. If you plan to dive, sail or take a boat to Klein Curaçao, confirm those activities are covered, ideally including hyperbaric (decompression) treatment.
Medical Coverage
Hospital visits, medications, emergency evacuation
Trip Protection
Cancellations, delays, missed connections
Belongings
Lost luggage, stolen items, electronics
Insurers to compare
These are examples to compare, not an official ranking. Read the policy wording carefully for medical treatment, emergency evacuation, water activities, pre-existing conditions, and cancellation rules.
World Nomads
Travel insurance sold online. Which plans and which activities are covered depends on your country of residence, so check the list for your own policy.
Single trips, with activity cover to check
SafetyWing
Travel medical insurance sold as a rolling subscription, aimed at long stays and remote workers. Read what it excludes before relying on it.
Long stays on a subscription
Allianz Travel Insurance
Single-trip and annual plans from a large insurer. Benefits and prices differ by the country you buy in.
Single-trip or annual plans
Health tips
- Tap water is safe to drink, according to the Curaçao Tourist Board. The utility Aqualectra produces it by desalinating seawater at its Mundo Nobo and Sta. Barbara plants, so you can refill a bottle from the tap
- Use reef-friendly sunscreen: the Curaçao Tourist Board recommends it (a recommendation, not a ban). Add shade, a hat and a rash guard around midday
- Mosquito repellent: most useful in the rainy season, which the Meteorological Department Curaçao gives as October to January
- Check the vaccine guidance for this destination: requirements can depend on where you are arriving from, not only on your nationality
Safety tips
🏖️ At the Beach
Swim on the leeward south and west coast, at beaches such as Cas Abao, Porto Mari and Grote Knip. The north coast around Shete Boka National Park takes the open-sea swell and is for walking, not swimming. Canada's travel advice says never to leave valuables unattended on the beach or in your vehicle.
🚗 Transportation
Licensed taxis carry plates marked TX and are not metered, so agree the fare before you leave, as Canada's travel advice says. There is no Uber or Lyft, but the 24-7 Taxi Curaçao app orders licensed taxis. If you rent a car, traffic keeps to the right, turning right on a red light is prohibited and animals on the road are a hazard.
Emergency numbers
| Police & Fire | 911 |
| Ambulance | 912 |
| Coast Guard (sea rescue) | 913 |
| Curaçao Medical Center (CMC) | +5999 745 0000 |
| US Consulate General Curaçao | +5999 433 2200 |
| US Consulate after-hours emergency | +5999 433 2200 |
Explore more travel essentials
Next: how to get from Hato airport to your base, and what to know about money, language and tipping in Curaçao.