Coastal road on Curaçao seen from a rental car
Plan je verblijf
◆   Getting around · 6 min read

How people actually get around the island.

Curaçao is small, sunny, and built around driving. Here is what works and what to skip.

Car rental options

A rental car is the default. Small automatics start around €25 to €35 per day, less on longer contracts. NextWave residents can bundle a car into their monthly rate through our vehicle partner, which usually beats short-term rentals.

Scooter rules

Scooters exist but are not the way most students get around. Roads outside of Willemstad have no shoulders, drivers are relaxed with lane discipline, and rain squalls come fast. Fine for short hops, not the daily driver.

Public transport

Small konvoi buses run set routes from Willemstad to the main neighborhoods. Cheap, useful for the occasional errand, not designed for a beach schedule. Ride-hailing apps exist but are not always reliable outside the city.

Distances to key areas

The island is only about 65 km long. From our houses in Willemstad, most of daily life is within a 10 to 25 minute drive.

  • Downtown Willemstad

    5 to 10 minutes.

  • Mambo Beach & Pietermaai nightlife

    10 to 15 minutes.

  • Curaçao International Airport

    15 to 20 minutes.

  • Cas Abao & Porto Mari beaches

    25 to 35 minutes.

  • Kenepa (Playa Kenepa Grandi)

    45 to 55 minutes to the far west.

Driving in Curaçao basics

Right-hand side of the road, kilometers, and gas stations everywhere. A US or EU license is fine for tourists. Roads in and around Willemstad are fine; western dirt roads to the wild beaches are bumpy but doable in any small car.

◆   De Combi Deal

Sla het autoverhuurgereken over. Bundel het.

Eén maandelijkse rekening voor je kamer, een auto en alle voorzieningen. Gemaakt voor bewoners die vier maanden of langer blijven.

Vanaf~€960/ maand
~$1,037 USD · Eén persoon, één kamer
  • Minimaal verblijf: 4 maanden
  • Standaard automaat als auto
  • Eén factuur, één betaaldatum
Wat zit er in de bundel
  • Huurauto

    Met WA-verzekering (aansprakelijkheid).

  • Gas, water & elektriciteit

    Geen aparte kostenpost van €3/dag meer.

  • Ophalen van het vliegveld

    Een van ons wacht je op op de dag van aankomst.

  • Linnen & douchepakket

    Lakens en handdoeken liggen klaar op je kamer.

  • Een kamer in Casa 2 of Casa 7

    Kies je huis en kamertype tijdens het beschikbaarheidsgesprek.

◆   Nog vragen?

Praat met ons Engelstalige team.