Curaçao, a Caribbean gem known for its beautiful turquoise beaches and colorful buildings, is also home to untouched nature and its sceneries. The air has never been fresher on this side of the island. Imagine experiencing birds singing, wind blowing, trees breathing and the soothing ocean waves…all while catching the sunrise. All this is possible on your way to the Northwest side of the island or ‘Banda’bou’ (as we call it in our native language Papiamentu).
You (most of the time) won’t have to check the weather while in Curaçao, except for sunrise or sunset hours! The sun rises between 6:00 and 6:30 AM religiously. A car drive can take between 15 to 30 minutes depending on where you are staying.
Let’s Go!
It is 4:30 AM and it’s time to wake up! Get ready and pack up a nice breakfast, some snacks, and plenty of water (a must).
Head to ‘banda’bou’ towards Landhuis Daniel (easy to find on Google maps). Right before the Landhuis Daniel you’ll see this wooden sign.
Park alongside the highway and take the ‘early bird’ sign route.
A local volunteer organization ‘Stichting Uniek’ made the route pleasant and easy to follow by marking rocks with different colors depending on which route you would like to take. You will see the map at the beginning of the trail. For this trail, please follow the yellow marked rocks.
This route is made of weathered limestone and therefore is very unequal and sharp.
Good sneakers are a must, avoid slippers and sandals at all costs.
You made it! / Are we there yet?
After 5 to 7 minutes of walking, you will find a viewpoint. Climb the stairs, breathe in breathe out and enjoy the view. Look to the left and you will see the charming yellow country house Daniel at the far end. Continue your journey and gaze at nature’s diversity, like this picturesque saddletree.
After 20 to 30 minutes, a stunning panoramic view seating area awaits. I usually have my breakfast here. Do I need to say more? Trust me when I say these pictures don’t do justice, you will have to visit to agree.
During this route, you will find two caves, both with amazing views. The ‘Kueba Mirador’ (Mirador cave) and the ‘Kueba di Pachi’ (Pachi’s cave). Get your knees ready, because it will take some crawling to reach the end of the caves, especially the Mirador cave. You don’t mind getting dirty either right? Okay, good then.
For some more adrenaline, the yellow marked rocks will take you to an area where it’s safe to descend. After descending, you may explore the sandy plains of San Pedro and more ancient and hidden caves. But beware! You may find yourself face to face (saluting) with cows, bulls, goats, or donkeys at any time!
No worries (keep calm), they belong to a farm in the area and behave well as long as they are not being bothered. They are enjoying their daily stroll as much as you do. If you catch them in the afternoon, you may find them walking in a beautiful line back to the farm. I wish my kid was this obedient without supervision. LOL.
You may walk until you’ve reached the rough north side, but please do us and yourself a huge favor by not entering this water. The sandy plains of San Pedro are usually explored with ATV’s, quads, bicycles, and off-road SUV’s because it’s a very long dusty road and super fun when muddy.
Continue walking west and you’ll find another huge cave, called ‘Kueba di brua’, literally translated ‘Voodoo Cave’. Rumor has is that during slavery time they have been practicing some sort of voodoo at night in this cave.Another landmark on the sandy plains will be the ‘bull’s eye’; you will recognize them by the concentric rings made of rocks. During the Second World War, American pilots used this terrain to practice bombing. Interesting history was left here, sounds like one more reason not to miss this site.
If you don’t wish to descend, you may walk back via the same trail. If you do descend, you’ll have to hike your way back up and head back to your car.
On to the next.
The adventure ain’t over yet. Continue heading west. If already open, make a quick stop at the Daniel Snack and grab yourself some cold fresh coconuts.
When ready, continue your road trip until you’ve reached the neighborhood of Tera Kòrá. They have recently build a viewpoint here too, cozy for chill afternoons. Park here, walk in the east direction, and carefully go down the stairs at the end of the sidewalk.
The stairs will take you to the sandy plains of San Pedro again, but this time by the wind turbines. I challenge you to walk up until the last one. They look small from far but as you get closer, you’ll be amazed by how huge they are and to be able to walk by them so close…only in Curaçao!
You will pass by different ‘Boka’s’, which are the natural coves. Be camera-ready!, because waves will be crashing against the rocks at any time now, and maybe against your back if you are close enough. By the time you get there, it’s probably hot, so I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t mind getting cooled down by a splash of crystal blue ocean waters.
The end is near.
Once you have reached the last windmill, head closer to the shore and you will arrive at this calm cove. Here’s a perfect place to sit down in this golden sand, relax, have a drink and a snack. It’s a little rocky if you want to get inside the water, but it’s totally fine for a quick dip if you wish to.
After relaxation, you may head back via the same route.
I hope you will enjoy this trial as much as I did. Make videos, take pictures, and don’t forget to (hashtag) #Curacao and #FeelItForYourself and tag us @curacaotb so we can see how much of a good time you’ve had!
Sunny greetings and see you in the next blog!
Juliska,
your local bestie.
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