DestSpotlight Curacao

8/7/2019 DestSpotlight Curacao

1/3 2008

Charming Curacao is part o the southern ABC islandchain (that also includesAruba and Bonaire), located

o the northern coast o Venezuela. Whileyou may not have heard o it, youvelikely seen pictures o its pastel-paintedwater ront downtown, Willemstad. Gobehind that iconic image and get in on thereal draw to this island the 35-plus in-timate beaches (bikini tops are optional),a great array o outdoor options and aneclectic, international vibe that lls the airo every ca e and restaurant.

OutdOOr Adventures

KLEIN CURACAOCuracaos longest beachis actually on an uninhab-ited islet 15 miles o themainland. Mermaid BoatTrips Curacao can takeyou there (its two hours

each way by boat). Once there, snor-kel among the coral ormations whilekeeping your eyes out or the occasionalturtle or dolphin. Visit the windwardside o the island to explore the rustedremains o the Maria Bianca Guidesman ,a rusted, shipwrecked tanker that sitsabove water along the shore. Full-daytrip $75 per person. Superior producer Sitting upright in100 eet o water o the port o Willem-stad, the Superior Producer is consideredone o the top 10 wreck dives in theCaribbean. Sunk in 1977, the 200- oot

reighter is covered with color ul coral and

surrounded by curious but riendly barra-cudas. Ocean Encounters o ers daily boatrips rom its ve locations. Prices start at$74 or a two-tank boat dive. ChRIstOffEL NAtIONAL PARK Work up a sweat on a ull-day guidedhike through this natural preserve, wheretrails lead through arid oothills dottedwith tall cacti and wild orchids. (Keepan eye peeled or iguanas, rabbits andshy white-tailed deer.) Visit plantationruins, trek to Indian cave drawings andsummit 1,240- oot Mount Christo el breathtaking views o the island and seaGuided hikes with Curacao-Actie rom$88.20 per person, including drinks,snacks and a picnic lunch.

COOl restAurAnts EqUUs This unique barbecue restau-rant, hidden away in a horse stable, isonly open on Fridays but has a loyal

ollowing. The menu is simple: bee orchicken, cooked over a re pit and then z a

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hung over the table, served with a basketo resh bread. The weathered barn wallsand gentle hu ng o horses in the back-ground make it eel like a secret. Theydont accept reservations, so i you wanta table, arrive early. fORt NAssAU From the outside,historic Fort Nassau, located atop theSablica Hill overlooking Willemstad Har-bor, has changed surprisingly little since1796 and still boasts its original brickwalls, cannons and archways. Inside is adi erent story, as it now houses one o theislands most popular restaurants. Settle inat the chic bar or sunset cocktails; then,move to a table on the terrace or conti-nental cuisine with a tropical touch, likecreamy Dijon mustard soup (sounds odd,

but people love it) and spicy pepperedshrimp with grilled melon. The 360-de-gree view o the landscape per ectlycomplements this eclectic are. AsIA dE CUBA For a taste o CuracaosLatin side (it is just north o Venezuela,

a ter all), this hip eatery merges Pan-Asianwith Caribbean and Cuban cuisines in amenu that eatures everything rom a sataybar to tandoori chicken. Our pick: thespecial Rub da Buddhas Wok combined

with El Mundo Oriental, where you cancustomize your own dish out o a varietyo meats, sea ood, vegetables and spices.A ter dinner ends, the scene gets even hot-ter as the tables are cleared to make room

or the salsa action on the dance foor.

Club sCene MAMBO With a prime location on SeaAquarium Beach, this outdoor restau-rant/club o ers both a Fishmarket ( or

ood) and a Dance Night ( or un) onFridays and Saturdays. At Fishmarket,pick your resh catch o the day, andthe che will grill it up or you on thespot. As the DJ starts spinning to kicko Dance Night, stay cool with a pairo Blue Lagoons, eaturing Blue Curacao( rom the islands native bitter oranges).Mambo hosts di erent events each nighto the week, so check to see whats goingon while youre there. ZANZIBAR Located on resort-studded

Jan Thiel Beach, this swanky club is pop-ular with Dutch, American and South

American 30-somethings. The Lazy Sun-day a ternoon beach party eatures sushiand DJ-spun soul music. For somethingsexier, book a beach ront loungebed(reserve at least a day in advance) andindulge in the tasting or two nibbles

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Gro e Knip (a.k.a.Pla a Abou) i one o Curacao be beac e .


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paired with Latin Lover cocktails (madewith Brazilian cachaca , tequila, reshlime juice and pineapple) as you watchthe sun make its nightly descent. BREEZEs CAsINO This lively all-inclusive resort eatures the largest casinoon the island, with 270 slot machines andtable games rom blackjack to roulette topoker. Non-guests may enter the casinoat no charge and pay or drinks the old-

ashioned way with cash.

rOmAntiC resOrts hOtEL KURA hULANdA sPA & CAsINOSpread out among 65 historic build-ings in Willemstads historic DutchColonial district (a UNESCO WorldHeritage site), Kura Hulanda replicates

an 18th-century village. Eighty guestrooms dot the 250 garden- lled acres,each eaturing distinctive touches likecarved mahogany beds and color ulwalls hand-painted by local artists. Itdraws a sophisticated crowd looking

to take advantage o the proximity totown (the area boasts a slew o diningand shopping options), as well as someunder-the-radar celebs (J Lo and MarcAnthony reportedly celebrated their sec-ond anniversary here). The only thingit doesnt have is water access; whenyoure ready or some sand, move to itssister resort, the beach ront Lodge KuraHulanda & Beach Club on the islandswest end, or the per ect city/countrygetaway. Rooms rom $250. LIONs dIvE & BEACh REsORt Eco- riendly sensibility meets classicDutch Caribbean style at this dive-centricresort located south o Willemstad.Tropical gardens surround most rooms,with open-air balconies a ording views

o the private beach. Six two-bedroomapartments, complete with kitchen andlaundry acilities, are per ect or extendedstays. The resort ronts the NationalCuracao Underwater Park, a protectedmarine reserve with stellar snorkeling

and diving; the onsite Ocean EncountersPADI Gold Palm Instructor DevelopmenCenter can set you up with everything

rom gear rental to PADI instruction.They also o er a twice-daily ree shuttto Willemstad. Rooms rom $158. AvILA hOtEL Sleep like royalty in thiimpeccably restored 18th-century beach-

ront mansion, which has been expandedinto one o the islands top hotels. (QueeBeatrix o the Netherlands stays herewhen she comes to town.) Deluxe roomsin the newest addition, the OctagonWing, eature bamboo fooring (on thethird and ourth foors), fat-screen TVsand oversized balconies, while wood-accented Blues Wing rooms are built ona pier overlooking the private beach.

Blues, a bar located at the ar end o thpier, is the islands top jazz spot, withlive music on Thursdays and SaturdaysRooms rom $220.

for more info, see the 411 on paGe 136.

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DestSpotlight Curacao