Curaçao - The places of your holidays on a sailing yacht and catamaran

Curaçao is a constituent country of the Netherlands, situated in the Caribbean Sea. Its capital city is Willemstad, its official languages are Dutch and Papiamento.

The climate of the island is semi-arid and the flora is different from the tropical one which is typical of the other islands of the area. There are several species of cactus and the highest point is Christoffelberg (375 m), in Christoffelpark nature reserve. Curaçao is rich in saliñas, saltwater lakes populated by flamingos.

The island is famous for its coral reef, partly damaged by massive tourism. The island has the typical weather of the tropIcal savannah; the dry season goes from January to September, while the wet season goes from October to December. The air is cooled down by trade winds. Most of the popolation, made up of different ethnic groups, lives in the capital city of Willemstad.

The economy is free and based on tourism, international trade, shipping services, petroleum refining and international finance services. The economic sector is developed and supports high standards of living. Tourism is important, but not so fundamental as in other Caribbean islands.

The architecture of the island is interesting, being a fusion of Spanish and Dutch colonial styles. These architectures are so beautiful that Willemstad is listed among Unesco's World Heritage Sites. Other highlights of the island are the countless beaches and water sports, from snorkelling to scuba diving, that can be practised here.