Curacao is a long, arid, and generally flat island, stretching some 40 miles (64 km) from southeast to northwest, at much the same north-south angles as it's sister islands in the ABC group (Aruba to the west and Bonaire to the east). The capital of Curacao is Willemstad. Curacao is about 10 miles (16 km) at it's widest point, and the area is about 180 square miles (472 square km), making it the largest island in the Netherlands Antilles group. At approx 480nm from Sint Maarten.

The coastline along the south is irregular, peppered with small bays and inlets, including the spectacular bays and beaches at the west end of the island. The largest bays are located along the central-east and east end of the island, where you'll find the capital and major port of Willemstad. Most of Curacao's 130,000 residents live in and around this historic town.

The long north coast of the Curacao, buffeted by constant northeast trade winds, is characterized by a rough coastline, limestone cliff formations set on top of eons-old volcanic rock, and weather-beaten terrain. It is generally less inhabited than the south coast of Curacao, but you will find smaller villages and many of the Curacao's famous landhuis, or old plantation house, structures here.

Spansh Water entrance waypoint: N 12' 03.75 - W 68' 51.15 -
Willemstad entrance waypoint N 12' 06.1 - W 65' 51.3 - VHF 12 Fort Nassau
Small Curacao is an uninhabited island too the east of Curacao at N 12'00.4 - W 86'39.2