Curaçao
The area
Vista Royal
Above Jan Thiel,
looking out to sea
The villa sits in Vista Royal, a quiet neighbourhood above Jan Thiel. Below is where we actually go — not the guidebook list.
10 min walk
Jan Thiel Beach
Sheltered bay with a beach bar every hundred metres. Go before nine for the quiet hour, or after five for the sunset.
5 min drive
Tugboat
A sunken tugboat five metres down, snorkellable from the beach. The clearest water on this side of the island.
20 min drive
Willemstad
Punda and Otrobanda, joined by the pontoon bridge. The floating market is there on Saturday mornings; park at the Rif fort.
The west side
A day
the other way
Playa Lagun for the turtles, Playa Kenepa for the view on every postcard, and Shete Boka for the surf pounding the rocks. Count on three quarters of an hour to Westpunt.
Bring water; there is nothing between the bays. And in the evening you're simply back here, on the veranda.
Food
Where we eat
- Zanzibar — Jan Thiel, feet in the sand, book for sunset
- Kome — Willemstad, small and good, go on a Thursday
- Plasa Bieu — the old market hall, lunch among the locals
- Rozendaels — refined kitchen, our pick when we're celebrating
- Landhuis Misjé — Sunday afternoons, live music
- The truck at the roundabout — pastechi, mornings only
Practical
Rental car
Recommended: the roads are good and parking is free. You can rent our own Ford Explorer with the house — see the car.
Groceries
Centrum Supermarket by Jan Thiel for the daily run, Van den Tweel for the big shop.
Money
Euros work almost everywhere, but the local guilder sometimes gets a better rate.
Wind
It blows nearly always. That's pleasant — just keep loose items on the lee side.