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Curacao is a Dutch Caribbean island which is well known for its colorful colonial architecture in its capital Willemstad. In this article, we will explore the pros and cons of living in this beautiful Caribbean island.
The pros of living in Curacao are that the island is multi lingual with easy access to international cities, beautiful natural scenery and sunny weather is almost always guaranteed. Alternatively, the drawbacks of living on the island are the high cost of living and poor infrastructure.
Read on for further details and explanations on the advantages and disadvantages of living on the island of Curacao. I have spent over a month on this island myself and contributions to this article were made by three individuals living in Curacao.
Pros of Living In Curacao
Curacao Is A Multi Lingual Country
Four languages are commonly spoken around the island. These languages are Dutch, Papiamientu, English and Spanish. It is mandatory for children to learn English at school and if you are a Spanish or English speaker you will find it easy to integrate on the island.
On the other hand, it is easier if you will like to learn other languages. There are expats living on the island from Holland, Europe, Jamaica, other Dutch territories, Venezuela, Colombia and Suriname to name a few other countries.
Sunny Weather Is Almost Always Guaranteed
Typically the rainy season in Curacao is shorter than the Eastern Caribbean Islands with the wet season being around October and ending in January of each year. Bonaire and Aruba also experience similar weather patterns.
This means that you are that sunshine is guaranteed for a greater portion of the year and nicer weather to enjoy the many beaches on the island.
The warmer weather on the island means also little to no mosquitoes and flies when compared to other Caribbean islands that have longer rainy seasons.
See Also: What Are The Pros & Cons of Living In Bonaire
Curacao’s Currency Is Stable
The official currency of Curacao is the Antillean Guilder which is called the Florin. The Antillean Guilder exchange rate to the US is $1 to $1.80 ANG. The US Dollar is readily accepted almost everywhere on the island.
As with every other country, at times businesses may be skeptical to accept larger currencies but the smaller denominations are easy to spend around the island. The currency is managed by the Central Bank of Curacao and Sint Maarten.
The Threat of Natural Disaster In Curacao Is Relatively Low
Curacao is located outside of the hurricane belt therefore the chance of the island experiencing natural disasters such as hurricanes are extremely low.
In addition, the island is not volcanic in nature and does not have any dormant or active volcanoes unlike other Caribbean islands such as St Vincent and the Grenadines.
See Also: What Are The Pros & Cons of Living In St Vincent
Night Life Is Exciting
Curacao has a fantastic choice of night life and as a result many expats enjoy living on the island. There are many restaurants and casinos that visitors and locals on the island enjoy such as Mambo Beach Boulevard for restaurants and beach clubs. Another favourite of visitors and locals alike is St Tropez.
There Is Easy Access To Major International Cities
There are a number a major international airlines providing service to Curacao weekly. These airlines include KLM, TUIFly, Jet Blue, American Airlines and United Airlines. Air Canada and West Jet provides direct flights from Canada seasonally.
Avianca and Wingo provides service from Colombia while Copa Airlines provides service from Panama. Air Century and Sky High provides direct flights from Dominican Republic. Air Belgium, Caribbean Airlines and Fly Allways provide direct flights from Suriname.
Curacao has Excellent Natural Scenery
Curacao is rich is amazing scenery. There are lots of beautiful beaches that you can enjoy daily. The sand is white, the water is blue and the view is breathtaking. Visit playa piskado which translates to fisherman’s beach where you get to swim with sea turtles.
In addition, you can swim with dolphins at Jan Thiel beach. Furthermore, the nature on the island very beautiful. The island is also very small so you do not have to drive for hours to get from one end of the island to another.
Cons of Living In Curacao
The Land In Curacao Is Not Extremely Arable
Curacao is very dry and arid in nature. Plants such as aloes and cactus thrive well on this island. Since the island is not volcano in nature it is more challenging for the island to cultivate a large amount of its food.
This means that a significant quantity of fruits and vegetables consumed on the island is imported from neighboring countries such as Venezuela.
The Cost of Living In Curacao Is Very High
Because Curacao needs to import many of its everyday goods, the cost of living is very high on the island. As a result, many persons live in poverty. Utilities, fuel, food and accommodation are costly on the island. It is very expensive for many locals to get by on the island.
The Infrastructure In Curacao Could Be Improved
The road network on the island is not very good. There are potholes everywhere and faded markings on the road. People have the tendency of running red lights when in a hurry. There is a current Government programme in place to fix the roads around the island.
In addition, public transportation is limited to buses and local taxis. There are no metros, trams or trains on the island.
Final Thoughts
The advantages of living in Curacao are the bustling night life opportunities, sunny weather is almost always guaranteed and the low threat of natural disasters. On the other hand, the cons of living on Curacao are the high cost of living and poor infrastructure.
If you are contemplating traveling to Curacao or the rest of the Caribbean, cruising is an affordable option to consider. I have recently completed an informative course by cruise specialist, Emma Cruises which you should check out titled How To Cruise For Less.
This course provides detail tips and techniques on how to save money while cruising onboard, onshore as well as the importance of insurance. So if you if you are considering a cruise for your next Caribbean vacation, check out How To Cruise For Less.
Need More Information?
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