Just 12 degrees above the equator, you might not expect to find interesting biking, but Curacao begs to differ. When you first see the island, you are immediately impressed with the hills, not mountains of course, but substantial hills. Curacao lies just 35 miles from Venezuela and is the largest of the 5 islands that comprise the Netherlands Antilles. It is 38 miles long and 7.5 miles at its widest point.
The locals say it is 90 degrees and sunny everyday
in Curacao, unless it is hotter! Much
greener than Aruba, it still has some astounding desert like features in
places. In fact on one stretch of road
near Sint Michiel on the way to the Bullenaai Lighthouse, you might think you
are in Arizona. The towering pillar
cacti stand as high as the Saugaro in the Tucson area. For five miles along this road there are no
houses, in fact I only saw one or two cars.
I could not believe that I was in the Caribbean Sea. All my senses said Tucson.
The 170,000 people who inhabit the island seem
friendly enough. Language can be a bit
of a problem, however. Papiamento, a
local dialect is spoken everywhere although all students must study Dutch,
English, and Spanish. When those
fail, try American Express. It seems to be a universal language.
I would rate the riding on this island fairly
high. Not only are there constant
rolling hills but there must be at least 50 miles of rideable roads unlike some
of the smaller islands. Road surfaces
vary and I found myself wishing for a pair of 28 mm tires at times, but I have
yet to have a flat with my 25 mm Specialized Gatorskins. They seem to be bombproof. If you are riding from the eastern end of
the island you must allow time for bucking the tradewinds on your return. On one ride with 30 kph tailwinds, my return
took nearly an hour longer!
There are some general guidelines that apply to
riding in Curacao. The western half of
the island ( Band’abou or “downwind”) is a bit more bike friendly than the
eastern half (Band’ariba or “upwind”).
Avoid the Ring Road around Willemstad, the major city. It is a bit like a tour of Revere and
Medford. Whenever possible take the
roads along the coast. Not only are
they more scenic, but often they are secondary roads. There is no avoiding a few busy roads without shoulders but I
found the traffic generally gave me a wide berth. Outside the city, the national speed limit is up to 80
km/hr. Many cars seem to go faster,
however. Take two water bottles with
you. There are some long stretches
between mini-marts. Also, there are
many mini-marts without glass windows so you cannot see your bike while
inside. Gas stations are often the best
bet for drinks. And finally, take some
sunscreen with you.
The calm Southern coastline is dotted with dozens of
wonderful beaches and resort hotels. It
is common to see dive boats parked at popular spots. The Northern coastline is a bit wilder with its high surf and
more rugged appearance.
I enjoyed a lazy ride through Willemstad (the
capital) which is split into two halves, Punda and Otrobanda (literally the
“other side”). You can access the two
halves by the Queen Emma floating bridge.
Don’t be surprised if you are on the bridge and it seems to be floating
into the harbor. Bridge operators float
the entire bridge parallel to the shore in order to allow ships to pass. During this time, ferries are available at
no cost. Colorful Punda is where most
of the shopping is. The town seems to
mostly cater to locals but there are enough high-end shops to keep even the
cruise tourists happy. Be sure to visit
the “floating market”, a small flotilla of Venezuelan fishing boats selling
their catch. The currency is the Dutch
Gilder but dollars are accepted everywhere.
Be sure to ask in advance if the merchant can give you change in dollars. At the end of the visit you are sure to have
a few interesting square coins in your pocket.
My rule about bike security is simple. I don’t need a lock in countries like
Curacao because I am never going to leave my bike. If I eat in an outdoor café, my bike is going to be within a few
feet of me. I may be paranoid but I
have never lost a bike this way.
There may be a bike shop in Willemstad but I never
found it. Expect to provide your own
support and repairs. The only bikes you
will encounter on the roads are folks riding to the store, and those are far
and few between.
Best Rides:
1.
Eastern
loop starting and finishing in Terra Kora, 25 miles
2.
Eastern
loop starting and finishing in Willemstad, 48 miles
2. Christoffel Park with peaks as high as 375
meters, about 6 miles
3. The 10 mile Northern Coastal route from San Pedro
to the Airport
3.
Bullenbaai
Lighthouse-10 miles out and back.
Curacao is challenging, scenic, and very
diverse. A bike tour of the island will
put you in touch with the people who live there. You will sweat on Curacao…..perhaps more than any other time in
your life. The effort is worth it. Riding like this is a Big Adventure. Go for it.