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Quick Links: The Venue - The City - Visa Requirements - Transport -
People - Language - Time Zone - Climate - Currency/Cards - Voltage
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The Venue
Located at Santa Barbara Plantation, the 350-room Hyatt Regency Curaçao Golf Resort, Spa and Marina is part of a 1,500-acre luxury resort community taking shape along a natural harbor known as Spanish Water, 25 minutes from Curaçao's capital city of Willemstad.
The luxury resort features uninterrupted water views on three sides, white sand beaches, full-service Atabei Spa, a separate 24-hour StayFit@Hyatt fitness center, Camp Arawak, three outdoor pools, poolside grill, lounge, dive and water sport facility, Old Quarry – an 18-hole Pete Dye designed championship golf course, and 38,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space. |
A room block as been reserved at the Hyatt Regency Curaçao and, whilst space is available, rooms can be reserved at group rates in the following categories:
| Room Type |
Rate |
Waterview King |
$179.00 |
Waterview Double |
$179.00 |
Premier King |
$199.00 |
Premier Double |
$199.00 |
*Rates are exclusive of taxes and breakfast. Breakfast will be served to the anniversary group on Monday 1 November and Tuesday 2 November – please see your joining instructions for details.
Details of how to reserve accommodation at the group rates will be sent via email as part of the registration confirmation process.
The Island
Famous for its fine liqueur made from the sweetened peel of bitter oranges and for its sunny climate and secluded beaches, Curaçao has a rich and diverse history, which explains the international flavor of its culture and the curious mixture of Old and New World charm.
Curaçao's strategic position at the base of the Caribbean has also made it an important crossroads for global commerce and connected the tiny island with many of the important persons and events in world affairs. Amerigo Vespucci, Alonso de Ojeda, Peter Stuyvesant, the notorious Captain Bligh, Simon Bolivar were all drawn into Curaçao's colorful past. The largest and most populous of the Netherlands Antilles, located in between Aruba and Bonaire, Curaçao lies some 35 miles off the northern coast of Venezuela and 800 miles north of the equator. The island is 38 miles long and varies between 2 and 8 miles in width. Spectacular beaches line the southwest, leeward coast. Geographically, it falls within the Atlantic Standard Time Zone, which is one hour ahead of U.S. Eastern Standard Time and the same as Eastern Daylight Time. Its capital city is Willemstad.
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Curaçao's capital city, Willemstad |
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Visa Requirements
Generally tourists holding a passport may enter the Netherlands Antilles without a written permit and remain with us for a period of 14 to 30 days. However, several nationalities (e.g. Colombia, Cuba, Haiti, Peru) must present a tourist visa as part of our Netherlands Antilles entry requirements. A visa should be applied for at least one month in advance at any representation of the Netherlands (in the concerning country). US visitors require a passport to get back into the USA.
Tourists should be in possession of:
- Valid passport
- A return or outward ticket on arrival
- Sufficient funds for accommodations and food
- The necessary documents for returning to the country of origin, or further travel elsewhere
The following nationalities require a Visa to enter Curaçao:
Armenia ·
Azerbeidzjan ·
Belarus ·
Bolivia ·
Bosnia-Herzegovina ·
Bulgaria ·
Cambodja ·
China ·
Colombia ·
Cuba ·
Dominican Republic ·
Estland ·
Georgia ·
Ghana ·
Guinee-Bissau ·
Haiti ·
Ivoorkust ·
Joegoslavia ·
Kazakstan ·
Kenia ·
Kirgizia ·
Kroatia ·
Letland ·
Libia ·
Litouwen ·
Macedonia ·
Mali ·
Moldavia ·
Nigeria ·
North-Korea ·
Oekraine ·
Oezbekistan · Peru ·
Russian Federation ·
Serbia ·
Tadzjikistan ·
Toerkmenistan ·
Vietnam
Transport
Air
The international airport of Curacao is in the northern part of the island, 11 kilometers from the capital Willemstad.
At departure of Curacao Airport, taxes are levied for all flights. If you fly with American Airlines, American Eagle or KLM this tax is included in your ticket.
Taxi
In Curacao the taxis do not have meters, therefore you must negotiate your price first.
The prices are based for 1-4 people from 6 am-11pm. A fifth person costs 25% more. After 11pm (until 6am) there is 25% surcharge.
There are taxi stands at the airport (infront of the Arrivals Hall), hotels and Sha Caprileskade in punda.
Taxi's are easy to recognise by their signs and the TX on their registration plates.
Car rental - Curacao Airport
In the terminal you can find counters of many local car rental companies as well as the international car rental companies: Avis, Budget, Hertz and National. You can also reserve a rental car in advance using the service EasyTerra provides, they compare the rates of several providers in a single quote.
Airport Parking
There are 300 parking spaces for the terminal building and the rate is NAf 4.50 per hour.
Train
There are no trains on Curacao.
People
The population numbers more than 170,000, most of whom are of African or mixed African and European descent. In all, more than 50 different ethnic backgrounds are represented here, and the people are very proud of the island's international flavor.
Language
Dutch is the official language, but multi-racial Curaçaoans also speak English, Spanish and their own unique blend, Papiamento (the native language). Curaçaoans are multi-lingual, having learned to speak English, Dutch, and Spanish at school from the third grade on.
Time Zone
Curaçao is on Atlantic Standard Time: one hour later than US Eastern Standard Time (the same time as Eastern Daylight Savings Time) and four hours earlier than Greenwich Mean Time.
Climate
Curaçao lies well below the hurricane belt, so the climate is sunny and dry, averaging only 22 inches of rainfall per year. The rainy season occurs in November and December. Despite the almost constant sunshine, the average year-round temperature is only 82 degrees Fahrenheit (28 Celsius) due to the trade winds that keep the island cool all the time. A hilly island of volcanic origin, Curaçao supports a large variety of tropical flora and fauna, most of which may be found in Christoffel Park, a nature preserve located at the northern tip around the island's highest point, Mt. Christoffel.
Currency / Cards
The currency for the Dutch Antilles is the Antillean guilder (NAFI or ANG) which is also called the florin. The currency has been directly coupled to the American dollar which is also accepted everywhere. At ATM's you have the choice of getting American dollars or Antillean guilders.
Travelers Checks and most major Credit Cards are also widely accepted. Debit Cards are accepted at large shops and supermarkets. Exchange rates may vary slightly at stores and hotels. Bills of US$50 and US$100 can be hard to cash. The larger denominations of guilder bills (100 and 250) are hard to cash for small purchases. There are currently two versions of guilder coins in circulation. The old square nickel and the newer square fifty cent piece are among the few square coins in the world; along with the 21/2 guilder coin they are popular souvenirs, particularly for children. There is no black market and there are no restrictions on how much money you can bring into the country.
Banking Hours:
Banks are open Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The airport bank is open Monday through Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and on Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Selected banks branches have ATMs that disburse US dollars.
Tipping:
It is customary to tip porters NAFl. 1 per bag, and taxi drivers 10% of the fare. Restaurants usually add a 10% service charge to the bill; you can leave a couple more guilders change if you like. Most hotels add a 12% service charge to the bill. All this beside the 5% Government sales tax.
Voltage
Electricity is 110 - 130 volts/50 cycles, similar but not identical to the US standard. Most 60 cycle electrical appliances from the United States will function properly, although appliances that have internal time mechanisms will not keep the correct time and hairdryers and curling irons may overheat if used for too long. Dual voltage appliances from Europe and South America will need an adapter plug, readily available on the island. Although electrical current is generally reliable, consider using a surge regulator for sensitive electronic devices and computers. It's a good idea to charge underwater strobes and videos on the regulated systems at dive shops and photo centers.
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