CURACAO IS A LONG, ARID, AND GENERALLY FLAT
ISLAND, STRETCHING SOME 40 MILES *64 KM* FROM
SOUTHEAST TO NORTHWEST, AT MUCH THE SAME
NORTH-SOUTH ANGLES AS ITS SISTER ISLANDS IN THE
ABC GROUP *ARUBA TO THE WEST AND BONAIRE TO THE
EAST*. THE ISLAND IS ABOUT 10 MILES *16 KM* AT
ITS WIDEST POINT, AND THE AREA IS ABOUT 180
SQUARE MILES *472 SQUARE KM*, MAKING IT THE
LARGEST ISLAND IN THE NETHERLANDS ANTILLES GROUP.
THE COASTLINE ALONG THE SOUTH IS IRREGULAR,
PEPPERED WITH SMALL BAYS AND INLETS, INCLUDING
THE SPECTACULAR BAYS AND BEACHES AT THE WEST END
OF THE ISLAND. THE LARGEST BAYS ARE LOCATED ALONG
THE CENTRAL-EAST AND EAST END OF THE ISLAND,
WHERE YOULL FIND THE CAPITAL AND MAJOR PORT OF
WILLEMSTAD. MOST OF CURACAOS 170,000 RESIDENTS
LIVE IN AND AROUND THIS HISTORIC TOWN. THE LONG
NORTH COAST OF THE ISLAND, BUFFETED BY CONSTANT
NORTHEAST TRADE WINDS, IS CHARACTERIZED BY A
ROUGH COASTHNE, LIMESTONE CLIFF FORMATIONS SET ON
TOP OF EONS-OLD VOLCANIC ROCK, AND WEATHER-BEATEN
TERRAIN. IT IS GENERALLY LESS INHABITED THAN THE
SOUTH COAST, BUT YOU WILL FIND SMALLER VILLAGES
AND MANY OF THE ISLANDS FAMOUS LANDHUIS, OR OLD
PLANTATION HOUSE, STRUCTURES HERE. THE WEST END
OF THE ISLAND IS ALSO CHARACTERIZED BY EXPANSIVE,
HILLY TERRAIN, MOST OF IT ENCOMPASSED BY
CHRISTOFFEL PARK. THE 4,500-ACRE *1,820-HECTARE*
PARK CONTAINS MT. CHRISTOFFEL, AT 1,239 FEET *377
METERS* THE HIGHEST ELEVATION ON CURACAO. THE
EAST END OF THE ISLAND COMPRISES FLAT AND MOSTLY
BARREN PLAIN, WITH FEW SETTLEMENTS AND SOME
SECONDARY ROADS WEAVING TO AND FROM ITS COASTAL
INLETS. WITH AN AVERAGE 20 INCHES *510 MM* OF
RAINFALL YEARLY, CURACAO IS GENERALLY A DRY
ISLAND. THERE ARE FEW STANDING BODIES OF WATER
SAVE SOME SALINE PONDS, AND MOST OF THE ISLANDS
WATER IS PROVIDED BY A LARGE DESALINIZATION PLANT
FOUND ON THE SOUTH COAST.
JAN THIEL BEACH - ON SITE
HATO CAVES - 13 MILES *20 KM*
OSTRICH FARM - 8 MILES *12.5 KM*
SEA AQUARIUM - 4 MILES *6 KM*
CURACAO HATO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT *CUR*
APPROXIMATE DRIVING TIME IS 15 MINUTES AND
DISTANCE IS 13 MILES *20 KM*.