Dive the Southern Caribbean, Curacao

The striking capital city of Willemstad resembles old Amsterdam itself, full of brightly painted Dutch colonial buildings sparkling in the bright sunshine, reflecting its very cosmopolitan flare. The largest, most populous (over 170,000) and developed of the ABC islands, Curacao (pronounced cure ah sow) changed hands several times before becoming one of the Netherlands Antilles in 1815. Just 40 miles off the northern coast of South America, Curacao offers visitors a vacation rich in color, a blending of sites, peoples, languages, and cultures. English, Dutch, Papiamento and Spanish are widely spoken here. In fact, most of the island residents speak all four languages fluently, as do their close neighbors Aruba and Bonaire.

St. Anna Bay cuts through Willemstad dividing the city into two parts, Punda and Otrabanda. The city center has an intriguing floating market where Venezuelan fruit and vegetable vendors hawk their trade alongside local fishermen. The unique Queen Emma pontoon bridge swings open 30 times a day to allow ships in and out of St. Anna Bay and connects the two sides of the city. Shopping of all kinds is available downtown with jewelry, china, electronic, and clothing stores lining the narrow, architecturally fascinating streets. The natural beauty of Curacao is best savored from Christoffel Park on the island's western tip. A 4,500-acre park and wildlife preserve features stunning vistas overlooking pine and cactus covered hillsides, hiking trails, and a chance to see the native flora and fauna close up.

In addition to the many monuments, parks, and historical sites such as Fort Amsterdam, visitors come to Curacao for its water sports activities. A 1,500-acre underwater park was established in 1983 protecting an endless variety of tropical marine life. With average temperatures ranging from 75-85F, low rainfall of 21 inches annually, (below the hurricane belt) and a water temperature of 80F makes this a perfect island to enjoy snorkeling, scuba diving, windsurfing, water skiing, sailing, and deep-sea fishing. For those preferring land sports, golf, tennis, horseback riding, squash, and hiking are available all around the island. A must-see attraction is the Seaquarium located next to the underwater park at the eastern end of the island. On display are more than 400 species of fish, crabs, sea lions, sharks, anemones, sponges, and corals. In the Seaquarium complex are several restaurants, shops, bars, and a dive shop. You can also take a glass bottom boat ride to see the wonders of the deep.

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