Curaçao is situated between its fellow 'ABC Islands' Aruba (to the west) and Bonaire (to the east) and is a 20-minute flight to either. Curaçao's economy depends on oil refining and offshore banking, but tourism is a welcome third industry which continues to grow both in the cruise ship sector as well as air arrivals. Curaçao currently receives about a third or more the number of tourists as Aruba.
Curaçao has excellent beaches, scuba diving, large national parks and is well equipped for a wide range of tourism. The Curaçao Underwater Park, set up in 1983, protects coral reefs on the south side of the island. There are a number of diving, sailing, and other marine tour companies. Curaçao appears to have the best chance of future whale and dolphin watching activities in the Dutch Antilles, based on recent sightings and strandings. Sightings have included humpback whales (off the coast at Piscaderabaai and St. Michielsbaai), sperm whales (said to frequent the waters between Curaçao and Bonaire), striped dolphins (seas between Curaçao and Bonaire), and spinner dolphins (off SW Curaçao at Santa Cruz). In addition, strandings of whales on Curaçao have included dwarf sperm whales, Gervais' beaked whales, and pantropical spotted dolphins. The diving companies specifically report bottlenose and spinner dolphins along the south coast especially during the months of February through April, and occasional sightings of pilot whales in November and December.

Acknowledgments: Tom Van't Hof (Saba), Tourism Corporation Bonaire, Debrot and Barros 1994, Kristensen 1979, Jack Chalk (Operations Manager, Habitat Dive Resorts, Bonaire), Al Catalfumo (Black Durgon Scuba Centre, Bonaire), BonBini Divers (Bonaire), CTO 1997.