Curacao
If you haven’t heard of Curacao it is about time you familiarize yourself with the Caribbean’s safest island with the most perfect weather with direct flights from Toronto Pearson. Curacao is part of the ABC islands which are part of the Dutch Antilles that include Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao. The other Dutch islands are St. Maarten, Sint Eustatius and Saba. Known for their perfect weather and safe stable government these islands are generally hidden gems for tourism except for the Cruise industry where they are well known. Curacao is a diving and snorkelling mecca with hundreds of dive shops, dive sites and remote public beaches for snorkelling. Aruba is the better known more commercial touristy area whereas Curacao is still growing its Tourist sector. English, Dutch and Spanish are in use with most residents speaking multiple languages including Papiamentu the local language.
Willemstad is the central city in Curacao and is home to the legislature, brand new hospital, several museums and dozens of restaurants. The Cruise terminal is in Willemstad as well as many local shops and picture vistas.
There is a rich history of Curacao with the Dutch, French, Spanish and English all making claims over the years due to its safe harbour.
To really get a flavour for Curacao we recommend the facebook groups Curacao for Canadians and the The Curacao visitors Forum.
Blue Bay Resort
The island of Curacao is made up of dozens of local parishes and former plantations that now form local communities. Blue Bay is a former plantation that was developed as a resort community starting in 1990. Although slow to gain notoriety (similar to the island’s slow tourist growth) the resort has exploded in popularity since 2020 with hundreds of new homes and tourist apartments built since. Blue Bay has a fantastic man made cove with a beach with great snorkelling, massage therapists, beach food and beverage service, restaurants and regular live music. There is a pizza take out and food truck available as well as a childrens’ playground.
There are several restaurants throughout Blue Bay including Lemongrass and Brass Boer as well as The Bayside Restaurant located in the Boutique Hotel.
For the Golfers Blue Bay has a fantastic 18 hole course with two oceanside signature holes, a professional practice area and 4 tee blocks for various skill levels. There are three golf courses on the island including a Pete Dye Course at the Santa Barbara plantation and the old Shell Oil employee 9 hole course. For Caribbean Golf, Blue Bay offers a challenging experience for all skill levels but at a very reasonable price. Monthly memberships are available for as little as $750 plus cart fee and packages are available for 3,5 and 10 packs.
The Tennis courts are newly resurfaced and lighted with rental equipment available. Disappointingly Pickle Ball courts were not included in the refurbishment although every day you can hear the distinct sound of the bat and ball on the Tennis Courts and a net is available at the Pro Shop for rental use.
There is a Dive Shop on premise for certification, equipment rental and organized dives as well as an introduction to diving.
The Blue Bay community is a gated, well secured complex although personal safety is not a concern and people can walk anywhere. A rental car is recommended as taxi service is very expensive.
A local grocery store is less than 5 minutes away and is as good as anything in Ontario. You might be surprised that the cost of food on many items is cheaper than in Canada as the source of meat and produce is often from South America.
Blue Bay is only 12 minutes from the airport. No kidding only 12 minutes away.
We have selected several Apartment/condo rentals that are owned by Ontario/Canadian families for you to consider in and near Blue Bay Resort.
The Reef at Blue Bay
The Reef was built in 2021 and features a luxury pool and 40 two bedroom suites. It has a view of the ocean and the golf course. It is a 12 minute walk to the beach or a two minute drive. All of the units have A/C..Some units back on to ground level or pool level with large terraces and others are on higher floors with smaller balconies but spectacular views. We invite you to check availability and pricing with the link below. The unit is professionally managed by Coral and Coco so there is someone local to serve you. They also offer rental cars and other packages if interested.
This unit is owned by John and Pam from Orillia
https://coralandcoco.com/collection/blue-bay-the-reef-terrace-7
Merakii Seaview Escape Resort
Merakii is Curacao’s all suite hotel located between Blue Bay Resort and the downtown of Willemstad just 10 minutes from the airport.. Although not directly on the beach there is a public beach as well as a beach club minutes away with restaurants and beverage service available. There is a choice of Junior Suites, one and two bedroom suites and penthouses available with a large shared pool, pool bar, laundry and bikes available for exploring downtown. Car rentals are available with airport transfer when booked ahead of time.The resort has many great price points and is a Canadian owned resort with hosts Tyson and Chris. You can check the link and contact the resort directly for the best rates or use Canadian15 when booking online for a special discount.
http://www.merakiicuracao.com
