Curaçao is the perfect first trip with a baby if you’re asking me. Our baby was 14 weeks old in January 2022 and I was in desperate need of sun before my maternity leave would be over. We wanted a destination where you don’t have to do a thing, with possibilities to do something in case you want to and Corona-proof. We chose sunny Curacao for a week. It was great!!
Going on a holiday for the first time with your baby is very exciting, but with the right preparation and a relaxed mindset you’re almost there. A newborn especially sleeps a lot and doesn’t go far on its own, so you can easily bring your baby on a holiday like this. You can read my tips to prepare for a trip like this and the ultimate packing list for travelling with a baby (by air) in this blog.
- Sleeping: Corendon Mangrove Beach Resort
- Walking in Willemstad
- Drive to Westpunt – Renting a car for 1 day
Tip: You can read my tips to prepare for a trip like this and the ultimate packing list for travelling with a baby (by air) in this blog.
Tip: Click the layers on and off in this map with the (square) button on the left in the grey beam.
1. Sleeping: Corendon Mangrove Beach Resort
The beautiful, luxurious, ultra all-inclusive resort is very decent and the location is perfect! You can walk from the hotel to the pontoon bridge in Willemstad in 30 minutes!
The only daily stress might consist of the choice for the pool (multiple options) or the private beach. There was enough space on the beach and there was always a huge thatched roof parasol available. Great to sit here in the shades – with or without a baby. Every day you will be surprised with views of a newly arrived cruise ship, but don’t worry they don’t block the whole ocean view. The sea is calm because of the pier in front. Bring your snorkel and discover the underwater world and maybe you’ll also be rewarded with a turtle in this bay! The hotel owns a dive shop and you can book other water sport activities.
The rooms are nice and spacious. Every room has a big balcony and space to hang your wet swimwear. There is lots of choice of well prepared food in the main restaurant. For the Dutch people: you don’t have to miss your portie bitterballen and frikadellen (Dutch snacks), because you can order them all day long (yes, even for breakfast). If you want something else for dinner, spend a night in the Italian restaurant, sushi bar, fish restaurant or barbecue place. You’ll have to make a reservation for these restaurants.
Altogether, it was a great place to stay for our first holiday with a baby. I do recommend the hotel, also if you don’t travel with a baby!
Tip: Make a reservation for a baby bed in advance so it will be in your room when you arrive.
2. Walking in Willemstad
Our hotel was within walking distance of the well known “pontoon bridge” (officially: the Queen Emma Bridge). Take a cup of coffee with a view on the bridge and enjoy the opening and closing of the bridge. Or even better: Stand on the bridge when it opens!
On your walk to the bridge you will pass the bright coloured Antillean houses of the city. The houses are a mixture of the Dutch canal houses with their beautiful facades and the cheerful Caribbean colours.
Most shops were closed when we were there on a Saturday (January 2022). Willemstad felt quite dead and not as bustling as we expected. I don’t know why everything was closed, so hopefully there is more sparkle in the city when you are there.
BijBlauw
Walking from the pontoon bridge into the city, eventually you can follow the street along the coast: Pietermaai. You can find BijBlauw on this street. BijBlauw is a boutique hotel, concept store and hip restaurant. We enjoyed a delicious tuna poke bowl and a crisp white wine with a spectacular view.
Location: Kaya Papa Wilson Godett 82-84, Willemstad, Curacao; website
3. Drive to Westpunt – Renting a car for 1 day
We rented a car for a day and drove to Westpunt (Westpoint). You can find our route in the map at the top of this blog. It took us about 8 hours without rushing. Take a look at the highlights we stopped.
You can rent a car at Corendon Mangrove Beach Resort from NAG 45 for 24 hours (about 25 euro per day).
Tip: We brought our own baby car seat from The Netherlands. You can bring it for free with KLM. Check my tips and packing list for travelling with a baby by air here.
Flamingos – Park your car at the side of the road and take a photo of these beautiful pink birds. If you’re lucky they are having their meal close to the road.
Shete Boka Park – The ocean is rough and the coast is arid and dry at this side of the island. The sea splashes high against the cliffs and this results in nice photos. The waves created a natural bridge. Drive close to the highlights or walk the path along the coast to the highlights.
Entrance is NAG 17,50 pp and a map of the park costs 1 guilder.
Tip: A baby carrier is very convenient at this park. Park your car as close as possible to the highlights, because it’s hot and there is no shelter against the sun. Don’t forget to bring a sun hat and sunscreen for the little one and yourself!
Lunch at Jaanchie’s – In this cute Caribbean restaurant the boss will join you at your table to tell you what’s on the menu. You can try iguana here. It’s a cacophony of birds feeding themselves with sugar water provided for them near the open windows. Everything is prepared with Love.
Turtle spotting – You hate it or you love it. Playa Grandi is guaranteed for spotting turtles. At this beach the fishermen throw the remains of the fishes back in the water attracting turtles. For me this is not a very “natural” experience, but on the other hand you can be sure that you will see at least one turtle. If you only have a few options to visit beaches with a chance to spot turtles because you’re travelling with a baby, this is your one stop to go. Even in case you’d forgotten your snorkel you can see them from the jetty.
The price for 2 sun beds, a table and parasol costs about NAG 20.
Tip: Don’t forget to bring the baby travel cot on this trip, because it’s perfect for the beach. Check the ultimate packing list with an example of the cot we have (and we are very happy with that one).
You can find my tips and experiences about travelling with a baby in the categorie “Tips with Kids”. In the blog The ultimate packing list for travelling with a baby (by air) I have wrote down some tips to prepare for the flight.
Other countries which seem very nice to me to visit with a baby are Thailand, Malaysia, Kenya, Spain, Argentina and the United States. Looking for a more adventurous destination? Read my blogs about a round trip in Sri Lanka, Israel or Colombia. I have travelled in those countries before our baby was born, but I can’t wait to show our baby all these beautiful places in the world.
If you have any questions, please let me know in a reaction at the bottom of this page or via the contact page or a DM on Instagram.
