Playa Forti Curaçao restaurant is an easy add when you’re already out on the west side. You pull up, grab a table overlooking the cliff, and suddenly you’ve got front-row seats to people jumping into the ocean while your food comes out. It’s the view, the energy, and a solid local meal all in one stop.
I pulled into Playa Forti on the way through Westpunt and parked right above the cliff, then walked straight toward the edge before even looking at the menu. The view is right there as soon as you walk up, and you’re looking straight down at the water with people lining up to jump, which is exactly why I added this into my Curaçao 7 Day Itinerary: How to Spend One Week in Curaçao.
I grabbed a table at the Playa Forti Curaçao restaurant facing the water so I could watch everything happening below. The whole place is open-air, and people were walking in straight from the beach in swimsuits and coverups. No one was dressed up, and no one cared, which made it easy to just sit down and order.
I rented a car before the trip, and driving out here made it easy to pair this with a few beaches in the same area.
I found out that the building actually goes back to the 1700s, when a fort stood here to protect merchant ships. Now I get to eat lunch on those same foundations, which made it feel a little more interesting than a typical beach stop.
I ordered lunch and immediately started watching the cliff jumpers because its part of the experience. People would walk up, stand there for a second, and then either go for it or back out (honestly relatable).
I used this stop to try more local food, and I’m glad I did. I ordered the keshi yena with rice and plantains, and Brad got the garlic shrimp with fried funchi topped with cheese.
Looking at the menu, I’d order the same way again. The Playa Forti Curaçao restaurant menu sticks closely to seafood and traditional dishes, which is exactly what worked best here.
I cut into the keshi yena first and saw the thick melted cheese wrapped around the filling, almost like a shell. Inside was seasoned ground beef with onions and a slight sweetness from the raisins. The cheese pulled everything together—it was rich, a little salty, and melted into each bite.
I mixed the rice in with it and used it to soak up everything on the plate. It balanced out the richness and made it feel less heavy, and the plantains added a softer sweetness that worked really well with the beef and cheese.
Brad tried the garlic shrimp next and got hit with that buttery garlic sauce right away. The shrimp were flavorful without anything complicated going on, and the fried funchi had a crispy outside with a soft center. The melted cheese on top made it even more indulgent, but the textures made it work.
This is not light food. Cliff jumping after this feels like a high-stakes decision (I’ll see myself out).
I looked through the rest of the Playa Forti Curaçao restaurant menu and saw some interesting dishes like Keshi yena, fresh fish like mahi mahi or wahoo depending on the catch, garlic shrimp, conch dishes, and goat stew (kabritu stoba).
I’d stick with those instead of ordering something like a burger. The local dishes are where this place feels the strongest.
I came here for lunch and used it as a break between beaches on the west side. It worked perfectly for that kind of day.
You’re not coming here for a polished, chef-driven meal like in Willemstad. You’re coming here for the view, the cliff jumping, and a casual lunch that fits into everything else you’re already doing.
If you’re planning out your days, check out my West Side Beach Hopping in Curaçao: Porto Mari & Grote Knip Guide so you can map this stop in naturally.
Save this for later on Pinterest so you don’t forget it.
I looked back over at the cliff after eating and watched a few more people jump, and that’s when it really clicked how much this adds to the experience. You’re not just eating—you’re watching one of the most well-known jump spots on the island the entire time.
If you’re planning to jump, I’d do it before you eat. That meal sits heavy, and jumping right after doesn’t sound like the best idea unless you’re really committed.
I added Playa Forti Curaçao restaurant into my Westpunt day and didn’t have to go out of my way for it. It fit right in between beach stops and gave me a solid place to sit, eat, and take in the view.
I wouldn’t drive across the island just for this alone, but I would absolutely include it if you’re already exploring this side. It’s the combination of everything here that makes it work. I’d go back just for that view alone.
If you’re still planning your trip, my Curaçao Travel Guide for First-Time Visitors breaks down how to structure your days so stops like this actually make sense. Also, if you’re debating hotels, I stayed closer to Willemstad so I could still drive out here whenever I wanted.
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.
