Curacao

Due to the fact that not everybody in the world knows Curacao (strangely enough *g*) or where to even find it, we'd like to present you a little summary of all the well and not so well known fact about Curacao.

Location:
Curacao is located in the southwestern Caribbean. Biggest of the Netherlands Antilles, it is 38 miles long and from 2 to 7.5 miles wide. It is located just 35 miles north of Venezuela, 42 miles east of Aruba and only 2 1/2 hours by air from Miami. Curacao is outside the hurricane belt, making Curacao it a sure holiday destination for good weather.

Hospitable and always sunny, Curacao bids you a warm welcome. Curacao hasfriendly inhabitants, first class hotels, wonderful climate, crystal clear seawater, fascinating architecture, Curacao's floating market, pontoon bridge, secluded bays, rich fauna and flora, and the many possibilities for excursions and entertainment make Curacao the Caribbean tourist paradise.

Curacao is ranked among the Caribbeans best islands for diving:
Curacao's "Mushroom Forest" is one of the top dives in the world. Shore diving is rated with the best in the Caribbean, and Curacao has been called one of the top destinations for new divers.
An arid climate, deep water close to the shore, distance from major sediment sources such as rivers, and painstaking reef conservation ensure that underwater Curacao's pristine coral reefcuracaon home to a dazzling array of plant and animal life.

Whether you are an experienced certified diver, a beginner or a snorkeler, our wide range of sites -- wall, reef, wrecks, even a "Car Pile" -- balmy water temperatures and excellent visibility (averaging about 100 ft.) provide an extraordinary experience for everyone on Curacao.
Boat diving with a recommended dive operator is the most comfortable and luxurious way to dive Curacao, and for beginners with Curacaor Open Water Certificate, this option gives the greatest feeling of security. Many experienced divers prefer to head out and explore the numerous shore diving sites with their buddies. Most shore diving sites are easily accessible: with a good map of Curacao and a rental car, visitors can reach almost all sites in less than half an hour.
Curacao is also home to the largest air station in Caribbean, as well as two decompression chambers, one the largest in the Caribbean.

Curacao's Culture
Curacao's people spell the island Kursow, papiamentu word, indicating a strong cultural sensibility. While Curacao is still a member of the Netherland Antilles, and is tied to Holland through governmental functions, the island is more African and cosmopolitan, more Caribbean, in its culture than many. The society has strong ties to its African memories through language, music, and dance.
One of Curacao's strongest manifestations of its African roots is "tambu", an ancient form of music and dance. Slaves carried the traditional, rhythmic structure of the form from Africa and passed it along, by ear, from generation to generation. Drumming is the foundation of tambu, and the first instruments used by slaves in Curacao were farm implements. Curacaoans converted small, hollow cargo containers covered with dried goatslun into rums.

Languages:
Curacaons are, by nature and necessity, masters of languages. Most native speakers will use Dutch, English, and Papiamentu with equal aplomb. Dutch is the official language, while Papiamentu is the most common. Spanish is also spoken by most Curacaons, and English is widly used..
Papiamentu, a multifaceted Creole language, is based on Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, and several African dialects. It's spoken most often in the ABC Islands, and has been in use for 300 years. It is, in a way, the original language of Curacao, and was meant to be a spoken communication, not a written one.