Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao or collectively called the “ABC” islands, is also known as the “Dutch Leewards”. If you will look at a map of the Caribbean, you will notice that there are three dots just off the coast of Venezuela. The three islands, namely Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao, share the same culture and influence from Spain, Portugal and West Indies. The official language of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao is Dutch while Papiamento is their local language.
The three islands are famous for their beach, diving spots and of course lots and lots of sunshine. Like most of the islands in the Caribbean, the ABC islands have a hot and dry climate. Yet unlike their neighbors, the landscape is arid and flat. Their coastline boasts with white sands, crystal clear waters, and they have an offshore coral reef that is teeming with marine life; making the three islands a haven for divers, water sports enthusiast and tourist who would just love to lay back on the beach. Each island has its own well-funded national park.
The best time of the year to go to the Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao is within mid-December to mid-April where the weather is at its finest. That’s also the peak of its tourist season. Though the three islands seldom experiences rain and have very little rainfall, mild showers usually occur between October and March. Steady trade winds help keep the temperature at the average of 28 C or 82 F.
Curacao is the largest of the three, both in terms of population and size. The capital of Curacao is Willemstad. Aruba has a population of 80,000 and a land mass of 20 miles long, 6 miles across. It comes in second in terms of population. The capital is Oranjestad. Bonaire is somewhat larger than Aruba, with a width of 4-7 miles and 24 miles long. Its population is only about 15,000 people. Kralendijk is its capital.
Tourism is the main industry of the three islands. Aruba and Curacao have oil refineries while Bonaire has a storage facility and produces rice. The busiest economy of the three islands is Curacao, which has one of the largest dry docks in the world.
Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao have good watersports opportunities. If you want to go diving, Bonaire has the best diving spots because of its immaculate coral reefs around the island. Aruba is more known for its beaches than diving, though it has some good diving spots. While Curacao has lots and lots of watersports opportunities, its diving spots are spread across the southern coast.
The next time you want to go on a vacation, just think of the first three letters in the alphabet, and you’ll be guaranteed to have a great time.
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Curacao Gasoline
... biggest source of employment in Curacao. It encouraged immigrants to flock to Curacao because of job opportunities in this oil refinery. World War II made the oil industry in Curacao thrive even more. Its refineries, along with those of Aruba, supplied the fuel demand of the Allied forces in North Africa, making them vulnerable military targets. American soldiers were placed under the command of the Royal Dutch Navy and the Antilles troops. A lesser demand in oil around 1985 made Shell close its refinery and sell it to the local government. In turn, Curacao had it leased to PDVSA, a Venezuelan oil company owned by the state. So two days after closing down the refinery, it opened under PDVSA. Currently, Curacao Isla refinery refines about 200,000 barrels of crude oil daily, making its production more than 320,000 barrels a day. Central America and the Caribbean islands get about half of Curacao gasoline production. The United...
Curacao Island
... flow from the east, and it picks up speed during spring. The rainy season (October to February), is marked by occasional and short showers (occasionally during nighttime with a warm and sunny weather during the day). The total annual rainfall is only 22 inches. The local population is over 130,000 and is made up of 55 nationalities. Curacao island's capital city is Willemstad. It is the only city in Netherlands Antilles. Curacao island is one of the five islands that made up of the Netherlands Antilles (the other islands are Bonaire, Saint Martin, Saint Eustatius and Saba). Their official language is Dutch. Most of the population speaks English, Spanish and Papiamento (a combination Dutch, French, Spanish and Portuguese language). Willemstad, Curacao island's capital is home of the island's rich culture and history. The capital city has much to offer, from shopping to sightseeing to dining and...
Curacao Airlines
International Airport. It also welcomes private planes. One of the companies that handles these flights is the Cats Handling with contact number (599-9) 869 4482 and email address catsnv@hotmail.com. Guests using private planes may also solicit the services of Curacao Ground Handler. A visit to www.cybercur.com would give you a longer Curacao airlines Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao: Abc's Of The Caribbean list. As with other destinations and with other airline company, online flight reservations in and out of Curacao are available. A return ticket or ticket for a travel someplace else should be presented upon by a tourist upon his arrival in Curacao. Return flight schedule issues may be resolved at the airport as some of Curacao airlines have ticket booths there. It is advisable to check whether the airline company you chose is holding office at the Hato International airport or is available...
Curacao Airport
... over the world would have to get a connecting flight from other nearby international airports before they get to Curacao (other travelers would Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao: Abc's Of The Caribbean have to catch a ferry from Aruba and Bonaire in order to get to Curacao). The Curacao Airport (Hato International Airport), which is in Plaza Margareth Abraham, is located near the island capital, Willemstad. At present, Curacao airport has regular flights to and from all over the world. There are regular nonstop flights from different locations and airlines. There are two top airline companies from North America that serve Curacao; these are the Dutch Caribbean Airlines and the Air Jamaica. Like any airports, the Curacao Airport is tightening its security after the recent terror attack all over the world (especially after the 9-11 tragedy). Airline security has tightened checkpoints and conducted additional regulations with regards to cargo and luggage. In the Hato International Airport, travelers are often stopped for random inspections and must present themselves and their luggage. This is one...
Where Is Curacao Located
... are an exact opposite to the calm southern coastline highlighted with the white sandy shores. Both parts of Curacao though has a lot of bays and inlets formed during the Ice Age. Schottegat, the busiest harbor, is the biggest bay on the south end of Curacao as well. The western and eastern parts are made up mostly of volcanic hills. These hills, locally Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao: Abc's Of The Caribbean known as "female hills", were formed over the years from volcanic activities which geologists call as the Curacao Lava Formation. Rich soil, as a result of erosion from these soft hills, makes it the location for the island's plantations. Knowing it to be an island in the Caribbean will give you an idea where Curacao can be found on the world map. A thorough description...
The Curacao Flag
... three neighboring island in the north-eastern part of the Caribbean, Curacao belongs to the Netherlands Antilles. The Curacaos are Dutch nationals. Their flag is very much similar of the Dutch flag. Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao: Abc's Of The Caribbean Even if Curacao is under Netherlands Antilles, Curacao has its own flag. The Curacao flag is blue in color and has two five-pointed stars, the smaller star is on the upper left of the other star. A yellow stripe cuts horizontally near the center. Have you ever wondered what's the meaning of two stars and the single yellow stripe of the Curacao flag? The two white stars represent the two islands of Curacao; Curacao and small Curacao or also known as Klein Curacao (a small uninhabited island southeast of Curacao). The yellow stripe depicts the sun dividing the blue sky and blue sea (that's why the color of the Curacao flag is blue). The five points of the star symbolizes the five...
Curacao Real Estate
... web link directory that is limited to web pages regarding and everything Curacao. * www.caribseek.com - much like CyberCur only this website is dedicated to everything and anything Caribbean. From books to events to recipes and would you even believe... Greetings. * www.caribbeanedge.com - a web listing of directory of information resources for individuals who want to travel to the Caribbean. Has a vast directory of resources from individuals, organizations, and travelers of the Caribbean. * www.vrbo.com - stands for vacation rentals by owners. This website offers rentals of vacation houses by their respective owners all over the world. * www.resortpropertiesonline.com - offers the best resort and Curacao real estate properties on line. Very ideal for those who are looking for a vacation house...
Curacao Map
... the Kodak outlets (after you have visited the interesting areas you can go and have your picture developed on the outlet nearest you. http://www.ehi.com/travel/carib/bonaire/hot_map2.html Another website where you can have a Curacao map. Although it isn't as detailed as the one mentioned above, this is a Curacao Map and Hotel Locator. It shows the where the first class hotels and resorts Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao: Abc's Of The Caribbean are. If you want to go to a particular area in Curacao and you are looking for a nice place to stay on that area just look at the map then if you decided to stay on that particular hotel/resort on that are just click on the name of the hotel/resort. Say, you are going to Willemstad (Curacao's capital), just look at the number that is on Willemstad and you will see what hotel corresponds to that number (there's the Curacao Plaza Hotel in Willemstad). Just click on the name of the hotel and it will direct...
Curacao History
... discovered Curacao around 1499. It was also said that Amerigo Vespucci, an Italian, was with Ojeda when he found Curacao. Some stories have it that during the voyage, Vespucci's men suffered from scurvy. Vespucci was said to have left these men on the island, only to find out on his return that they were all well. It was presumed that the fruits on the island were rich in Vitamin C, thus curing the sailors. He was said to have named it Curacao which means "cure" in Portuguese. Being Italian, and Ojeda being a Spaniard, this version is quite absurd but is more famous and more interesting than the others. Some people say though that Curacao's original name which was Curazon, was given by Spaniards to mean "heart". However changes...
Curacao Weather
... east that is constantly picking up speed during spring months. The Curacao weather, which is hot all year round, are cooled by the east trade winds. There are websites on the internet that gives updated news of the weather. If you're taking a trip to Curacao, these websites can be very helpful to you. Below are some of the websites that gives a regular update of Curacao weather: * http://www.curacao-travelguide.com/weather - This particular website, dedicated only on Curacao weather, doesn't give only information and facts about Curacao's Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao: Abc's Of The Caribbean best hotels, beaches and rentals; it also has a five day weather forecast and the current weather conditions of Curacao. * http://www.wunderground.com - This web site is has many features. It gives a very current weather forecast, not just...
Curacao Government
... of government. Each of the Netherlands Antilles has its internal affairs ran by the island's council and executive council which is composed of elected island council and a queen appointed governor. The newly elected prime minister of the island is Emily Elhage-Jonge. The Curacao government has extended its infrastructure and modernized. The island has a large desalinization plant for its water and its oil refinery installation is still a major factor in the economy. The Curacao government's revenue is still depending on the remittances from Holland. The oil refinery is more than 90% of its total export earnings. Offshore banking and tourism are also a major factor in their economy. With an annual 200 cruise ships calls and over 240,000 tourists, Curacao's tourism is rapidly growing. Shipping and other activity relating to the harbour Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao: Abc's Of The Caribbean of Willemstad also is a major...
Curacao Island Map
... don't feel confident driving around yourself, be comforted with the presence Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao: Abc's Of The Caribbean of a Curacao Island map. And as a helpful tip, NEVER pay for a map while in Curacao. They are given free-of-charge. Some establishments though, like hotels, will charge you for one. The centuries-old Werbata Maps are available in the bookstores and are suited to those seeking adventure. This type of map is Curacao Island's first topographical map, and will likely lead to some unspoiled parts of Curacao. A lot of websites should be helpful. Curacao Island map as well as detailed maps of major places in Curacao like Willemstad, Otrabanda & Punda, and a separate Punda map can be found at www.caribbean-on-line.com . The maps on this particular site are so comprehensive and will no doubt let you get around the island pretty well. A laptop would have been the best...
Maps Of Curacao
... rest. Highly recommended for those who want to search for things at a low price. * http://www.curacao-travelguide.com - This website offers information of hotels, car rentals, beaches and even weather. The only setback of the map that they offered is that the map only shows popular places and tourist spots on Curacao. It doesn't show any details like the roads and highways of Curacao, but the map is quite informative. * http://www.caribbean-on-line.com/ - A website that lets you make bookings of hotels in the Caribbean. The website has a large array of maps of Curacao which you can order. This site offers a detail map of Curacao which shows hotels and resorts of which you can download and has details of major roads and highways of Curacao. * http://www.frommers.com/ - A very useful website that doesn't only book you for your trip but also offers tips and news of the place you want to go. It...
Curacao Liqueur
... the way from Spain. But due to the island's climate and its soil conditions, the fruit of the Valencia orange from juicy and sweet became bitter, almost inedible. The plan to farm the Valencia oranges was then abandoned and the Valencia oranges grew wild. It was then discovered decades later that if the peels of the Valencia fruit was dried thoroughly in the sun, it would produce oil with a surprising pleasant fragrance. A recipe was then developed by a Jewish family (Senior family) in Curacao. The oil was mixed with various exotic spices. With this came the "Curacao liqueur". The same family then marketed the product. They made a massive investment to start the Curacao liqueur industry. Curacao liqueur has become a world success and with that many liquor manufacturers worldwide albeit produced Curacao liqueur but with artificial flavors. The genuine Curacao liqueur is called "Curacao of Curacao". Original Curacao liqueur is clear in color. It later evolved, and is now available in Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao: Abc's Of The Caribbean various colors for cocktail purposes (blue,...
Maps Of Curacao Island
... you have gone over the hotel listings and have come up with a choice, it is best know all these things especially if you are planning to drive around yourself. Make sure that you bring maps of Curacao Island as well. Even if you have been doing research on these famous places even before you got there, you Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao: Abc's Of The Caribbean might still find yourself uncertain where to go on some occasion. Part of the nature of traveling is uncertainty. A lot of hitches that are beyond our control can happen, like delayed flights, unconfirmed accommodations, or even car trouble. Maps are necessary not because they eliminate those hitches but because they make it a lesser hassle by getting us to the right place. Some crave the...