Do I need a car in Curaçao?

If you want to see more than Willemstad, yes. The old town is walkable and the nearby beach clubs are a short taxi ride away, but the western coves, the Christoffelpark, Shete Boka and most shore-dive entries are spread along a long island that buses do not serve on a visitor's schedule. A rental car makes each of them an easy day out.

Are taxis in Curaçao metered?

No. Taxis are government-regulated and charge mostly standard fares rather than running a meter, so ask the price to your destination before the journey starts.

Can I reach Curaçao's beaches by bus?

Only some, and not easily. The large Konvoi buses and the smaller “Bus” vans leave mainly from terminals at the Waaigat in Punda and in Otrobanda and follow the main roads between towns, so they rarely drop you at a beach or dive site at the time you want. A rental car, a taxi or a hotel shuttle is the practical way to reach the coast.

Which side of the road does Curaçao drive on?

The right. At junctions and roundabouts, traffic approaching from the right has priority unless road signs say otherwise.

Getting around

Getting Around Curaçao: Rental Cars, Buses and Taxis

Curaçao is about 60 kilometres long, and very little of what visitors come for sits in one place. Willemstad's old town is walkable, but the beaches, coves, national parks and dive entries are spread along the coast in both directions, the midday heat makes long walks or bike rides hard going, and public transport runs on a residents' timetable. For most visitors, that makes a rental car the centre of the plan.

Updated 2026-09-19

Arriving

Curaçao International Airport lies north of Willemstad, about fifteen minutes' drive from the centre. Car rental companies operate at or near the airport, taxis wait outside arrivals, and many hotels arrange transfers, so it is easy to start the trip already driving or to pick a car up later from town.

Driving on the island

Traffic drives on the right. At junctions and roundabouts, traffic coming from the right has priority unless road signs say otherwise — a rule worth taking in before the first roundabout. The main roads are in good condition, while some tracks to the remoter beaches are rough and unpaved, so drive them slowly or leave the car at the top.

Filling stations take debit cards and cash, in guilders or US dollars. Foreign driving licences are generally accepted for visitors, and an International Driving Permit is a sensible backup to carry. Whatever you drive, never leave bags or valuables on view in a parked car, since break-ins at beach car parks are a common complaint.

Buses: the Konvoi and the small vans

Curaçao has two kinds of public transport. The large buses, known as Konvoi, run fixed routes, and smaller vans marked “Bus” serve other routes; both mainly start from terminals beside the post offices at the Waaigat in Punda and in Otrobanda. Timetables are published by the bus operator, ABC, online and in its app.

The network works for trips between Willemstad's districts and the towns along the main roads, but it is not built around beaches, dive sites or dawn starts in the west, so it rarely fits a visitor's day beyond the city.

Taxis and hotel shuttles

Taxis are widely available and government-regulated. They have no meters and charge mostly standard fares, so ask the fare to your destination before you set off. Some hotels also run scheduled shuttles into Willemstad, which is worth asking about at the front desk if you are staying on the coast outside town.

This overview comes from Visaja's worldwide missions database (visaja.com), checked against official government sources; for binding answers, the mission itself always has the final word.