Hato Caves, Willemstad & Curacao Museum

Description

Be sure to read the Special Notes further down this page for important requirements and restriction.

What you will visit:
Curaçao Museum
Located in Otrobanda and founded in 1946, the museum, housed in a colonial-style building dating back to the 1800s, showcases contemporary and traditional art from both local and international artists. There is a lovely permanent collection that features antique furniture, maps and charts from the Caribbean region, pre-Columbian Indian artifacts, and mahogany woodwork that dates back to the 18th and 19th centuries. Special exhibits are installed regularly, so there is always something new to discover, and the outside grounds are shaded and perfect for a stroll.

Hato Caves
Join a knowledgeable guide for a walking tour through the dramatic underground grottos. Marvel at the imposing stalactites and stalagmites, which produce unusual shadows in the caves' eerie lighting. Your guide will point out the "Pirate's Head," the "Sea Turtle" and the "Giant." Within the caves you will find unexpected crystal-clear pools and waterfalls that form in the limestone's depths. The caves are also a haven for a colony of rarely seen long-nose fruit bats. These caves were originally used as a hiding place for runaway slaves and prior to that as a shelter for island natives. It is possible to find cave drawings on the rock walls that date back over 1,000 years. Outside of the caves, you can see the famous Madonna statue.

Chobolobo: Home of the Genuine Curaçao Liqueur
A Dutch colonial country estate where the famous Curaçao liqueur is distilled, Chobolobo has been producing Blue since 1946. Blue is created from the peel of the Valencia orange planted by the Spaniards when they discovered Curaçao. But it almost wasn't so. The different climate and soil conditions changed this juicy fruit into a kind of bitter, almost inedible produce. It was not until decades later that someone discovered that the peels of this orange contained an essential oil with an extraordinarily pleasing fragrance. During your guided tour of the distillery, you will gain a good understanding of the process and will have an opportunity to sample the liqueur and purchase bottles to take home.

What you will see along the way:
As you travel through Curaçao, take in the colorful sights of Willemstad as well as the island's north countryside to see the area's stark landscape and dramatic salt marshes. Bright pink flamingos dot the monochromatic landscape, and small traditional villages can be seen. Your tour also crosses the Queen Juliana Bridge. At 185 feet above sea level, it is one of the highest bridges in the Caribbean and affords magnificent panoramic views of the city and the harbor.

Special Notes:

At Hato Caves, visitors must negotiate 50 steps to enter and exit the grottos. Participants must be at least 21 years old to sample alcoholic beverages. Tour sequence may vary. Walking shoes and comfortable attire are recommended.

Child Price:

12 & under reduced