Am off on KLM to Curaçao tomorrow on a spur of the moment bargain trip... Staying at the Kura Hulanda, which sounds lovely.

Anyway... Apologies, I would have posted this on the Caribbean forum, but I fear there wouldn't be any responses in time. But if anyone has any diving school recommendations (first-timer, would like to do an Open Water PADI course, but only have 5 and a bit days), or general recommendations for stuff to do on the island, it will be much appreciated!

Nothing worse than a "zero replies" thread, so I thought I'd post a reply even though I can't come up with much by way of useful information! Unfortunately anything I would be able to tell you about Curacao is now wildly out of date - we stayed there for one night in 1988, en route to Aruba (which didn't have any direct flights from AMS then).

I don't remember anything about the hotel we stayed at; I have some memories of a shopping spree (cheap clothes!) in the morning, and of a flight across to Aruba in a Twin Otter. I remember wishing we had stayed in Curacao longer as it seemed a lot more "un-touristy" than Aruba which was full of high-rise hotels and which had quite an American feel to it despite the very Dutch-looking street signs. A lot will have changed in the last 16 years, though...

Have a lovely time!

Thanks, Aviatrix Sounds just what I'm looking for, in fact. By accounts I read, it is still less developed than Aruba (although probably more than it was in the 80's, 'tis true). Plus, it gives me the chance to practise my awful Dutch...

I know I should have started the thread sooner, but it's all been very last-minute so far. At least my KLM upgrades came through to the point of online check-in working

I will be off at the crack of dawn tomorrow morning, but if anyone still has particular recommendations for dive school, or top tips, I'll still check this thread from the lovely Holideck lounge tomorrow (and once when I get there, as I'll be mostly relaxing until Monday...)

If you really want to impress the locals you should learn Papiamento - the first lesson can be found
here

Aagh! It's bad enough to keep up with languages with new business trips all over Central Europe... Still, it doesn't look as bad as Hungarian or Greenlandic...

Curacao and the Kura Hulanda are both great places. I stayed there for a week during New Years and had a fantastic time. A few recommendations just of the top of my mind....
i. try the Astrolab resturant at the Kura Hulnda for dinner, it's fantastic!
ii. though Kura Hulanda's private beach is nice, I would recommend renting a car and driving to a variety of beaches within 45mins both north and south of Willemstad.
iii. I took a day-long tour of the entire island from Peter Tours, set up thru the Kura Hulanda and thought it very worthwhile for first-time visitors.

Enjoy your trip,
FlyerBeek

Also a fantastic fresh fish cookout at Mambo Beach on Sunday (I think it's Sunday)...