Tropical islands located in the Caribbean Sea, islands belonging to the recently dissolved Netherlands Antilles offer guaranteed sunshine, beautiful landscapes and excellent facilities for water sports, the most popular of which is diving. These mostly self-governing Dutch islands are a natural paradise with flamingos and fascinating blowholes, where also comfortable tourist services are offered.
The other main island of the former Netherlands Antilles, Bonaire is an enjoyable summer holiday destination with a pleasant climate and landscapes of turquoise sea and scenic coast formations available. Bonaire is well known for its excellent facilities for scuba diving, in addition to which also flamingos and tropical landscapes of the island offer plenty of attractions to be enjoyed. Other islands that once belonged to the Netherlands Antilles are Saba, St Eustatius and the southern half of St Martin, Sint Maarten.
How to get there. Located in the south and east of the Caribbean Sea, the islands of the former Netherlands Antilles are best reached by air. The main islands, Curacao, Bonaire and Sint Maarten have airports, which receive best connections from the Netherlands and USA. The islands are quite small and can easily be toured with a car in two hours, which makes traveling on the islands quite easy. Taxis and some buses are available for transport, in addition to which you can find also rental cars in the former Netherlands Antilles.
Bonaire and Curacao that form the ABC Islands group with the nearby Aruba are quite touristic islands with plenty of comfortable services available for accommodation and restaurants.
The Netherlands Antilles, with natural attractions and enjoyable diving
The Netherlands Antilles was an autonomous Caribbean territory that consisted of several islands in the Caribbean Sea, the most important of which were Curacao and Bonaire. Of these two, Curacao is the main island of the southern Lesser Antilles that hosts some of the best services available in the Dutch Caribbean. Curacao offers also plenty of sunshine, lovely diving facilities and interesting natural attractions, making the island one of the places you could just as well call a paradise. Curacao hosts also some fascinating cultural attractions, the best nightlife on the islands, and well-maintained tourist services.The other main island of the former Netherlands Antilles, Bonaire is an enjoyable summer holiday destination with a pleasant climate and landscapes of turquoise sea and scenic coast formations available. Bonaire is well known for its excellent facilities for scuba diving, in addition to which also flamingos and tropical landscapes of the island offer plenty of attractions to be enjoyed. Other islands that once belonged to the Netherlands Antilles are Saba, St Eustatius and the southern half of St Martin, Sint Maarten.
Practical information for your trip to Netherlands Antilles
Climate in the former Netherlands Antilles is tropically warm and dry with little seasonal changes. Average monthly high temperatures in Curacao and Bonaire are around 30°C throughout the year, with the coolest months of the year found in the beginning and end of the calendar year. The wettest months of the year are November and December, but Netherlands Antilles is an all-year-round destination, especially as the main islands lie out of the hurricane belt.How to get there. Located in the south and east of the Caribbean Sea, the islands of the former Netherlands Antilles are best reached by air. The main islands, Curacao, Bonaire and Sint Maarten have airports, which receive best connections from the Netherlands and USA. The islands are quite small and can easily be toured with a car in two hours, which makes traveling on the islands quite easy. Taxis and some buses are available for transport, in addition to which you can find also rental cars in the former Netherlands Antilles.
Bonaire and Curacao that form the ABC Islands group with the nearby Aruba are quite touristic islands with plenty of comfortable services available for accommodation and restaurants.
Photo: Jessica Bee, used under Creative Commons License (By 2.0)
Saba and St Eustatius have much less visitor services available. However, nightlife and shopping on the islands is generally quite modest, making the former Netherlands Antilles a peaceful destination. The official language on the islands is Dutch, but also English is widely spoken, particularly in the main holiday resorts. Safety situation in the former Netherlands Antilles is quite good, and you are likely to have a trouble-free holiday if you follow safety instructions. However, drugs are a common problem on the main islands, and you should never leave your luggage unattended.
History of the Netherlands Antilles in brief
Initially settled by the Spanish, the main islands of the Netherlands Antilles were conquered by the Dutch in the 17th century. The islands were used as military outposts and central places of slave trade, with which Curacao and Bonaire gained wealth in the 18th century. After slavery was abandoned, the islands struggled with economical problems, but the situation has got better in the 20th century. Year 1954 is important in the history of the Netherlands Antilles, as it is when the colonial status of the islands ended and the Netherlands Antilles became an autonomous self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Netherlands. The territory was dissolved in 2010, with Curacao and Sint Maarten becoming constituent countries of the Netherlands, and Bonaire, Saba and St Eustatius became special municipalities. Today, tourism and oil industry bring wealth to the islands.hint See also these nearby destinations: Curacao, Bonaire, Aruba
