Restaurant styles vary from informal bistro to the very expensive.

National specialities:
• Traditional Dutch food (particularly using fresh seafood and cheeses) is popular.
• Creole food (criollo) makes good use of the great variety of fresh fish.
• French, Italian and other international cuisines are also on offer.

National drinks:
• A wide variety of alcohol is available. Curaçao liqueur, which is made from the sun-dried peel of a bitter orange and a mixture of spices, is a popular local drink.

Tipping: Hotels add a 5 to 10% government tax and a 12% service charge. Bar staff, waiters, porters and doormen expect a 10% tip.

There are several discos run by hotels on the island and some hotels have a casino. Performances of drama and music can be found at the Centro Pro Arte.

Curaçao (and other Netherlands Antilles islands) is a thriving centre for duty-free shopping. An enormous range of imported goods are on sale at considerably reduced prices. Locally-made curios are available; a particularly popular souvenir is the Curaçao liqueur (see Food and Drink section).

Shopping hours: Mon-Sat 0800-1200 and 1400-1800. Hours may vary.