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Places to Visit in Willemstad, Netherlands Antilles, America

Willemstad is the capital city of Curacao, an island territory as well as constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a picturesque city comprising four quarters such as Punda, Otrobanda, Scharloo and Pietermaai Smal.

The major landmarks of Willemstad include:

• Penha Building
• Sebastopol House
• Queen Emma Bridge
• Avalon University School of Medicine

 

Geography of Willemstad:

Willemstad coordinates with 12°7′ N latitude and 68°56′ W longitude and enjoys a semi-arid climate.

 

History of Willemstad:

Willemstad was earlier known as de punt and was established in 1634. It served as the capital of the Netherlands Antilles until the Netherlands Antilles was dissolved on 10^th October 2010. Snoga Synagogue is the historical landmark of Willemstad constructed by Sephardic Portuguese Jews.

 

Connectivity to Willemstad:

Willemstad is situated about 13 km away from Hato International Airport which has regular flights from and to major international locations such as Amsterdam, Dusseldorf, Panama City, Bonaire, Brasilia, Toronto, Port of Spain and Toronto, operated by Air Berlin, Air Canada, Copa Airlines, Surinam Airways, United Airlines and many other famed international airlines.

Bus service is available in the city, served by large metro-style Konvoi buses and BUS passenger vans. Taxi, scooters and cars are other choices for local travel.

 

Food and Shopping in Willemstad:

Duty free enclave is an ideal place to purchase European goods including watches and linens, souvenirs, crafts and jewelry and a waterfront market offers some fresh food and flowers. Dutch Antilles Guilder is the currency used in Willemstad although Euro and U.S. Dollar are widely accepted.

The famous food corners with traditional and international cuisine are listed here below:

• Restaurant Fishalicious
• L’Aldea Restaurant B.V.
• Restaurant Seasons
• The Wine Cellar

 

Things to do in Willemstad:

• Diving
• Golfing
• Sahara Casino

 

Places of interest in Willemstad:

Queen Emma Bridge:

Queen Emma Bridge is one of the identities of Willemstad which was initially built in 1888 and renovated grandly in 1939. It measures a length of 167 meters and width of 9.80 meters. Queen Emma Bridge is the major link between Punda and Otrobanda quarters.

 

Snoga Synagogue:

The Snoga Synagogue is the oldest synagogue in the Western Hemisphere and was initially built by Sephardic Portuguese Jews and was reconstructed in 1732. Entrance fee is USD$10 per person.

 

Kontiki Beach:

The Kontiki Beach is located in the vicinity of downtown Willemstad offering different water sport activities and it boasts many shops, a beach bar and a restaurant. The ocean encounters dive center within the beach.

 

Other places of interest near Willemstad are:

• Kenepa Beach
• Kura Hulanda Museum
• Shete Boka National Park
• Curacao Underwater Marine Park
• Queen Juliana Bridge
• Handelskade
• Riffort Village
• Hato Caves
• Fort Nassau
• Jewish Cultural Historical Museum
• Maritime Museum
• Jan Thiel Beach
• Fort Amsterdam
• Beit Hayim Cemetery

 

Best time to visit Willemstad:

The best time to trip Willemstad is during the months between January and September (dry season).

 

Accommodation options in Willemstad:

Willemstad is one of the major cities of Caribbean housing a wide range of resorts and casinos. Other than luxury accommodation centres, Willemstad also hosts many guest houses for tourists who seek cheap and best options. A list of prominent hotels and resorts in Willemstad include:

• Avila Hotel – Curacao
• Lions Dive & Beach Resort Curacao
• Curacao Marriott Beach Resort & Emerald Casino
• Hotel Kura Hulanda Spa & Casino
• Floris Suite Hotel
• Hilton Curacao
• Hotel ‘t Klooster
• Sunscape Curacao Resort Spa & Casino
• San Marco Hotel and Casino
• Otrobanda Hotel and Casino
• WAVE Hotel & Cafe
• Plaza Hotel Curacao
• Veneto Holiday Beach Hotel
• Howard Johnson Curacao Plaza Hotel & Casino
• Howard Johnson Inn Hotel & Casino

Best Tourist Places to Visit in Westpunt, Netherlands Antilles, America

Westpunt is a name of westernmost point and small town in Curacao Island, a constitute country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is situated a few kilometers away from Watamula, the northernmost point of Curacao.

Westpunt is also one of the best beaches on Curacao and other beaches placed near Westpunt include Grote Knip, Kleine Knip, Playa Gipy and Playa Forti. Westpunt houses many upgraded restaurants, inns, hotels and resorts that are frequented by both domestic and international tourists.

 

Geography of Westpunt:

Westpunt is located between latitude 12°22′ in the north and longitude 069°10′ in the west.

 

How to reach Westpunt?

Hato International Airport serves Westpunt along with other settlements of Curacao is situated in Plaza Margareth Abraham, around 35 km away from Westpunt. It receives daily flights from Miami, served by American Airlines. Other major destinations that connect HIA are Bogota, Amsterdam, Panama City, Aruba, Bonaire, Port of Spain and Toronto.

Tourists can hire a car at Hato Airport that charges around $45 U.S. per day. There are two types of buses serving the island, Konvoi (large metro-style buses) and BUS (passenger vans).

Taxi is another option to get around and tourists can get it through hand signal or by directly reaching a taxi stand.

 

Food and Shopping in Westpunt:

Apart from the beautiful beach, Westpunt is well known for its modernized shops and restaurants and most of them are placed at the edge of the beach.

The prominent food corners in Westpunt are listed here below:

• Rancho El Sobrino Restaurant
• Jaanchies Restaurant
• Kura Hulanda Restaurant
• Restaurant Playa Forti
• Landhuis Misje

 

Things to do in Westpunt:

• Snorkeling
• Diving
• Swimming

 

Places of interest in Westpunt:

Playa Forti:

Playa Forti is the neighboring beach of Westpunt in the north-west of Curacao. This sand beach offers 10 meter jump from a cliff and is well served by snack bar and a restaurant.

 

Grote Knip:

Situated between the villages of Westpunt and Lagun, Grote Knip beach offers a great snorkeling activity. It can be easily accessible from the city centre by rental vehicles.

 

Kleine Knip:

Kleine Knip is a stunning beach with crystal clear, warm and calm water. Visitors can see Sea Turtles and Manta Rays during special occasions here and the beach is especially noted for snorkeling activities. Parking facility is available.

 

Playa Gipy:

Playa Gipy is a small and rocky beach placed in the proximity of Westpunt village. Tourists can spot loggerhead sea turtles here during the dry season.

 

Other places of interest near Westpunt are:

• Museum Kura Hulanda
• Maritime Museum
• Queen Emma Bridge
• Mikve Israel-Emanuel Synagogue
• Queen Juliana Bridge
• Mikve’ Israel Emmanuel Synagogue
• Shete Boka National Park
• Curacao Sea Aquarium
• Fort Amsterdam
• Klein Curacao
• Habitat Beach
• Daaibooi Baai
• Mambo Beach
• Fort Nassau
• Seaquarium Beach

 

Best time to visit Westpunt:

From December to April will be the best time to visit Westpunt.

 

Accommodation options in Westpunt:

Westpunt is a small picturesque town attracting tourists for its striking beach and restaurants as well as upgraded resort and bungalows with different facilities and services. The first 5 accommodation centres in below list are in Westpunt and the remaining hotels and service apartments are located in nearby towns of Westpunt:

• Marazul Dive Resort
• West Hill Bungalows
• Nos Krusero Apartments
• Rancho El Sobrino Curacao
• Blue View Apartments
• La Maya Beach Luxury Apartments
• B&B Sombre di Kabana
• Mustique Suites Curacao
• B&B Blenchi
• Poppy Kamers Curacao
• West Hill Bungalows
• Atlantis Apartments
• Waterside Apartments & Dive
• Bed & Breakfast Toni Kunchi
• Quint’s Travelodge

Tourist Places to Visit in Sint Maarten, Netherlands Antilles, America

Sint Maarten is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands geographically positioned at 18°03′ N 63°03′ W. Philipsburg is the capital and the Lower Prince’s Quarter is the largest city of Sint Maarten. American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, University of St. Martin and Sint Maarten Courthouse are the three prime identities of Sint Maarten.

 

Geography of Sint Maarten:

Sint Maarten covers southern half of Saint Martin Island and the northern half is covered by Saint-Martin, a French overseas collectivity. It is spread over an area of 34 sq. km.

The major settlements of Sint Maarten are:

• Philipsburg
• Lower Prince’s Quarter
• Cul de Sac
• Cole Bay
• Upper Prince’s Quarter
• Little Bay

 

History of Sint Maarten:

Sint Maarten earlier had a status of the Island Territory of Sint Maarten and one of the five island territories of the Netherlands Antilles, later it was formed as a constituent country by Netherland Government, when Netherlands Antilles was disbanded on 10^th October 2010.

How to reach Sint Maarten?

Sint Maarten is catered by Princess Juliana International Airport situated around 10 km away from Philipsburg, the capital of Sint Maarten with scheduled flights to and from Atlanta, New York, Miami, Boston, Amsterdam, Charlotte, Philadelphia, Paris and many other European, Caribbean and North American cities.

The major port of Sint Maarten is in Philipsburg receiving cruise ships from the neighboring French Island and many other Caribbean islands.

Taxis cost about $25 USD per person for the entire island journey and the prominent car rentals include:

• Avis
• Unity Cars
• EasyTerra
• E-Z Rent-A-Car

 

Culture, Food and Shopping in Sint Maarten:

Sint Maarten natives speak their own English based Creole dialect and there is Sint Maarten Heineken Regatta that takes place during the first weekend in March annually.

Grand Marche and Sangs supermarkets are the major shopping options, and jewelry, cosmetics and cameras are the purchasable products in Sint Maarten.

The famous food corners in Sint Maarten are:

• Vesna Taverna & Bagel House
• Byblos Lounge SXM
• Panlaan Thai on the Bay
• Hilmas Windsor Castle

Places of interest in Sint Maarten:

Maho Bay:

Maho Bay is a very famous beach of Sint Maarten with white sand and crystal clear water. Because of its close proximity with a runway of airport, tourists can see flying flights from very short distances. Most of large flights arrive and depart during the mid-morning and mid-late afternoon.

 

Mullet Bay:

Mullet Bay is just beyond Maho Bay renowned for food and drink shops and tourists can enjoy parasailing and other different water sports activities here.

 

Loterie Farm:

The Loterie Farm offers different activities including hiking, eco tours and tree jumping. The Zip Line experience by The Fly Zone and Ti’ Tarzan (for kids) are other specialties of the park. Tourists can enjoy all these activities during day time only but can taste special dishes at the restaurant and lounge in the park during the evening also.

 

Other places of interest in and around Sint Maarten include:

• Orient Bay
• Pic du Paradis
• Fort Willem
• Yoda Guy Movie Exhibit
• Little Bay Beach
• Great Bay Beach
• Front street
• Dawn Beach
• Philipsburg Courthouse
• Wathey Square
• Maarten Zoo
• Maarten Museum

 

Best time to visit Sint Maarten:

Generally ending and beginning months of the year will be the most ideal time to travel Sint Maarten.

 

Accommodation options in Sint Maarten:

December to April is the high season in Sint Maarten, so it is advised for tourists to book hotel rooms well in advance prior to reaching Sint Maarten during this period and generally, splurge resorts charge US$100+ per night. List of major hotels and resorts in Sint Maarten is:

• Turquoise Shell Inn
• The Azure Hotel
• Pasanggrahan Royal Guesthouse
• Tamarind Hotel
• Royal Palm Beach Resort
• L’Esperance Hotel
• The Summit Hotel
• Holland House Beach Hotel
• Divi Little Bay Beach Resort
• Belair Beach Hotel
• Simpson Bay Resort & Marina
• Sonesta Great Bay Beach Resort & Casino
• Mary’s Boon Beach Resort and Spa
• Sea Palace Hotel
• Seaview Hotel & Casino

Places to Visit in Sint Eustatius, Netherlands Antilles, America

Saba Island in the northwest and Saint Kitts in the southeast. Oranjestad is the capital, USD is the currency and Dutch and English are the official languages of Sint Eustatius.

 

Geography of Sint Eustatius:

Sint Eustatius coordinates with 17°29′ N latitude and 62°58′ W longitude covering an area of 21 km².

 

History of Sint Eustatius:

The name Sint Eustatius was derived from Saint Eustace, Christian martyr and soldier saint. On 10^th October 2010, Sint Eustatius became one of the special municipalities of the Netherlands while the Netherlands Antilles were dissolved.

 

How to reach Sint Eustatius?

F.D. Roosevelt Airport serves the island of Sint Eustatius with scheduled flights to and from Saba, Sint Eustatius (also called as Statia or Statius) is a small island as well as a special municipality of the Netherlands, located in the Caribbean, surrounded by Sint Maarten, catered by Winair. It also operates charter flights to Montserrat and Saint Barthelemy, served by FlyMontserrat and St Barth Commuter respectively.

There is no public transport in the island, but taxis and cars are available at both airport and Oranjestad city centre. Some travel agencies offer advance booking facility for tourists convenience.

Boats are available on special occasions for nearby islands, Saba and Sint Maarten.

 

Culture, Food and Shopping in Sint Eustatius:

Dutch and English are the official languages of Sint Eustatius but natives use English-based Creole for communication. Local people are friendly and they show great respect towards tourists and guests.

Oranjestad is the major settlement on the island housing most of the major restaurants, shops and travel agencies on the island.

There are few accommodation centres in Sint Eustatius but the area houses plenty of food corners with traditional and international cuisines and the major food corners include:

• Cool Corner Bar & Restaurant
• Blue Bead Bar & Restaurant
• Smoke Alley Bar & Grill
• Kings Well Bar & Restaurant
• Sandbox Tree Bakery
• Ocean View Terrace
• Stone Oven Bar and Restaurant

 

Things to do in Sint Eustatius:

• Diving
• Snorkeling
• Hiking
• Visiting gardens and historical sites

 

Places of interest in Sint Eustatius:

Quil National Park:

The Quill National Park is a popular tourist attraction on Sint Eustatius, maintained by the non-profit foundation STENAPA. It is located on the north end of the island. Hiking fee is charged $6 for the year and $2 is extra for a guided hike.

 

Sint Eustatius Marine Park:

Sint Eustatius was opened in 1998 to preserve underwater nature. It offers the great diving facility, and the diving sites include coral reefs, drop-offs and canyons. There is yearly pass offered to regular visitors, costing US$20 and single dive pass is available for US$4. Dive tag for the upkeep is must.

 

Miriam C. Schmidt Botanical Garden:

The Miriam C. Schmidt Botanical Garden is within the Quill National Park featuring a variety of indigenous plants and flower species. It is sited at the base of the park.

 

Other places of interest in Sint Eustatius include:

• Scubaqua Dive Center
• Golden Rock Dive Center
• Fort de WindtDive Statia

 

Best time to visit Sint Eustatius:

From March to June to will be the ideal time to visit Sint Eustatius during which there will be very less crowd (July and August is high season).

 

Accommodation options in Sint Eustatius:

Sint Eustatius is a small island housing many natural attractions such as marine parks and botanical gardens. It is also renowned for its accommodation centers but less in numbers. Due to this, tourists can refer nearby Saba Island for more facilitated resorts and hotels. The prominent hotels and resorts in Sint Eustatius are listed here below:

• Kings Well Resort
• The Old Gin House
• Golden Era Hotel
• Country Inn
• Statia Lodge