Planning a trip? Do you want to explore a less-travelled and exotic island? Then planning a trip to Curaçao will be a great option for both you and your family.
In this article, you will know the various things you need to keep in mind when planning a trip to these islands and travel like a pro. These quick tips will guide you from planning the trip to booking the tickets.
Quick Facts about Curaçao
Curaçao is a Lesser Antilles country in the Southern Caribbean region in the south of Venezuela. Its capital is Willemstad and Papiamentu is the language majorly spoken in this Island country.
Other languages are African, Portuguese, Spanish, Arawak Indian, French and English. This surreal island is approximately 40 miles from the Venezuelan coast. It is it isn’t a really common island that people visit actually.
There isn’t much tourism awareness but because of its beauty and location, this is becoming a center for tourism gradually. Curaçao has been a colony of various countries in the past so when you visit it, you will see an influence of different cultures.
The most recent country Curaçao was ruled by was the Netherlands. So, you will find many people with Dutch/ Portuguese/ Spanish /French mixed dialect.
There are some main things you will need when visiting Curaçao:
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A Valid Passport
To visit any country the most important thing to carry with you is your passport. It is advised that the passport is not expiring within the year of the travel because some countries have travel restrictions, especially in this Covid situation with many travel restrictions. The country won’t let you travel to the country if it is expiring within 6 months or 3 months.
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Negative Covid Result
You will need negative Covid test results handy that too recent ones because some airlines don’t allow passengers to board the plane without rapid test results. A digital immigration card may also be needed. The link will be easily available on this website curaçao.com.
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PLC Card
A PLC Card is a passenger locator card. Have a clear knowledge about this card and try not to get it from third-party apps. Having some extra copies of this card will be useful. This card can be filled 48 hours before leaving. It will ask you about your medical history, where you live and how you know some things from the immigration card. This card makes sure the visitor is safe especially if he/she is travelling from a high-risk country.
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Booking a Trip
The ticket to Curaçao can be easily booked on the official sites or from third-party apps like https://curacao-trips.com/.
This website gives details about the travel related queries too. Thus, tickets are not pricey and are available at cheap prices most of the time of the year. The prices range from 900$ to 1800$.
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Staying in Hotel
If you are planning to stay at a hotel or a resort, plan accordingly. Booking in advance is advised because you never know, if the resort gets pre-booked, it will be all chaos finding a good place to stay at the last moment. So, with the help of online apps, many places can be booked beforehand.
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Travel
Finding accommodation for travel in a foreign country is a tough task. Running a car can be a better option because the rates of travelling in a taxi are very high. Rental cars are easily available and it spares us from waiting for a taxi to go to any place. Rental cars are available for approximately 40-50$ per day. Rather than trusting the board signs, travel using a GPS system as it is a more reliable option. The best season to visit this place is during the offseason. Summer is a good time to visit Curaçao as it will be kind to your pockets and save you up to 50-100 USD.
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Food
Food will be a bit pricey at Curaçao but it’s okay because- tourist place. It is better to know the cuisines served at the hotels beforehand and also pack some medicines so that if your stomach gets upset, it could be fixed and going to doctors never becomes an option.
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Miscellaneous
Any currency app is very good for you to know how to exchange currency. The currency of Curaçao is called Florin. The value of one Florin is approximately 56 Cents.
It is mandatory to use the currency app and Google maps to avoid any misunderstandings. If you plan to book a tourist package, then book it via an authentic source to keep away from any hoax.
A company named Aquafari provides adventurous tours and services like water sports, visiting Hato caves and ostrich farms etc. Scuba diving is a very famous underwater adventure there but make sure you take all the precautions and learn and have an experienced instructor.
These adventures are not recommended for children, aged people, pregnant women and those who are claustrophobic.
When you first arrive at this place, find all pharmacies, police stations, hardware stores, gas stations, supermarkets, ATMs and doctors as soon as possible.
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A Good Tourist
To be a good tourist and take care of yourselves as well as others. Be safe and keep others safe. Try to not remove the masks and travel with a sanitizer handy all the time. Avoid going to places all on your own and always keep some company.
Also, make sure you do not litter the places you’re visiting and don’t feed the local animals without anyone’s consent. Although English is spoken majorly, it will be helpful to learn some conversational phrases in the local language.
Keep an eye over the valuable belongings and it is best to not carry any expensive item while travelling. The tourist and urban areas can be filled with pickpockets.
