Curacao - Profile

Facts

Curacao together with Aruba and Bonaire form the ABC islands. They are the three western-most islands of the Leeward Antilles in the Caribbean. Curaçao lies off the coast of Venezuela between Aruba and Bonaire.
Aruba is a flat island, exposed to the ocean currents. Bonaire and Curaçao are surrounded by reefs, and so are much more sheltered from the weather. Both Bonaire and Curaçao's reefs form popular tourist destinations.
Curacao is part of the former Netherlands Antilles. As of October 2010 Curacao has become an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The island is a favourite stop for yachts en route to Panama and as it is outside the hurricane belt and yachts are now permitted to stay more than 6 months, it is also a useful destination to wait out the hurricane season.
Three marinas in Curacao have a bonded warehouse status; meaning that yachts can be stored without a time limit when uninhabited.
The coastline along the south is irregular, peppered with small bays and inlets, including the spectacular bays and beaches at the west end of the island. The largest bays are located along the central-east and east end of the island, where you'll find the capital and major port of Willemstad.
There are three main ports; Willemstad harbour, Spanish Water and Piscadera Bay.
The capital Willemstad is a busy city and commercial port, so many yachts prefer the protected anchorage at Spanish Water where there are several marinas. Willemstad does however have many historical buildings and sites, and a sail through the city centre is a worthwhile excursion.

Security

Based on reports to noonsite from cruisers, petty theft from yachts is on the rise in the Caribbean in general. Cruisers should take basic safety precautions and use common sense when leaving the boat or going ashore at night. Dinghy thieves operate throughout the Caribbean and best advice is to place your dinghy on deck and chain it overnight.

Break-ins and thefts have been reported twice to noonsite (2008 and 2012) from cruisers who have left their boats on the hard at Curacao Marine. Be sure, if leaving your boat for a period of time, to secure all items of value below decks and revisit the locking/security system on hatches and doors.

Free Cruising Guides have completed the Caribbean Security Index (CSI) review of 2013 and updated the country ratings. The latest update of the CSI contains new information that may be important to you to “route around crime.”
See this report at http://www.noonsite.com/General/Piracy/caribbean-crime-caribbean-security-index-csi-review-of-2013

Check the noonsite Piracy Pages and the Caribbean Safety & Security Net for information on the current island situation.

The Caribbean Safety and Security Net (safetyandsecuritynet@gmail.com) gather information by anchorage or by island, so sailors can plan their cruising in the Caribbean with an eye to appropriate behaviour and precautions wherever they decide to go. Should you have suffered a boarding, robbery or attack on your yacht or have information about a yachting-related security incident, go to the CSSN homepage and click on the "Report an Incident" icon. The associated form is quick and simple to complete and ensures that all the necessary details are reported. The CSSN is the most comprehensive source of Caribbean security incidents against sailors on the net. Remember, it is every cruiser's responsibility to ensure that incidents are reported.

Last updated April 2014

Weather

Curacao is outside the hurricane belt and has a sunny climate all year. The average temperature is about 27° C ( mid 80s F). The trade winds blow constantly from the east, picking up in the spring months. The rainy season is October to February and is marked by short, occasional showers, usually at night. Sometime a tropical storm elsewhere in the Caribbean can cause cloudy weather for a day or two.

Curacao Weather Forecast.

For links to free global weather information, forecast services and extreme weather information see the Noonsite Weather Page

Main Ports

Spanish Water * , Willemstad *

* indicates port of entry

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enceecee says:

Oct 05, 2013 03:30 AM

when we checked into Curacao almost 2 weeks ago I asked at Immigration if the rules were still the same, i.e. 3 months per calender year, and was informed that the 3-month rule had been changed and foreigners can now stay 6 months per calender year. You can now either stay 6 months in a row, or break them up throughout the year, according to the lady at Immigration. However, I also heard from some people that not all immigration officers either have been informed or adhere to the new rules.

Sue Richards says:

Oct 23, 2013 03:20 PM

Yes, good news for visiting cruisers, especially for hurricane season, 180 days is now automatically given - see news item adjacent dated 22 October 2013.

Denis Brunin says:

Jun 12, 2014 01:55 PM

My crew was given only 30 days yesterday, based on her nationality. The lady at immigration is totally unaware of this new rule and seems to apply (cruise ship) passengers rules for everybody. She asked us to show prove of such new rule. I have not been able to find any information on the internet about this in English or Dutch, can anyone provide with a scan or link to such article or document?

Denis Brunin says:

Jun 12, 2014 02:03 PM

The Sailclear advance web notification service doesn't work in Curacao.

Sue Richards says:

Jun 19, 2014 02:53 PM

In response to Denis Brunin above: Yes, it seems that still some Immigration officials are not aware of the new rule, hopefully this will be improved upon. The Immigration section for Curacao has now been updated with a pdf of the form required to fill in to apply for 180 days - see http://www.noonsite.com/Countries/Curacao?rc=Formalities#Immigration. It's recommended printing this off and taking it with you to Immigration to avoid any confusion.