My parents recently came to visit us on the island. This was their 3rd time in Curacao, but their first time actually exploring the island! Since they were visiting for 6 days, I put together a lovely itinerary that would allow us to explore the highlights of the island while also making sure to relax for a few days. For those of you who are visiting Curacao for the first or fourth time and would like a solid itinerary that combines relaxation and exploration – this is for you!

Day 1: Arrival Day

If you’re flying into Curacao from the US, you’ll likely be landing in the afternoon. After arriving at your accommodations and setting your belongings down, I think it’s time for a well-deserved drink.

And that’s just what we did.

I took my parents to Pirates Bay for a beachside happy hour (daily from 5-6 PM and on Fridays from 4-6 PM) and sunset watching. There was nothing better than starting their visit with our feet in the sand, chill music, punchy cocktails, and a beautiful sunset.

For dinner this evening we went to Pasawa Box Yard Eatery. My parents were craving the barbecue from BBQ Express. They wanted tasty barbecue in a casual, local setting with a lovely vibe, and Pasawa fit that perfectly. They were playing live music on the evening we went there and we had a fun time. I had tacos – my personal favorite! – from the brand new Mexican booth.

Day 2: Willemstad and Chill Afternoon on the Water

This day my parents wanted to see more of Willemstad as they had only been to the Otrobanda side. In the morning we had an amazing oceanfront breakfast at BijBlauw (get the Stroopwafel pancakes!) in Pietermaai. I love BijBlauw for their ocean views, chic design, and most importantly good food.

After breakfast we walked through Pietermaai (including colorful Nieuwestraat) stopping to admire some of the historical buildings and artwork. We walked towards the Queen Emma Swinging Bridge to explore the artwork in Otrobanda (including the amazing sculptures at the Viaduct) before heading to Kura Hulanda. I love Kura Hulanda Village for their shopping and food, but the area surrounding the village is rich with murals and sculptures. Stop at “It’s Better with Chocolate” for some of the best chocolate bars on the island, “Rustiq” for a local lunch, or “Flores” for a little coffee and pastry.

It was on my itinerary to rent Tiki Boats this afternoon but they had sold out for the day! That’s why it’s so important to make reservations in advance (lesson learned, me). Renting a Tiki Boat in the Spanish Waters is one of the best ways to spend an afternoon. The rental comes with a grill and a cooler so you can grill your own food while passing through the calm waters. You can also dock your boat near a few buoys and go for a swim. I will make this reservation months in advance on their next visit – don’t make my mistake!

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Day 3: Beach Club Day

The next day my parents wanted to spend the day at the beach – they’re in the Caribbean after all. Luckily, there were several beach clubs to choose from as the island has over 30+ beaches. We ended up staying close to home at Zest Beach Club at Jan Thiel Beach. We loved this beach club! The cabanas were so comfortable, there was adequate shade, we received a bottle of Acqua Panna water, and we were just steps from entering the ocean. We normally go to Papagayo Beach Club to enjoy the ocean views and sea water pool, but I think Zest Beach Club has become one of our new favorites.

Not everyone loves Jan Thiel Beach. It’s busy, loud, and often crowded. If you’re looking for alternatives I recommend the following:

• Brass Boer at Blue Bay: Gorgeous private over-the-water palapas looking toward the open ocean. Water, fruit, and coffee included. Full service beach club with chill music and nice bathrooms.

• Playa Beach Club: Brand new (as of April 2024) beach club on the west side of the island at Playa Kalki. VIP Cabanas looking toward the ocean plus a large pool to swim in and cool off. Bottle of wine or bucket of beer plus a snack box is included. Full service with great vibey music.

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• Kokomo Beach: Close to Blue Bay, you can’t reserve their cabanas in advance. Their restaurant is quite good and cabanas come with a bottle of water. Snorkeling is good here, but the beach can get pretty busy. Choose this for a low-key beach day with good drinks and lovely restaurant.

• Koko’s Beach Club: Located at Jan Thiel Beach, this is my favorite beach club for a quiet day. Beach beds are comfortable but shade is extremely limited. There’s always chill music playing and the menu has a bunch of healthy smoothies and snacks. Cheap beach beds, great ocean view, and a low-key atmosphere.

• Madero Ocean Club: At Mambo Beach with cabanas, beach, and pool. Very vibey here but less busy than Bonita Beach Club next door. Service is a hit or miss here, but it’s close to the cruise port so could be a great option for cruisers.

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• Cabana Beach Club: Also at Mambo Beach, they have a decent beach with lovely plush beach beds and palapa umbrellas. Smaller and less busy beach with a breakwater to protect from rough waves. I like their lunch menu!

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Day 4: Exploring the West Side

I let my parents know that this would be a long day. Driving all the way to Westpunt from Jan Thiel takes over an hour and we needed to beat the heat. We started the morning off by getting johnny cakes from É Johnny Cakes (off of Caracaasbaiweg) and then picked up some fruit smoothies from Disfruta Mas (next to Pasawa). The line is always long at Disfruta Mas because their fresh fruit smoothies are so good. My parents were so obsessed with the johnny cakes that we had them for breakfast on two more days.

After breakfast and smoothies on the go, we headed for Shete Boka National Park. The hour-long drive was beautiful with my parents commenting how much more natural this side of the island looked. We reached Shete Boka in no time and used the map to visit the bokas. Note that you can drive to each boka and then get out to see the views better. Bring water as there is little-to-no shade at Shete Boka and the sun is relentless.

We spent about 1.5 hours exploring Shete Boka and then we headed to Playa Forti for lunch. Playa Forti is an incredible seaside and cliffside restaurant serving local food. The restaurant also has a spot for cliff divers to jump off. If you have any seafood lovers (like my mom) then they’ll love this restaurant.

My parents were tired at this point so I took them to Grote Knip for a few quick photo ops before heading back home. This beach is one of the most beautiful and picturesque in Curacao due to its clear turquoise waters.

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Note: If we planned to relax at this beach, we would’ve needed to have come earlier because it gets so crowded in the morning.

Day 5: Spa Day

I took my parents to 8 the Experience at Coral Estates for a well-deserved spa day. I made the treatment appointments well in advance to avoid any chance of selling out (this spa is SO popular!). When you book a treatment at 8 the Experience, you’ll also get access to use their spa for a half-day. This means you can chill at their pool and order drinks, enjoy the ocean views from their cliffside jacuzzis, or treat your skin to the sauna or steam room.

I had to make sure my parents had a treatment room with sea views. Tip: Ask for a sea view room away from the pool and beach so you have less of a chance of hearing chatter from people.

After a lovely spa treatment and enjoying the facilities, we walked 2 minutes downstairs to the beach club and grabbed some chairs to watch the sunset. The beach club chairs are free when you purchase food or drink from their menu. It’s not a real beach, but the snorkeling is great and you’ll still feel the sand in between your toes. If you decide to dine at Karakter or Koraal on property this evening, you’ll be in for a treat!

Day 6: Departure Day

Just like that – 5 days on Curacao have already passed and we’re on departure day! If my parents stayed an extra day, I would’ve sent them on a Klein Curacao day trip today (either with Miss Ann or Mermaid since they have structures on the beach). Since they had to return back to the States in the afternoon, we picked up johnny cakes for breakfast. This time from Johnny Cake Box, also off of Caracaasbaiweg, on the way to the Hato airport.

Final Thoughts

Overall, 6 days is not nearly enough time to see everything on the island, but my parents had a great time! For travelers who like to spend a few days relaxing and then a few sightseeing, this itinerary was the perfect mix of both. As I was running through the itinerary with my parents prior to their arrival, there were several other highlights and activities that didn’t make the cut on this visit including:

• Visiting the Blue Room
• Cocktail Workshop at Landhuis Chobolobo
• Swimming with Turtles at Playa Piskado
• Beach Hopping Boat Day with Snorkeling
• ATV Tour on the Western Side
• Cooking Class with a Caribbean Chef
• Walking Willemstad Art Tour (we did this ourselves but would’ve benefited from a tour!)
• Sunset Cruise
• Klein Curacao Day Trip

If you’re anything like me, you’ll like to load up every day full of activities so you can see and experience everything on the island. Take it from me though, Curacao is an island to stop, relax, and enjoy your surroundings. Unless you’re here for more than a month, you won’t be able to do everything on the island. You’ll just have to keep coming back to Curacao!

Have you ever been to Curacao before? Let me know in the comments below!