Aruba and Curacao

[TravelTime]

I am thinking of a family vacation next summer in Aruba and Curacao with 1 week in each location. We’d be staying at Marriott’s Aruba Surf Club for the Aruba portion. A few questions:
- For the Curacao portion, I am wondering which resorts would be recommended? We are looking for a 2BR with kitchen but in a resort not an AirBnb. I am leaning toward LionsDive Beach Resort because it is an eco-resort that seems popular with divers and has 2BR units. There are also a couple other resorts that looked nice with 2BR unit such as Avila Beach Hotel. Has anyone stayed in Curacao and where did you stay?
- I am wondering about activities on both islands. What would be some fun activities in Aruba and Curacao? Anything that would be unique to these islands that we must see or do?

 

[Passepartout]

We have done a cruise ship stop in Curacao. Looked interesting. Of course, there is the distillery and tour. Here's Tripadvisor's 'top 10' list to get you started. . . https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attract...entId.1184174190918603+268261940-Curacao.html

 

[amycurl]

I love both of these islands so much. You could explore a new beach every day. Amazing snorkeling spots. Charter sail boat tours. A Jeep tour in Aruba. Visit the Aruba Aloe farm. Eat at Papiamento.

Spend a day wandering around the main town in Curacao, and find a tasty place for lunch. Talk to people about how much they love Andruw Jones. Definitely try to get out to Klein Curacao if you can.

Buy amazing Dutch cheese everywhere and be sure to bring some home. The ABC islands are my favorite Caribbean islands, with Saba coming in a close 4th. The people are amazing, and there is not the gross wealth inequities that you see in other Caribbean islands.

 

[billymach4]

Do you plan on traveling from Aruba to Curacao?
How to get from one island to the next without going back to Miami?

 

[TravelTime]

Do you plan on traveling from Aruba to Curacao?
How to get from one island to the next without going back to Miami?

There are inter island flights.

 

[Laurie]

We went to both islands on the same trip; I liked Aruba and *loved* Curacao. We stayed in 3 places there, one was sort of a resort called Lagun Blou, not a timeshare - it was a spectacularly beautiful setting (but I had a few complaints which I'll convey privately if you want more info). We also spent a week in a VRBO condo which was excellent. Activities beyond the usual snorkeling and diving: flocks of wild flamingos at the salt flats on Curacao (not the clipped wing ones). Excellent museum on Curacao, Kura Hulanda. There was a cultural street festival on Curacao which I can't recall specifics of, except beautiful costumes and dancing. Oldest synagogue in western hemisphere in Curacao where we had Seder reservations on our scheduled day of arrival, then alas, there was a delay on the tiny inter-island flight and we missed it -- don't get too attached to plans immediately following your inter-island flight.