Nightbeat
Nightbeat
Eclectic Evenings and Electric Nights by Susan Campbell & Chadia Hammoud Curaçao’s nightlife is often secreted away in pockets, hidden neighborhoods, or surfside on special nights, so you really need insider information to unearth what’s going on where, which night of the week. But there’s always something happening guaranteed to turn tropical nights into truly enchanted evenings. Let’s go nightlife hunting… Start calm and classy
Seeking out special spots where you can welcome the sunset or sink back in smooth comfort is a great way to slip into the evening. Baoase Luxury Resort’s bar is a good place to start. Creative signature cocktails, a great selection of wines, top quality bar bites all in an über romantic setting make it magical. Or how about stepping back in time? Storied enclaves
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like Kura Hulanda’s ancient outdoor courtyard or historic sites like The Rif Fort – a UNESCO World Heritage site overlooking the sea – for cocktails and tunes? Their Rif Fort Bar lays claim to having the largest cocktails on the island! On the other side of the swinging bridge, Iguana Café in Punda provides a perfect perch to watch the ships as the sun goes down. Or if you’re in the Spanish Waters
area, stop into Santa Barbara Resort’s Shore Restaurant to watch a spectacular sunset and toast the day with some tasteful and creative cocktails. You can also join the golfers and divers for a friendly happy hour get-together at the new Boca 19 at the Santa Barbara Marina or belly-up with the yachties at the Pirates Nest in Spanish Waters harbor. Discover the new hipster neighborhood
The ancient district of Pietermaai has been reborn as a trendy new neighborhood full of cool local haunts and fun party spots like Rock Beach – an old shipping container refurbished into a unique bar. Live music parties abound and it really does rock! This new hipster pocket of Punda is also the home of Mundo Bizarro that has a New Orleans French Quarter feel with live music most nights, too. And also reminiscent of Bourbon Street is Miles Jazz Café re-
nowned for their collection of classic vinyl jazz records and quality cigars. Then there’s classy little boutique hotel BijBlauw with a seaside terrace, or wine bar Cristal another classy enclave – a perfect spot to kick off the evening with some quality vino and small bites. Also in the neighborhood is Scuba Lodge – a snazzy boutique dive resort with its Ocean Bar with live music Sundays and barbecues on Thursdays. And over-the-top chic is the Saint Tropez Oceanclub, with a French Riviera feel, VIP bottle service, and a luxurious, seaside infinity lounge pool. Head downtown for dancing
When it’s time to really escalate the action, there are cool hot spots all over downtown Willemstad. Hip hop, techno, and house rule at Club Private – a trendy nightclub where party people let loose on Friday and Saturday nights. Cinco is also a spot for late night revelry with a hip E
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Nightbeat lounge and a high-energy dance floor with VIP service near the Navy base “Parera” that is open for “insanity” on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. DE Kroeg (Dutch for “the bar”) is on a permanently docked ship located in Waaigat where their salsa events and techno parties really rock the boat! And nearby, is one of the biggest party-hearty spots downtown – Bermuda – an indoor/outdoor Caribbean discothèque set in a beautifully restored heritage building. Celebrate surfside & boogie on a beach
If bopping barefoot in the sand to live bands and hot DJs is your desire, then there’s no dearth of surfside spots to do so either. Kick off your shoes to party at the Curaçao Beach Boulevard (BLVD) complex with late night shopping, dining, and hot spots for some high-octane revelry. There you can bar-hop from vibe to vibe, depending on your mood and the day of the week. There’s Dutch-style Café 40B bar, laid-back Bikinis, and exotic Bollywood Bar & Lounge to start. And then you have Cabana Beach hosting a seaside sports bar, beachfront pool, and of course, lots of cabanas. Then within Curaçao Beach Boulevard, you have New York restaurant, bar, and pool. Sashay
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Nightbeat
a few steps farther down the sand and you’re at Sea Aquarium Beach, home to Mambo, Hemingway, and Wet & Wild, all historically epic hot spots that have made this section of the island renowned for nightlife. And Vegas 360 boasts some of the island’s most profound mixologists – watch them shake their things for delicious drinks that are out of this world! Bites, beats, bubbly, and more… it’s all happening there with special theme parties and lots of action, always! Jan Thiel Beach has also started becoming known as a seaside nightlife haven, just east of downtown, the area has all the amenities and entertainment venues to accommodate the modern new neighborhood. Beachfront Papagayo Plaza includes shops and high-end lounges like Papagayo Beachclub with an infinity saltwater pool overlooking the sea. Next door, Zest Beach Café and Zanzibar (locals call it “Zanzis”) is where the party pumps up after the sun goes down with live music and all kinds of theme events. Also popular is their “unplugged night” every Thursday when local talent entertains without technology. Then there’s Tinto featuring live Argentinean tango every last Thursday of the month. But regardless what night you visit Jan Thiel, there’s always something special going on.
Pirate Bay in picturesque Piscadera is another beachside blow-out spot, especially Sunday nights when live reggae bands hit the stage and invite revelry along one of the longest piers on the island. Then there are also big surfside celebrations at Kokomo Beach on Vaersenbaai. A lovely swim and dine escape by day, this place morphs into a super hot music venue by night. And their monthly full moon parties are legendary! And 20 minutes from downtown, Landhuis Brievengat – first built in 1750 – has been restored once again as a unique venue with big live music events and theme parties.
Of course, there are also the resort bars and the glittering casinos to enjoy after dark, and the new Sambil mall will have all kinds of nightly entertainment including first-run movies in state-of-theart cinemas. And don’t be shy to expand your libation horizons by ordering some of this island’s signature cocktails. Genuine Curaçao Liqueur’s famous blue liqueur has always been a barkeep’s favorite choice to create stunning drinks. Landhuis Chobolobo – the factory where it is made also has a new café on-site for sampling creative cocktails using all of the colors and flavors of their unique spirits. And for adult entertainment, Campo Alegre gentlemen’s club is as steamy as it gets, and ladies are welcome to the shows on Tuesday nights. So get out into the night, enchanted evenings abound all over this island! K
Note: Establishment hours and nights of live music and entertainment might vary throughout the year; check their respective websites for updated information. Bottom left photo courtesy of Campo Alegre
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