Best Time to Visit Curacao

One island, one city to plan around

Curaçao is small, and our site covers Willemstad, the capital. The weather is much the same across the island, so the timing below works for beaches like Cas Abao and Playa Kenepa too. Willemstad's best stretch runs from January to July.

You might expect a Caribbean island to have a wet summer. Curaçao doesn't work that way. It sits south of the hurricane belt, so storms rarely hit it. It's also dry for much of the year, with a steady trade wind that keeps afternoons comfortable.

The seasons

The dry season is the easy one. From January to July you get sunny days, a breeze off the sea and little rain. Snorkelling at Tugboat Beach or walking the Punda and Otrobanda sides of the Queen Emma pontoon bridge is a pleasure.

September is the hottest month, at 29°C. It feels sticky, and the wind can drop. Pick a beach with shade, or swim in the middle of the day and save sightseeing for the evening.

November is the wettest, at 106 mm. Rain usually comes in short, heavy bursts, not all-day grey. Even so, some days are muddy, and the dry, cactus-heavy trails in Christoffel National Park can turn slippery.

Holidays, events and crowds

High season runs from mid-December to April, when North Americans and Dutch visitors escape winter. Flights and hotels are busiest then, especially around Christmas and Carnival. Curaçao's Carnival builds through January and February. It ends with a big parade, the Grand Parade, in Willemstad. Book early if you want to be there.

Another big date is Koningsdag, the Dutch King's Day, on 27 April. Streets fill with orange and there are stalls and music. Expect busy roads and some closed shops. Dia di Bandera, Flag Day, falls on 2 July.

Travelling on a budget? Look at May to July. You still get good weather, but the crowds thin out. September to November is the quietest and cheapest, and it suits you if you don't mind a bit of heat or rain. Divers still enjoy it, since the sea stays warm and calm.