Curacao
24 Hours in Curacao: Our Budget-Friendly Stopover
On our way back to Brazil, we had to book cash flights, so we wanted to make the most of our route while staying within budget.
From São Paulo, we flew to Bogotá, Colombia with Avianca. It wasn’t the best experience (those seats don’t recline), but it got us to our next stop, Curacao, where we stayed for around 24 hours before heading to Amsterdam and finally the UK.
This itinerary saved us around £1,000. Even with a 24-hour flight delay from Curacao to Amsterdam, it ended up being worth it, and turned into one of the most memorable parts of our trip.
Getting Around Curacao: Taxis vs. Car Rental
Curacao is a small island, but unless you're staying less than a day like we did, renting a car is the most practical and cost-effective option.
We opted for taxis because the time needed to pick up, check, and return a rental car just didn’t make sense with our short schedule. Luckily, we found an excellent local taxi driver who also offered guided tours. Each ride came with stories, insights, and recommendations.
If you're visiting, I highly recommend booking a reliable driver in advance via WhatsApp. Ours was multilingual (English, Dutch, French, and Papiamentu) and incredibly knowledgeable. His service was the highlight of our stay.
Paying in Curacao: Card vs. Cash
Most businesses, including taxis, accept credit and debit cards. However, some drivers will charge an additional $5 card fee.
After our second ride, we began pre-paying for all taxi transfers. It was cheaper, more efficient, and gave us more time to enjoy the island without waiting around for rides.
Mambo Beach: Our Top Pick
Since we only had time for one beach, we chose Mambo Beach, and it was perfect. The setting is beautiful and very convenient. The beach has restaurants, shops, bars, and even quick meals (we grabbed chicken nuggets for $5 for the kids).
Madero Beach Club
On Curaçao, each stretch of beach tends to have its own beach club, where you pay for access and can rent loungers, cabanas, or even daybeds for the day.
We chose to spend our few hours at Madero Beach Club, and it was a great decision. We went for a cabana, which was more than enough space for our group of four.
Honestly, we didn’t spend much time sitting, the beach was so stunning we wanted to be in the water or exploring.
What I loved most was how well set up everything was. There are showers, clean toilets, and even little foot-wash stations so you don’t track sand everywhere. The whole structure was practical and surprisingly well-maintained, which makes the experience really smooth, especially if you’re travelling with kids.
Where We Stayed: Marriott Courtyard Curacao
We stayed at the Marriott Courtyard, located near Willemstad and a short drive from both Mambo Beach and the airport. It was ideal for our short stopover.
A quick tip if you're booking through sites like Booking.com: always double-check taxes and hotel fees. Some hotels list low base prices but add heavy fees at checkout.
Entry Requirements for Curacao
Traveling to Curacao? Make sure you’re prepared with:
A Yellow Fever vaccine (administered at least 10 days before arrival)
A valid international vaccine certificate
An online entry visa (free and quick to complete)
We saw passengers being denied boarding due to missing vaccine documents. If you're coming from Brazil or transiting through high-risk countries, don’t skip this step.
Culture, Food, and Safety
Curacao is a Dutch territory, and EU travel laws apply. That worked in our favor later during our flight delay.
Culturally, locals are very direct and efficient, not the overly friendly type, but definitely helpful when needed.
The food was a pleasant surprise: generous portions, rich flavors, and reasonable prices. We ate at the hotel restaurant, and the quality exceeded expectations.
We felt completely safe throughout our stay, in the town, at the hotel, and especially at the beach.
Our Unexpected Delay (and Hotel Upgrade Surprise)
Our flight to Amsterdam with Corendon was delayed over 24 hours. After two failed boarding attempts, we were finally sent to a hotel.
But not just any hotel—Mangrove Beach Corendon Curacao All-Inclusive Resort by Hilton. It was the best hotel I’ve ever stayed at.
We arrived at 3 a.m., woke up at 8 a.m., and stayed until 12:30 p.m.—just enough time to enjoy:
A private beach
Breakfast and Coffee from the Coffee Bar (yes, they have a coffee bar!)
An aqua park
Beach bars and clubs
This hotel is officially on my bucket list to return to for a proper vacation.
Points & Miles Strategy: What We Used
Here’s how we made our short stay work with travel rewards:
Bogotá to Curacao: Flew Avianca and earned Iberia Avios (they're airline partners).
Hotel: Booked directly through AVIOS.com with Marriott, which allowed us to earn both Avios and Marriott Bonvoy points. We also got benefits like late checkout and room upgrade.
Curacao to Amsterdam: Flew with Corendon. Thanks to EU law, we’re entitled to compensation due to the extended delay (still processing as of now).
Getting to Curacao from the UK
There are no direct flights from the UK to Curacao. If you're planning a trip, here are two efficient options:
UK to Amsterdam to Curacao (via KLM)
UK to US to Curacao (via multiple carriers)
Using KLM and Flying Blue is a smart move. You can:
Transfer your American Express Membership Rewards to KLM
Top up your Flying Blue account via the Flying Blue Shopping Portal
Or you can redeem KLM flights through Virgin Atlantic
We cover all of this inside our travel hacking course, Fly Smart Accelerator. If you want to learn more or join our FREE Facebook community here.
Final Thoughts
Curacao may not be as well-known as Aruba or Punta Cana, but it absolutely deserves more attention. The island is beautiful, culturally rich, and surprisingly easy to navigate.
Even though our trip was short—and came with unexpected twists, it was one of the most memorable parts of our journey.
Would I go back? Absolutely.
If you’re planning your own Curacao stopover or want to explore Caribbean travel hacks with points and miles, I’ve got more content coming your way.
Stay tuned—and fly smart.
Nat
