Curacao, part of the Dutch Antilles, is located about 60 kilometers off the coast of Venezuela in the Caribbean Sea. Since October 2010, Curacao has been an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. This Caribbean island, with its 472 square kilometers, is the largest of the so-called ABC Islands (islands under the wind), which include Aruba and Bonaire. The island of Curacao is about 64 km long and 16 km across (at its widest point). The northern coast of Curacao is rough and rocky, and the island’s constant strong winds create high waves that are perfect for surfers. The golden sand beaches, however, along the 11 km south coast are tucked into many charming bays and are wind sheltered.
Curacao is also located outside the „hurricane belt“, so that the island is protected from these storms as well as earthquakes and floods. Therefore, one can comfortably visit the island at anytime during the year and expect daytime temperatures between 27 and 32 °C along with steady trade winds. The water temperatures are around 28 °C throughout the year.