Packing List for Curacao

View to south from Kura Hulanda Lodge & Beach ClubMy friend Frann joined us in Curacao for a week. The night before she left she emailed me to ask for a packing list for Curacao, and then she repacked everything. I asked her what Curacao packing list advice I should share that was the most valuable for her packing she said the following was most helpful:

  1. Water shoes – Curacao resides off of the 2nd largest barrier reef in the world, so some of the beaches can have coral floors. Don’t fret, some are sandy bottoms.
  2. 2 Long sleeve shirts – One for the beach and one to wear over short sleeves for evening.
  3. Lightweight long pants – We wear these most often at night due to mosquito potential.
  4. Sun swim shirt – sometimes called a rash shirt – Bring one. I don’t go in the water without it. The sun is quite strong even if it is cloudy.  (Believe me, you will wish for clouds.)
  5. Wind breaker – I recommend a wind breaker in case you encounter some rain or perhaps a windy boat ride. I left my sweater in Florida (needed the suitcase room) because it is less practical. You’ll likely never wear a sweater.  I wore a lightweight sweatshirt on the plane that I never even looked at in Curacao.
  6. 1 Pair of pants + shorts – We like the zip-off pants that can be worn as shorts (a travel staple for us). I travel in them on the plane in case it is cool, and when we arrive on the island, I zip off the bottoms so I am left in my shorts.  I wore them most nights when we went out to dine since everywhere we ate was outdoors.
  7. For a dressier evening – If you are in town or at a high-end resort, you may want something nicer for the evening.

Packing List for Curacao for Ladies – My preference is to bring 1 lightweight gauze dress, and a skort for evening or a day in town.

Packing List for Curacao for Men – My husband brings 1 pair of lightweight khakis and golf shirts.

  1. Shoes and socks – I recommend good walking shoes and socks for hiking and walking.  I wear my sneakers a lot.
  2. Suntan lotion – Bring lots of it and whatever you use for after the sun. (Buying it in Curacao can be expensive so we bring enough for our whole trip.)
  3. Bug repellent – Or the new clip-on personal fan variety.
  4. Hat with chin strap – Necessary for the strong and lovely trade winds.
  5. Good sunglasses with a croakie – Glasses can be lost easily off of a boat.
  6. If you snorkel – Bring your gear; it will be better in quality and fit than anything you can rent.  Also bring a bag for gear.

Additionally:
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If you dive – We prefer our own dive gear and 3 mil wetsuits plus a vest and hood. I wear 6 mils on top, 3 on the bottom, and a 5/7 hood.  (If you want to take advantage of longer dive times, I recommend warmer gear, even if the water is in the 80s. With this warmth, I can dive for 75 minutes or more.)  If you are boat diving, they generally plan for 60-minute dives.  There are plenty of places to shore dive, and few ‘not to miss’ sites that are only accessed by boat.

If you have been to Curacao and want to add to my packing tips, please do.  And let me know if you want more specific tips.  Happy traveling!

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