Where is Curacao located on the map? This is probably one of the first questions you asked yourself when you heard people talking about the island. You might recognize Curçao as a Caribbean island, but where exactly is this country situated?
i guess your research brought you here and, in this post, you will get the answer on where to find Curaçao island on the world map.
Where is Curaçao located?
Curaçao is located in the southern part of the Caribbean. You can find the island right above the mainland of Venezuela and in-between the Lesser Antilles islands of Aruba and Bonaire on the world map.
Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao are often referred as the ‘ABC islands’. You would think that the islands are in alphabetical order, but nothing is less true. Curaçao is located in the middle between the country of Aruba and the Dutch township of Bonaire.
Although you can find the three islands together, the location of Curaçao might be a bit confusing. The island is often mistaken for Bonaire since it is located as ‘the second island’.
The collective name should be ‘the ACB islands’. An easy mnemonic to remember.
Is Curaçao located outside the hurricane belt?
The Caribbean is subject to severe storms and hurricanes every year, with disastrous consequences afterward. Curaçao is located outside the hurricane belt, and the island is unlikely to experience such a disaster.
Occasionally a tropical storm can pass the island, but this rarely occurs and these storms do not cause much damage.
The location of Klein Curaçao
The island of Klein Curaçao is located about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) southeast of Curaçao. You can reach the island in approximately two hours by boat.
Klein Curaçao is flat and barren, and history tells us that these conditions, and its location close to the big island, have caused many shipwrecks. You can still find some shipwrecks on the east coast of the island.
The island has a beautiful powdered sugar sandy beach and cerulean-turquoise water where you can snorkel with tropical fishes and wild sea turtles.
An excursion to Klein Curaçao means living the ‘Cast Away’ life. But only for one day and with much more comfort (and no Tom Hanks).
Visit Klein Curaçao with an All-inclusive day trip. You can book your day trip to Curaçao via our Tours and Excursions page.
The location of Willemstad
Capital Willemstad is located in the center of the island and is therefore often referred to as the heart of Curaçao.
Curaçao can be divided into two districts: Bandabou and Bandariba. Bandabou is located to the west of the island and Bandariba is to the east. Willemstad is located in the district of Bandariba.
It is not entirely clear where the border of Bandabou and Bandariba is located. In general, the area between Grote Berg and Westpunt is considered Bandabou, and the area between Gato and Oostpunt as Bandariba.
Popular locations in Curaçao
Now you know more about where Curaçao is located, let’s dive into some popular spots on the island.
The Caribbean island is known to have a large variety of amazing touristic sights and worthwhile locations to visit.
It was difficult to put together a list, but here are some of the most popular attractions and activities that you as a (first-time) visitor should not miss.
- Grote Knip Beach
- Curaçao liquor distillery
- The Flamingo Sanctuary
- Murals in Otrobanda
- Plasa Bieu in Punda (local food)
- Colorful houses in Pietermaai
- Shete Boka National Park
- Cas Abao Beach
- Fort Beekenburg
- Tugboat Beach
- Aloë Vera Plantation
- The Mangrove Park
The island has many fun activities to offer and there is a lot to experience.
Also read our blog: 30 Best Things to Do in Curaçao, for an extensive overview of ideas.
Curaçao: your next holiday location
Many people still don’t know where Curaçao is located on the map, but an increase in tourists might change that.
More and more flights are being offered to Curaçao and the interest in the island from North American and European visitors continues to increase.
Curaçao is popular with Dutch tourists and Aruba is mainly a destination that attracts American tourists. It has been like that for years. Yet that tide seems to be turning and more and more international travelers are finding their way to our island.
Will Curaçao be your next destionation? The island will welcome you with a smile.
