It’s all about location, location, location – we know! Finding the perfect azure backdrop for that new hot swimsuit or that typical Caribbean vibe for your next summer issue. We’ve got those locations… Well, Curacao has got them – and more! And we would like to share a couple with you.
When you fly above Curacao it’s hard to image the arid rock below offers so much beauty and diversity. But it’s all about perspective, isn’t it! You have to know what to look for. And so we did. Over the past decade we have roamed all the corners of the island and not only did we fall in love over and over again with our island, but we’ve also become experts on ‘the photogenic spots of Curacao’.
Let us start with a few obvious spots; a couple of locations Curacao are ‘famous’ for. And not without reason that is, the credits are well deserved – mind you!
Our favorite and absolute number one can be no other than the beaches. And we say ‘beaches’ because we can’t simply pick one all-time favorite out of thirty-two. That’s just impossible. But let’s say there are a few that absolutely stand out in the crowd and are definitely worth mentioning here.
Klein Curacao has the most perfect white sand stretched beach you have ever seen. It’s located on the uninhabited island just 6 miles of the southeast coast of Curacao. We’ve written a whole blog about it (yeah, it’s that pretty!).
If we would count, Cas Abao Beach would be the pristine beach where we have produced the most shoots. The beach is located in a bay that is wide enough to give you an open sea view and is secluded enough to give you a bit of depth if needed. But the main reasons are the waving palm trees, the incredible white sand beach, and the clear aqua blue waters. What more do you need…
Playa Porto Mari is one of our favorites because there is a lot of things happening on this beach. There is a beautiful wooden jetty, it has rocky walls on both sides of the bay and the usual suspects are present- clear blue water and white sand.
Directors Bay is a completely different beach than the ones mentioned above, but nevertheless equally impressive. This secluded little bay has a coral beach and is surrounded by cool rocks and has an amazing view on the open sea. What’s not to love!
Okay, let’s move on from the beaches and on to the next spot! (If you didn’t have enough – on our website we have two videos of pretty beaches). So let’s go to town, shall we? And what a town that is! The historical city center of Willemstad is an absolute eye-catcher and famous throughout the Caribbean. The images that will pop up if you Google ‘Curacao Willemstad’ are that of the candy-cotton colored warehouses in the Saint Anna Bay Harbor. It’s a majestical sight and also fun to look at. The city is fairly small-scaled so easy to move around when shooting. When you walk around town you will find all kinds of buildings (historical, old and neglected, new and renovated) in all the colors of the rainbow. Perfect to use as a background!
One of the things that are definitely worth seeing on Curacao is the Arizona looking environment of the Hato plains. It’s not the Wild West but our own Wild North (coast). And it sure feels like you are in a western movie riding between the many cacti and see the dust blowing up in the air. The combination of the red desert ground, the waves crashing on the razor-sharp coral coast and the big rock walls make this an awesome, and very photogenic spot. In other words, you can do very cool stuff here! Check out more crazy, beautiful landscapes here!
A less obvious spot to make pretty pictures is a drag strip tucked away at the east side of the island. It’s raw, edgy and most of all, old school. When it’s not used for dragging, spinning and showing off extreme pimped cars it’s a perfect place to plan a day of shooting. Who doesn’t like a healthy dose of concrete combined with fashion!
And from a little shabby to something more glamorous, let’s talk private villas. At every coastal place in the world, you can find the rich and famous scattered along the coasts living in designer villas, sipping on fancy cocktails and enjoying magnificent views. While Curacao is no St. Barts (lucky us and lucky you because it makes it much more affordable), we do have those designer villas, cocktails and magnificent views available.
Want a private yacht to go with that private villa? No problem! We have those too. And they fit very well with all those pretty beaches we told you about. They do come with a price tag though… but no boat no glory, right?
Another place we are very fond of and has been the décor for many shoots is a little restaurant in the city center. It’s a Cuban Argentina style place full of knick-knacks. It’s kind of wild & crazy. Good food too (hint!). It’s not a full day of shooting but great to combine with a street shoot in front of the colorful houses and walls in the area.
What makes Curacao unique is the street life. Everything happens in the streets. Eating, drinking, playing domino and sometimes dancing in the streets but that’s mainly during Carnival (February/March). All the eating and drinking is a way of life and that happens at one of the many snèks (snack place), truki pan (street food trucks) and batidos shack (fruit carts). Not one is the same and they are found scattered all over the island. Sometimes lonely on the side of the street and in other areas you can find one after the other. They come in all forms and have their own identity. Nice, cool, dirty, colorful, fruity, nasty, funny and usually with great names or no name at all. Nevertheless, they are crazy, typical for Curacao and most of all, photogenic!
That brings us to the end of this blog and hope we have given you some interesting insights about what Curacao has to offer in terms of locations and photogenic spots!
If you are looking for a specific location, shoot us an e-mail! We are more than happy to tell or show you more about our beloved Curacao.
