Willemstad is one of the most recognizable parts of Curaçao—and if you’re planning your trip, knowing the best things to do in Willemstad Curaçao makes a big difference in how much you enjoy it.
Most people walk past the colorful buildings, take a few photos, and leave. That’s fine, but you’ll miss a lot.
If you plan it right, this can easily turn into one of the best parts of your trip.
If you want a full breakdown of how to structure your time here, check out my guide on one day in Willemstad: easy itinerary—it helps you map everything out without wasting time.
This is the main reason people come here.
The row of colorful buildings along the water is exactly what you’ve seen in photos—and it looks the same in person.
You’ll end up here without trying since it’s right in the middle of everything. It’s an easy first stop and a good place to get your bearings before walking around more.
The floating bridge between Punda and Otrobanda isn’t just functional—it’s part of the experience.
Walk across it at least once. It moves when boats pass through, and if you happen to catch that, it’s worth stopping for a few minutes to watch (it’s more exciting than it sounds…but I am easily entertained ha).
These are the two main sides of Willemstad, and they feel different once you spend a little time on each.
Punda is where most of the foot traffic is. Shops, restaurants, main sights—it’s the busier side.
Otrobanda is quieter, and this is where you get some of the best views looking back toward the colorful buildings across the water.
Most people cross the bridge, take a quick look, and leave. It’s worth slowing down a bit here and walking a few streets—it’s noticeably less crowded.
If you’re planning dinner or want to go out at night, this is where you want to be.
Pietermaai has:
This is where Willemstad shifts from sightseeing to feeling like a night out. You’ll see people moving between places, live music in some spots, and a lot more energy once the sun goes down.
The food here is good enough that it’s worth planning ahead instead of just picking somewhere randomly when you’re hungry.
These were my favorites:
If you’re only picking one, go to MosaCaña.
If you want a full breakdown of what to order and where to go, check out my guide on best restaurants in Curaçao (where to eat + what to order)—it’ll save you from guessing when you’re already hungry.
This is a quick stop, but it’s different from everything else in Willemstad.
Vendors sell produce and goods directly from boats along the water. It doesn’t take long to walk through, but it’s worth seeing if it’s open.
Go earlier in the day—later on, a lot of it starts closing down and you’ll miss most of it.
This is right near Queen Wilhelmina Park and takes a few minutes.
It’s one of those easy stops that’s already along your route, so there’s no reason to skip it.
This is one of the best views over Willemstad.
It’s a short drive outside of the main area, so you’ll need a car or taxi to get there—but it’s worth it if you want something different than staying in town.
The food was really good, but the view is what stands out.
If you’re planning to explore more than just Willemstad, renting a car makes everything easier—you can check options here: renting a car in Curaçao.
This is one of the most underrated things to do. During the day, it’s more about walking around and seeing the main spots. At night, it changes.
The bridge lights up
The buildings reflect on the water
Restaurants and bars fill up
There’s live music in areas like Pietermaai
One of my favorite moments of the trip was walking around here at night under the bridge—it felt completely different than during the day.
If you’re not staying at a resort, this is one of the easiest places to base yourself. You’re close to restaurants, you can walk around at night, and you’re still within driving distance of most beaches. It’s also more budget-friendly compared to staying at a resort.
If you’re deciding where to stay, you can find hotels in Willemstad here—it gives you a good range depending on your budget and location.
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Mambo Beach
This is one of the most popular spots near Willemstad, but it felt more chaotic and crowded than anywhere else we went. It is a beautiful beach—I just found there were better options that felt more secluded and natural.
If you’re looking for something more scenic or less commercial, there are better beaches on the island.
Plein Café Wilhelmina
The options felt limited, and there are better places nearby (I mostly ended up just eating bread—which I love ha—but I needed a little more than just carbs to keep me going for everything we had planned).
Willemstad doesn’t need a packed itinerary—but it does need a little direction.
If you focus on walking the main areas, planning a couple good meals, and coming back at night, you’ll have a much better experience than just stopping for an hour.
If you’re planning the rest of your trip, learn more in my post about Curaçao travel guide for first-time visitors—it connects everything together so your days flow better.
Let’s talk about when to actually book that Dubai trip you’ve been pinning for two years. I get asked this constantly, so here’s the honest breakdown: October through April is your window. Anything outside that and you’re basically touring in a sauna!
October and November give you warm days and cooler nights, which is basically the sweet spot for wandering around without melting. December through February is peak season: gorgeous weather. March and April are the quiet insider pick, right before summer heat shows up and ruins everyone’s plans.
Saving this for later? That’s what it’s here for. Full breakdown linked in bio.
If you’re chasing energy, beaches, nightlife, and nonstop luxury, Dubai takes the crown. If you’re craving culture, iconic architecture, and meaningful landmarks at a slower pace, Abu Dhabi shines.🤍
My advice? Base yourself in Dubai and do Abu Dhabi as a day trip! The perfect balance of excitement and culture in the UAE.
Want the full breakdown? Check out my Dubai and Abu Dhabi guide for tips, itineraries, and must-sees!
I do not like seafood. 🐟 So when I booked a tasting menu at a restaurant built around aquarium walls at Atlantis The Palm, I was nervous.
Ossiano sits underwater fish gliding past the whole meal, moody lighting, the kind of room that makes you lower your voice without meaning to. It’s not cheap, and it’s not trying to be. You’re paying for the entire experience.
Here’s the honest part: they have a vegetarian tasting menu, and I assumed it would be an afterthought. It ended up in my top five meals of all time. Course after course, the same care and precision as the seafood-forward menu everyone comes for. They even swapped in a steak for the main and it still felt cohesive with everything around it.
By course four you’re full. They bring out three more breads anyway. I ate all of it. No regrets.
Small detail that stuck with me my dress was black, so they swapped my napkin from white to black without me asking. That’s the kind of thing that tells you everything about a place.
Full breakdown of the menu, the vegetarian option, and what to expect linked in bio.
Dubai is all skyline until you drive an hour into the dunes and it goes completely silent. Bab Al Shams was that shift for us: slower, quieter, more intentional than anything we did in the city.
If you want nightlife or walkable everything, this isn’t your stop. But if you want a night that feels like a reset, it delivers, polished service, food I’m still thinking about, and a setting that never tries too hard.
Full review (and whether it’s worth adding to your Dubai itinerary) is linked in bio. 🏜️
I flew @emirates economy to Dubai fully expecting to just survive the flight. We booked seats by the exit row — @bradplummer1 got the legroom (he’s 6’7”), I got a normal seat right next to him, and it saved us money over booking two extra-legroom seats. Smart trick if you’re traveling with someone who needs the extra space and you don’t.
The food alone earned this post. Warm chicken, a Waldorf salad that actually tasted fresh, real butter on the roll, and a breakfast spread that put most airport brunches to shame. Add in the twinkling-star cabin lighting once dinner wrapped, and it felt less like a flight and more like the trip had already started.
Not everything was perfect — the wifi didn’t work for me at all, so if you’re planning to get work done in the air, download what you need beforehand. But that was the only miss in an otherwise excellent long haul.
If you’ve got Emirates lounge access in Dubai, use it. Showers, buffets, quiet corners to nap it makes the layover feel like a reset instead of a slog.
Full review seats, food, lounge, and the wifi situation is on the blog. Link in bio. ✈️
Follow @travelwithwendyplummer for Beautiful Beach Destinations, City Guides, Foodie Spots, and Luxury Hotel Recommendations.
