When you are interested in visiting Curaçao, you are probably wondering what would be the best time to visit the southern Caribbean island. Since you landed on this page, you might be trying to figure out if the month you want to travel is the right month to do so. So let’s start with the best possible news if you already booked: any month is the best time to visit Curaçao. The island is a year-round destination. You will be able to enjoy everything that the island has to offer no matter when you go.
There are, however, some months that are better or worse depending on what you want to do and how much you want to spend. While some like crowds to party with, others might enjoy a more relaxed vacation when mass tourism isn’t hitting the island. Like any destination, there are expensive months and cheaper months. Some months see more rain while other months can be drier or hotter. That is why we have divided this post into several categories. For each kind of traveler, we have the best month to visit Curaçao.
Best time to visit for weather
Like most of your fellow tourists, you are probably wondering what would be the best month to visit Curaçao for good sunny and warm weather. While the sun is guaranteed almost all year, the island’s climate is a bit unpredictable. There can be years with lots of rain and wind while other years see little precipitation and almost no wind.
But while the island’s weather is a bit unpredictable, there is once again good news: Curaçao isn’t located within the typical risk zone for hurricanes in the Caribbean. That means that while more northern located islands have to brace for severe weather conditions, Curaçao remains a pleasant and sometimes busy tourist destination even in autumn.
Taking a closer look at the climate, there are few distinct weather patterns to be aware of. The best time to travel for weather is January to May with pleasant temperatures and little rain. The following season, June to September, is still good but it can get too hot to handle for some tourists. From October to December the average temperatures start to drop as rain and wind make it to the island.
When is peak season in Curaçao?
Like many Caribbean destinations, Curaçao attracts both American tourists and (western) European tourists. As a result, Curaçao has two very distinct peak seasons. The American peak season starts at the end of November and slowly ends in late March. The European peak season covers the months of July and August.
American peak season
The traditional American peak season starts around the Thanksgiving holidays in November and lasts until the end of March/early April. During these months, Americans try to escape colder weather in the north by choosing a sunny vacation in the south. This is also peak season for the Caribbean cruise industry with many ships frequently visiting Willemstad. You can expect large crowds and many American tourists.
European peak season
The European peak season is different compared to the American peak season but heavily affects Curaçao as well. Curaçao is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and attracts large numbers of Dutch, Belgian, and German tourists. There are three to four daily flights from Amsterdam to Willemstad with even more flights during peak season. In general, Europeans travel when children can get out of school. These school vacations allow parents to travel and this leads to sudden increases in crowds visiting the island.
Fortunately, European school vacations are highly predictable and each comes with fewer or more travelers. While some Europeans travel during the Christmas break, it is an unlikely period for many to travel to the Caribbean. Winter sports vacations are more popular. Most tourists will cross the Atlantic ocean during the breaks around Easter, early May, and mostly the European summer vacation: mid-July to the end of August.
Budget vacation in Curaçao, when to go?
Are you looking to travel to Curaçao on a limited budget? In that case, there are simply a few months you should avoid. But regardless of when you travel, Curaçao is not your typical cheap destination. Due to its geographical position, far from (politically) accessible mainland, many products need to be imported from far away. This has an effect on for example the price of food and drinks. Nevertheless, you can find good hotel deals if you are willing to travel outside the main season. Prices are lowest if you travel outside the American peak season (Second half of November to end of March) or the European peak season (June to September).
The best months to travel to the island to save money while not facing too much rain are April, June, and September.
October and November are the cheapest
We have discovered that the best hotel deals and airline fares can be found during the ‘rainy months’ of October and November. While these months will bring some rain to Curaçao, you can enjoy a nice vacation on the island. If you are willing to stay outside the main resorts, you can find great budget deals.
The end of March to June is the perfect period for budget travel in Curaçao
Alternatively, you can enjoy some of the best weather by going earlier in the year. From mid-March to late June, the island sees almost no rain and just some winds. These are arguably the best months to travel but there are not that many schools that allow children to skip classes during these months. As a result, you have perfect weather and almost no traveling families.
With multiple direct flights from Amsterdam per day, Curaçao is highly dependent on the situation in Western Europe. Please note that school vacations in Germany and the Netherlands can lead to price surges for some seemingly random weeks. The weeks surrounding Easter and some weeks early May can be a bit busier and can lead to higher prices. As soon as the European schools open their doors again, prices will drop.
Diving and snorkeling in Curaçao, when to travel to the island.
Curaçao is a year-round diving destination. That means that basically, any month is a good month to travel to Curaçao for underwater activities. Visibility and conditions are normally on any given day during the year.
Coral spawning takes place in September and October and this could lead to less visibility which would arguably make these two months the only two months that Curaçao isn’t great for diving. Unless you want to experience coral spawning of course, then these months are the perfect months.
Best time to visit Curaçao for partying
If you are looking for beach and pool parties, you should travel to the island when there are lots of tourists. You especially need a younger crowd that makes beach clubs like Maduro’s at Mambo beach lively and vibrant. The best time to go to Curaçao is the peak season. Especially the European peak season in July and August will bring many young party people to the island.
Month to month overview of the best time to visit Curaçao
In the overview below you can find our month-to-month overview of the best time to visit Curaçao. We have combined crowd predictions with climate data to bring you the best overview we can offer. We believe the best time to travel are those months that see little to no crowds but good warm and dry wetter.
Select your month
January
January is busy in Curaçao but the weather is good!
The year kicks off with an almost perfect month in terms of weather but the first month of the year also brings larger crowds to the island. With a slightly lower average temperature (30 degrees Celsius, 86 Fahrenheit) and little rain (50mm, 1.9 in), January brings the best weather possible for a vacation in Curaçao. The month of January is however peak season in most of the Americas with a relatively large number of tourists trying to escape to cold winter weather in the US. You also see an increase in the number of cruise ships docking in Willemstad’s harbor.
February
February remains busy in Curaçao!
As the year gets underway, the weather gets better each week. February is noticeably drier than January (26mm, 1.02 in) while the average high temperature remains consistent at (30 Celsius, 86 Fahrenheit). While the entire Caribbean region remains busy with tourists from the Americas, the crowds get a bit smaller. There are however some weeks that Europeans can travel as schools are out for winter and carnival.
March
March is a good month to visit Curaçao
The month of March is at the end of the American peak season and sees no European school vacations. While cruise ships continue to dock in Willemstad, things are getting a bit less crowdy. The weather continues to be good with an average high temperature of about 31 degrees Celsius (88 Fahrenheit). While still not a rainy month, it can be a bit wetter with about 36 mm of precipitation (1.4 Inches).
April
Outside peak season, Curaçao is perfect in April
In April, the American peak season will come to a stop. Meanwhile, the average temperature continues to rise to an average high of 31 degrees Celsius (88 Fahrenheit). April is also one of the driest months of the year with only 19mm (0.74 Inches) of rain. During April, cruise ships will also start to relocate to the Mediterranean meaning that most crowds will no longer come to the island.
While crowds are low in general, tourism can pick up around Easter when many Europeans are able to travel. Except for these days, Hotel and airfare prices will drop while the weather is perfect: April is the perfect month to visit Curaçao.
May
May is a good month to visit Curaçao
During May, tourism temporarily picks up again in Curaçao. This is caused by school vacations in many European countries. Nevertheless, it remains an off-season month. Temperatures increase a bit to an average high temperature of 32 degrees Celsius (89.6 Fahrenheit). Rain still doesn’t know how to find the island with just 20 mm (0.79 in) of precipitation on average during the month.
June
June sees little crowds but good weather
June remains a relatively slow month in Curaçao. Especially the beginning of the month sees little to no families traveling from Europe. The end of the month can get a bit busier as many older school children can get off school early in the Netherlands. The weather remains good with an average high temperature of 32 degrees Celsius (89.6 Fahrenheit) and little precipitation (20 mm, 0.79 Inches).
July
July gets more crowded in Curaçao
In July, Curaçao will start to notice it is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. While still relatively quiet at the beginning of the month, July can be busy at the end. This is caused by the European school vacation season. Being part of the same Kingdom, Curaçao is a popular destination amongst Dutch tourists who flock to the island during their summer vacation. Expect larger crowds, higher airfare prices, and more expensive hotel rooms at the end of the month.
While the Dutch might have time to travel to the island, most cruise ships are now making their rounds in Europe. This means that while the hotels are fuller, Willemstad doesn’t see the massive cruise crowds it sees during the American peak season. The weather remains very pleasant with an average high temperature of 32 degrees Celsius (89.6 Fahrenheit) and a bit more rain with an average of 43mm (1.7 Inches).
August
August is a busy month on the island
Like most other destinations, peak season peaks in August. For most Europeans, peak season is the busiest month of the year in terms of travel. Curaçao will also witness a temporary and sudden increase of travelers, mostly Europeans. Prices will increase and you will have to share Curaçao’s beautiful beaches like Grote Knip with many others.
August is one of the hottest months of the year in Curaçao. The average high temperature is 33 degrees Celsius (91.4 Fahrenheit) while it still doesn’t rain a lot (37 mm, 1.45 Inches). The weather in August is overall very good in Curaçao.
September
September brings low crowds and good weather to Curaçao
September is arguably one of the best months to travel to Curaçao. Due to its southern location, the island isn’t normally affected by the Caribbean hurricane season. At the same time, the European peak season has ended and most Dutch tourists will have left the island. The weather remains very pleasant with only 50 mm (1.9 Inches) of rain during the month. The average high temperature in Curaçao remains hot at 33 degrees Celsius (91 Fahrenheit).
October
October marks the start of the wetter season in Curaçao.
October marks the start of the low season in Curaçao and is the second wettest month of the year. Nevertheless, your vacation won’t be affected that much by the rain. That is because most rains fall during the night. That means you can enjoy most of your days. You should however prepare for occasional (heavy) showers. The average high temperature will be 32 degrees Celsius (91 Fahrenheit) while 110 mm (4.3 Inches) will hit the island. Crowds will be low.
November
November is a relatively rainy month in Curaçao.
November sees even more rain than October with 135mm (5.3 Inches) on average. The temperature remains warm at 32 Celsius (89.6 Fahrenheit). Crowds are arguably the lowest of the year leading to relatively low prices for hotels and airfares. The end of the month can get a bit busier as it marks the start of the American peak season.
December
December marks the start of peak season in Curaçao
While December continues to see more rain than other months, it can get busier. This is caused by the American peak season. Especially around Christmas and New Year, the average prices will increase and more crowds will be flocking to the island. Cruise ships will also frequently visit Willemstad’s port.
The average temperature in Curaçao during December is 31 degrees Celsius (87.8 Fahrenheit) while the total rainfall is 100mm (3.9 Inches) on average.
