Holiday guide

Christmas & New Year's in Curaçao

Bon bini! And Bon Pasku. Christmas here comes with sea breezes instead of snow: lights over Punda, gaita drifting out of bars, and a New Year's Eve you'll hear from across the island. It's also the busiest week of the year, so here's how to enjoy it without spending your trip in line.

The short version

• Book now. December is peak season. December 2025 set a record for stayover visitors, according to tourist-board figures reported by Curaçao Playbook. Hotels, rental cars and holiday dinners go first.
• Dec 25, Dec 26 and Jan 1 are public holidays. Dec 31 is a half-day.
• New Year's Eve: pagara firecrackers in Pietermaai in the afternoon, then midnight fireworks at Handelskade (Punda) or Brionplein (Otrobanda).
• Plan your ride home before you head out on Dec 31.

Curaçao in December: what to expect

• The weather is beach weather. December averages a 30.3 °C (about 87 °F) high on the island's official 1991–2020 climate normals, and Atlantic hurricane season ends Nov 30, as reported by Curaçao Playbook.
• The beaches fill up. Locals tell us the stretch from Jan Thiel up to Grote Knip gets packed over Christmas, because islanders are off work and on the sand too. Go early, or head west, where things stay quieter.
• You'll want a car. Taxis add up fast, and locals recommend renting. See our car rental guide.
• Want calm instead? Locals point to resorts like Avila Beach Hotel as a quieter refuge during the holidays, and the west side stays more relaxed.

Christmas season (Bon Pasku)

Lights and Punda Vibes Christmas Edition. Punda puts up its holiday lights in December. On Thursday evenings, Punda Vibes, the weekly Thursday night out, runs a Christmas edition with live music, dance shows, gift shopping and fireworks. Times and dates can change around the holidays, so check the Curaçao Tourist Board events calendar for the week you're here.

Christmas markets. December brings holiday markets with local treats, crafts and live performances. This year's lineup is posted on the tourist board events calendar as it's announced.

Curaçao Santa Run, Sat Dec 19, 2026. Pull on a Santa suit and join the crowd. It starts at Riffort at 6 PM, the walk sets off at 8 PM, and the afterparty is at Madero Ocean Club from 8:30 PM. Tickets include the suit, and the event raises money for local families in need.

The music. Gaita, the Venezuelan-rooted Christmas music, plays from late November. Parranderos (aguinaldo groups) play guitar, maracas and tambourine. Tambú, the island's African-rooted drum music and dance sung in Papiamentu, is also heard around the holidays.

Church services. Church is part of Christmas for many families here. Service times aren't published centrally, so ask your hotel front desk which nearby church holds Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services.

Holiday food. Look for ayaka (cornmeal parcels filled with meat, raisins and olives, wrapped in banana leaf), keshi yená (stuffed cheese), bolo di kashupete (cashew cake) and ponche crema, a creamy, spiced holiday drink. You'll also find ham di Pasku (glazed Christmas ham), pan di jamon (ham bread) and Dutch oliebollen. The tourist board says many local restaurants and hotel Christmas buffets put these dishes on their menus.

What's open and closed: Dec 24 to Jan 1

• Dec 25 (Christmas Day) and Dec 26 (Second Christmas Day) are official public holidays. In 2026 they fall on a Friday and a Saturday.
• Banks and most shops close on those days. Restaurants and beach clubs mostly stay open with holiday hours. Call ahead.
• Dec 31 is a half-day holiday, and most businesses close around noon.
• Jan 1, 2027 (a Friday) is a public holiday.
• Beaches: Playa PortoMari is closed on Dec 31.
• Supermarket hours change over the holidays, so stock up the day before each holiday.

New Year's Eve (Oud en Nieuw)

Pagara, midday to afternoon. Pagaras are long strings of firecrackers lit to chase away bad spirits. The biggest event is in Pietermaai on Dec 31, starting in the early afternoon, with DJs, live bands, food stalls and bars. In recent years the main pagara has been lit around 3 PM. Bring sunglasses, sunscreen, a hat, and earplugs for kids.
Bars around town also hold pagara parties every day from Dec 26 to Dec 31.

Fireworks week. Free public fireworks shows run from Dec 27 through New Year's Eve.

Midnight downtown. The tourist board names Brionplein (Otrobanda) and Handelskade (Punda) for the public New Year's Eve celebration and fireworks. Locals say downtown parking is very tight on New Year's Eve. In a past year, authorities closed the Queen Juliana Bridge to cars and banned folding chairs and barbecues near the Queen Emma Bridge.

Dutch countdown at 7 PM. Midnight in the Netherlands is 7 PM in Curaçao, so some bars count down twice.

Hotel and beach parties:
Avila Beach Hotel: the official 2026–27 holiday brochure lists a New Year's Eve Grand Buffet at The Pen Restaurant & Terrace (6–9 PM, US$119), a three-course dinner at Blues Restaurant (6–10 PM), and a Celebration on the Beach from 9 PM to 2 AM. See the brochure for the dinner and beach-party menus and details.
Jan Thiel Beach and Mambo Beach Boulevard beach clubs are good midnight spots. ZEST Restaurant & Beach Café on Jan Thiel Beach holds its NYE Beach Party from 10 PM to 3:30 AM on Thu Dec 31, 2026, with DJs (special guest Ben Liebrand) and fireworks at midnight. Dinner at Zest starts at 6 PM and is booked separately.
On the water: the tourist board suggests a New Year's Eve boat trip on Spanish Water to watch hours of private fireworks.

Ticketed parties. In a past year, local news listed Papagayo Beach Club's New Year dinner from 7 PM, Cascada's rooftop party in Punda from 9 PM, and Zest in Jan Thiel from 10 PM. Check each venue for its 2026 program.

Book dinner early. Avila asks guests to reserve ahead, and locals say walk-in waits run long on Dec 24, 25 and 31.

Getting home. Taxis are busy late on New Year's Eve, and some roads and bridges close. Ask your hotel to book your taxi home in advance, stay within walking distance of the party, or pick a designated driver.

New Year's Day and early January

• Jan 1 is a public holiday. It's a beach-and-recover day. Expect busy beaches and limited shop hours.
• Dande serenades go house to house from New Year's through Jan 6.
• Fuikdag is the boat party in Fuik Bay on the first Sunday of January: Sun Jan 3, 2027. Many tickets are 18+.
• Tumba Festival, the Carnival music competition: the 2027 dates hadn't been announced when we checked.
• Carnival parades: the Horse Parade is reported for Sun Jan 24, 2027, and the Gran Marcha for Sun Feb 7, 2027. See the official carnival portal and our Carnival guide.

Sample holiday-week plan (Dec 24, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027)

• Thu Dec 24 (Christmas Eve): an early beach morning, then an evening walk under the Punda lights. Book Christmas Eve dinner well ahead.
• Fri Dec 25 (Christmas Day): a slow resort day or a west-side beach. Have a dinner reservation, since banks and shops are closed.
• Sat Dec 26 (Second Christmas Day): also a public holiday. Drive to the quieter west side and pack a cooler.
• Sun Dec 27: fireworks week starts. Find a free show and arrive early.
• Mon Dec 28–Tue Dec 29: snorkel or take a boat trip, and catch a pagara party at a bar.
• Wed Dec 30: stock up on groceries and fill the tank before the New Year rush.
• Thu Dec 31 (New Year's Eve): the Pietermaai pagara in the afternoon, a Dutch countdown at 7 PM, dinner, then midnight fireworks from Handelskade, Brionplein or a beach club. Get dropped off rather than driving.
• Fri Jan 1, 2027: a public holiday. Sleep in and spend the day at the beach.

Peak-season booking checklist

• ☐ Hotel: book now. → Compare hotels for your dates (Stay22)
• ☐ Rental car: fleets book out over the holidays. → Compare cars on DiscoverCars
• ☐ Tours: book early. → Viator · GetYourGuide
• ☐ Dinner reservations for Dec 24, 25 and 31.
• ☐ Your ride home on New Year's Eve.
• ☐ Fuikdag boat ticket, if you're staying into January.
• ☐ A grocery run before Dec 25 and Dec 31.
• ☐ Earplugs and sunscreen for the pagara.

Things to do that week

• Klein Curaçao day trip: a calm-sea day away from the crowds. → Viator: Curaçao tours
• Snorkel trip (Tugboat, turtles): → Viator: catamaran and snorkel trips · GetYourGuide: Curaçao
• Willemstad walking or food tour under the lights: → Viator: Curaçao tours · GetYourGuide
• Spanish Water by boat: the tourist board suggests a New Year's Eve boat trip on Spanish Water for the private fireworks. We didn't find a dedicated NYE boat trip listed online, but Spanish Water sunset sails run through the season. → Viator: catamaran trips
• West-side beach day by rental car (calmer over the holidays): → DiscoverCars (above)

FAQ

Is Dec 26 a holiday in Curaçao? Yes. Second Christmas Day is an official public holiday.
Where can I watch New Year's fireworks in Curaçao? At Handelskade in Punda, Brionplein in Otrobanda, or the beach clubs on Jan Thiel Beach and Mambo Beach Boulevard.
What's a pagara? A long string of firecrackers lit on New Year's Eve to chase away bad spirits. The biggest is in Pietermaai.
What's open on Christmas Day? Banks and most shops close. Restaurants and beach clubs mostly stay open with holiday hours.

Bon Pasku i Felis Aña Nobo!

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