My first trip to the Caribbean was to a place where they speak my language Dutch, the Netherlands Antilles Curacao. The Antilles are the Islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao the biggest Island to which I went. I stayed in Willemstad the capital of Curacao, it consists of 2 parts Punda and Otrabanda. In Punda I had my hotel with a private beach. Most hotels have private beach aswell as a swimmingpool, some hotels have several pools like the Breezes resort for example, which I found to be a good all inclusive hotel.
Otrabanda is the other area of Willemstad known for its famous colored houses at the waterside. To go from Punda to Otrabanda you cross the bridge at the St Anna Bay or you can take a little boat at no charge that brings you to the other side.
It’s a typical Caribic destination, people who like to relax on the beach or do watersports like snorkeling,jetski will definitely like this place. The waters are clear blue and clean you can see the little fishes swimming around you.
In the dolphin academy Seaquarium close to Willemstad,you can swim with Dolphins and off course I had to try this. I had a great time with these funny animals. You get a little briefing, you put on flippers and you can go in the water with them and make your first eye contact, rub its back and belly and swim with them. With the instructor telling you what to do to so you yourself can make the Dolphins do some cool tricks while in the water with them. This really was the highlight of my vacation in Curacao, to experience the interaction with the Dolphins.
There are not only Dolphins in the Dolphin Academy, I also had some encounters with other animals like the Sea Lion. I saw sea turtles, some sharks and all kinds off other exotic fish. At the hotel there were some Iguana’s.
I visited an ostrich farm where I had the chance to ride an ostrich I didn’t know what to expect, but again it was a great experience, this bird can run so fast its crazy. While I was sitting on the back of this big bird, to other man from the park had to run together with the bird next to me to slow the animal down at the end of the run, cause this bird would keep on running otherwise. I remember they told me that ostriches are not the smartest animals, in fact they are stupid, for example in the wild when they are chased by another animal they start running away, and they run and run for hours and then they stop and they actually forgot why they were running. I like animals stupid or smart doesn’t matter, it was something not everybody dares to do cause it is at your own risk, so I had to sign a paper that I wanted to get on that animal and try the ostrich race 🙂
The rest of my days in Curacao I spend relaxing at the beach, having a Blue Curacao drink at the poolbar and had a great time jumping up and down the waves with a jetski.
I can recommend Curacao for anybody who wants to have a relaxing chilling vacation and some animal fun under the Caribbean sun.
Willemstad
Bridge to cross from Punda to Otrabanda
St. Anna Bay
Swimming with Dolphins
Sea Lion encounter
Sea Turtles at Seaquarium
Ostrich ride
Iguana in the swimmingpool at the hotel
enjoying myself on a Jetski
private beach
chillin at the pool with a bacardi
polmeetsworld 