Everybody loves a freebie, right?! I mean what is there not to love about getting things for free?
Taking a vacation can already cost an arm and a leg, so not many people have an extra few hundred dollars laying around to spend on tours, activities and adventures. If you look really hard and do your research of your destination, you can always find free activities to do in order to save money.
Curacao is known to be one of the more costly of the Caribbean Islands so being the frugal traveller that I am, I looked for some of the free activities that I could do while visiting Curacao, and this is what I found:
10 Free things I found to do in Curacao
Beach
Pack a picnic lunch and head to the beach for the day. Most of the beaches in Curacao are open to the public for their enjoyment, free of charge.
Spend the day in the sun, swimming, snorkeling or diving. Bring your own blanket, snacks and beverages for a completely free day.
Blue Room Cave
Don’t let the name scare you off. For the adventurous traveller, take a short hike to Blue Room Cave and reward yourself with a dip in the crystal blue waters. If you are hesitant to swim on your own, kayaking, snorkeling and diving tours are available, for a fee.
Port
Curacao is a popular island for cruise ships. The port is an active, vibrant place and always has ships coming and going. Relax port side and watch the ships come and go and take in an endless amount of people watching. There are plenty of restaurants and “bars” in the port area, but if you are looking to save money, bring a picnic along with you.
Rif Fort Village
Visit the Rif Fort Village which is a refurbished fort located right on the waterfront. Sit back, relax and enjoy the sounds of the Caribbean music ringing through the air.
This is also prime real estate for people watching. If you feel the urge to splurge, this area is home to many bars and restaurants.
Queen Emma Bridge
Once you have had enough of the people watching in the Rif Fort Village, continue on and you will immediately come to the Queen Emma Bridge. This pontoon bridge spans the St. Anna Bay connecting the two sides of the capital city of Willemstad, and will swing open to allow the ships to come and go. Locally this bridge is referred to as the “Swinging Old Lady”.
When the bridge is open, two ferries come to life to transport pedestrians from one side to the other, free of charge. This is also a fantastic spot to watch the ships and to people watch.
Downtown Willemstad
Willemstad is my favorite part of the entire island, and it doesn’t cost a cent to wander the streets of Willemstad and admire all of the candy colored buildings. This is the best spot on the island for window shopping, and is a must do freebie while in Curacao.
The only caveat is that many of the restaurants and local pubs are enticing, so if you think that you might have limited will-power, have some money on hand.
Island Tour
If you have rented a car or have other means of transportation, pack a picnic and explore the diverse topography of the island. You will find sandy beaches with the calm water of the Caribbean, as well as rocky shorelines and choppy waters which is where you will find people surfing and kiting.
Aloe Vera Plantation
The aloe vera plant is one of the few plants that is able to grow in Curacao. For those of you who are interested in the benefits of the “home grown” aloe plant, then this is a place to visit. You will observe the large aloe vera fields, as well as receive a brief history about the plant, free of charge. There is a small store on site which sells skin care products, bath and shower products, and even aloe beverages which benefit your health and well-being.
Serena’s Art Factory
When visiting Caracao, you will hear the word “chichi”. To find out the meaning and the history behind a “chichi”, visit Serena’s Art Factory and you will learn all of the details. It is quite interesting and you will learn the meaning of chichi, and if you are lucky, you will witness an artist at work creating a one of a kind chichi. This is a free activity, however, if you wish to arrange to join a workshop, a reservation must be made. There is a fee if you choose to do this activity.
Curacao Liqueur Distillery
I always like to save the best for last! To learn about and taste test Curacao’s native drink, the Blue Curacao, a visit to Curacao’s Liqueur Distillery must be put on your list. Take a self-guided tour and learn everything there is to know about the making of Blue Curacao. Once you complete the tour, you must indulge in the free taste test.
For a more in-depth look at the makings of the Blue Curacao, guided tours are available for a fee. In order to indulge in a little more than what the taste test provides, you will need some cash, as there are various types of drinks available. Why not sit back and sip on the drink of the locals while lounging on the outdoor patio?
Arriving By Cruise Ship?
For those of you arriving by cruise ship, downtown Willamsted, Queen Emma Bridge, and Rif Fort Village are all well within walking distance from the ship.
So my friends, as you can see there are a lot of free activities on this beautiful island of Curacao. This vacation doesn’t have to break the bank as there is enough to do without spending a cent. If money is no object, there certainly are many more activities and adventures which you can participate in.
READY TO JOIN ME ON MORE TRAVELS?
As you can see, there are plenty of free activities to keep you busy when visiting Curacao, sooooo……Let’s get ready for takeoff!
SAFE TRAVELS 🙂
Kelly xoxo
JUST ONE PASSPORT 
nikkidiscovers
Great list I always try to do free things when travelling. It saves cash but also locals tend to more free things and it’s a good way to meet locals.
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Just One Passport
I totally agree. I did all of these things and had a great time. Shows you don’t have to spend tonnes of money
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inspirationforwellness
I would love to go there!
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Just One Passport
Curacao was on my bucketlist for many years. I finally made it last year. It was such a pretty island with a lively vibe
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greetingsfromoverhere
Snorkeling, beach time, and picnics are a few of my favorite activities. You had me sold on Curacao right out of the gate. Looks like such a great place to spend a couple of weeks.
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Just One Passport
It’s a beautiful, colourful island! Fantastic, especially if you are a water sport lover!
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Albína Mrázová
Wow, Curacao really looks like a place to go! I love when place that is mostly known for beaches have something special to do as well. Like here the liqueur distillery. I’m very tempted to go there now. Thanks for the tips, I will keep this in mind.
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Just One Passport
This island has such a fun vibe and great architecture you could sit downtown and people watch for hours.
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Medha Verma
I was wondering where I had heard of Curacao and then I realised, its a popular cruise port, as you mention! I would love to visit the Blue Room Cave, swim a little or maybe even kayak there. Downtown Willemstad also looks pretty cool with those colourful buildings!
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Just One Passport
I loved the downtown it was so lively and had such a fun vibe!
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WanderlustBeautyDreams
Always wanted to go to Curacao! Looks like an amazing destination and so glad theres so much free things to do around the island!
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Just One Passport
It’s an expensive island to go to but it doesn’t have to cost a lot once you’re there
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Razena
I’ve always been quite fascinated in the very Dutch look of Willemstad architecture and the European feel of such a tropical island. With so many interesting free things to do a vacation here in Curacao may actually be quite doable.
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Just One Passport
It is expensive to get there and resorts are expensive but you don’t have to spend a lot on activities
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Niry Fidelis
Kelly you always give great travel ideas! Curacao seems affordable! I’m adding Curacao to my list right away! 🙂
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Just One Passport
Thank you. And yes Curacao is a must see!
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faecelinee
I always enjoy doing free stuff when traveling to a new country. Curacao looks so beautiful, definitely need to add this on my bucket list. Thanks for sharing!
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Just One Passport
It’s a gorgeous island with fantastic architecture
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Stephanie
Thank you for sharing, travel doesn’t always have to be expensive!
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Just One Passport
No it doesn’t. In fact, some of the best things in life are free 🙂
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Kelly
I was going to do a cruise of the ABC Islands a few years ago and unfortunately had to cancel. So Curacao is still on my list to visit one day! Looks like such a beautiful place and I love the colours of the town 🙂
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Just One Passport
It was a very pretty island. It was fun to just wander around the village where the boat docks. Lots to see. Lots of restaurants and pubs. If I had to do it again, I would spend the entire day in this area and forget the tours.
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happylifesafari
Excited to do some of these when I am in Curacao in 3 weeks! Thanks!
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Just One Passport
Enjoy yourself! It’s a great island!
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Barry
Such great advice on what to do on the island.
Love the influence from the Dutch colonialists in the building designs. Those gabled facades and pointed roof ends are so Dutch.
The Curacao Liqueur Distillery is somewhere I would definitely be heading to. I have drunk its many variations and would love to see where it actually comes from and how it is made.
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Just One Passport
I loved Curacao. Everything is so colorful! The Distillery was very cool to see how they made it and I loved the cute little patio to sit and try it. I’ve only tasted it that one time.
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