Are you curious about traveling to Curaçao and wanting to reduce your carbon footprint?
Curaçao is an island in the southern Caribbean Sea known for its vibrant and colorful buildings, incredible diving opportunities, rich multi-cultural heritage, and more. As a travel expert living on this beautiful island, I can tell you that sustainable luxury travel is one of the most important and widely talked about sectors of the tourism industry here. From wind farms to solar panels, reduction of plastic usage to compostable dinnerware, or recycling discarded household items into neat coasters and keychains - there is so much the island is already doing to increase sustainability.
What is Curaçao’s position on climate change? According to the Curacao National Commission for UNESCO, in 2022 the Climate Change Committee had declared:
“By 2030 Curaçao will be resilient to the adverse impacts of natural hazards and the losses of biodiversity due to climate change and a key player in renewable energy.”
With that said, is it possible to reduce your impact on the environment while still enjoying an incredible Caribbean vacation in Curaçao? Definitely! Keep reading to find out all the ways you can level up your Curaçao vacation in a sustainable and luxurious way.
Cooking Class or Chef’s Table
One of my favorite ways to learn about a country’s culture in a hands-on way is by taking a local cooking class. Not only is a cooking class a fun way to learn, but because the chefs often use local ingredients, instead of ones imported through high carbon-emission means, it’s sustainable too!
I had the pleasure of taking part in a local cooking class with renowned chef and author, Helmi Smeulders. There were about 10 of us in her class, some visiting Curaçao and wanting to learn about local cuisine, while others, locals like myself, wanting to find a new appreciation for home grown ingredients.
A colorful spread made from local ingredients and Chef Helmi teaching the class about invasive lionfish.
Sitting down at the table we were amazed by the colorful array of fruits, vegetables, and flowers in front of us. Helmi spent time going through each item on the table telling us how it is grown and used in her cooking. She also explained the environmental benefits of hunting for lionfish as they’re an invasive species feeding off of the local fish population.
With our newfound knowledge, we split up to create the dishes on Helmi’s custom menu, each emphasizing an ingredient we had just learned about. I made corn tortillas and papaya ketchup, and others made mouthwatering dishes such as jerk chicken, lionfish ceviche, funchi fries, pika (local spicy condiment), sweet potato salad, grilled picanha, and papaya cake with edible flowers. We all came together after about two hours to feast on the fruits of our labor. It was an incredible experience that taught me a lot about local cuisine and how to keep it eco-friendly.
Fun, food, and drinks? This cooking class was the perfect balance of each.
Helmi also offers an elevated Chef’s Table experience every month. For the luxury foodies visiting Curaçao, you’ll love her bespoke menu focusing on a rotating local ingredient. Her plating is beyond fine-dining and absolutely Instagram-worthy. You can see both her cooking class and Chef’s Table experience on her website.
Eco-Friendly Customized Touring
The island boasts a large number of incredible local guides who customize touring based on your interests. They’re also fantastic at highlighting just how sustainable Curaçao has become. Whether that means taking you to the Wind Farm for a firsthand look at the island’s renewable energy efforts or bringing you to a local’s house for an intimate lunch to learn how they live and what eco-living means to them, these guides are experts.
Remyx Tours is one of several well known tour guides on the island. Remy focuses on bespoke private touring for those who really want to get to know the island. When chatting with Remy about his feelings regarding sustainable travel in Curaçao, he expressed his commitment to keeping his tours as plastic-free as possible. He also feels it’s important to bring his clients to local restaurants focusing on home grown ingredients that showcase Curaçao’s diverse cultural heritage. When a request for shopping is made Remy brings his clients to local vendors known for their expert handicraft. Travelers looking for customized touring focusing on eco-travel in Curaçao will find Remy the perfect match - you can book with him here!
E-Bike and E-Scooter Adventures
For the adventurous travelers, you’ll appreciate seeing the island from the comfort of your e-bike or e-scooter. Unlike conventional tours where the tour bus idles while travelers quickly visit a site, you don’t have to worry about the exhaust coming from your e-bike or scooter. I love that the vehicles are quiet as well reducing the noise pollution that can frequently be encountered in a tourist destination.
Travelers will find a number of e-bike and e-scooter tour companies focusing on various parts of the island. An example of a well-known eco-activity is the Flamingo Bikes & Paddle City Tour where guests hop on their e-bike with their guide and leisurely explore the beauty of Otrobanda and Punda. For the e-scooters, Eco Cruise Curacao does a lovely e-scooter tour around the Jan Thiel area - an area not to be missed!
Sustainable Sunset Cruising
Of course you have to take a sunset cruise while you’re in the Caribbean. Luckily many of the companies on the island offer reusable cups with their open bar package, and the cruises that offer small bites do so without disposable dinnerware, instead opting for handheld snacks with eco-friendly bamboo skewers. Don’t forget your reef-safe sunscreen!
Companies such as BlueFinn Charters are a great example. In addition to using reusable cutlery, they harness the power of the sun via solar panels and the wind via their sails (when safe) to reduce their carbon footprint. Their offerings are not just limited to sunset cruises; you can also take their eco-friendly cruises to Klein Curaçao or to various popular beaches for excellent snorkeling. You can check them out on their website here!
Unique Eco-Friendly Souvenirs
When traveling to different destinations, I always like to take a look at what souvenirs I can bring home for friends and family. You’ll find a variety of artists selling their wares around the island which make perfect gifts to bring home. Why buy a magnet made in a foreign factory when you can take home a unique magnet made out of discarded plastic found in Curaçao?
I’m talking of course about Limpi Recycling whose mission is to “create change one product at a time” by recycling plastic waste found on Curaçao and turning it into high quality products. They partner with stores all over the island to showcase and sell their products. From flamingo keychains to drink coasters, luggage tags to beach towel clips, there are plenty of eco-friendly souvenirs to bring home.
Limpi Recycling has recently moved to the Sambil Mall and has plans to offer tours and workshops of their operations in the near future. This will be a perfect opportunity for any eco-travelers to see how plastic waste can be used on the island. Take a look at their products and list of partner stores here.
Lionfish Scuba Diving & Coral Reef Restoration
For any divers out there visiting Curaçao looking to enjoy a sustainable activity, I highly recommend hunting lionfish and/or participating in a coral reef restoration. I mentioned previously during my cooking class with Helmi that lionfish are an invasive species so hunting them will do wonders for the environment. Coral reef restoration allows divers to help maintain coral nurseries, propagate new coral nurseries, and plant coral back into the reef, all of which is a great way to leave your mark on Curaçao in an eco-friendly way.
Ocean Encounters is a well known company on Curaçao that offers both lionfish hunting experiences and coral reef restoration. They have on-site dive shops at both LionsDive Beach Resort and Sunscape Curaçao Resort at Mambo Beach. I highly recommend checking them out and participating in one of their dives!
A unique way to bring lionfish home with you is to visit Lionfish Caribbean in Kura Hulanda Village where owner and lionfish hunter, Lisette, crafts fine jewelry from the colorful fins of the lionfish. In addition, Lionfish Caribbean serves up fresh lionfish dishes so visitors can have a snack while knowing they’re making a positive impact on the environment. Take a look at Lionfish Caribbean’s jewelry, workshops, and menu here!
Feel Good About Traveling in Curaçao
I mentioned six ways to enjoy sustainable luxury travel in Curaçao, and that’s just scraping the surface. There are plenty of eco-friendly activities to do on this Caribbean island whether that’s stand up paddleboarding through mangroves or taking a cooking class to learn about local cuisine. Whatever you choose, you can’t go wrong!
Disclaimer: This blog post was written in collaboration with the Curaçao Tourist Board.
About the author: Kat Galoski is the founder of luxury travel blog, Farahilde. When not writing about her island experiences and curating itineraries for travelers visiting Curaçao, she enjoys spending time with her husband and three dogs. Follow her adventures and blog on Instagram and Facebook.
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