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Things to Do in Curacao: A Wedding Guest's ATV Adventure & Surprise Proposal Story
- Nequa
- Aug 9
- 7 min read
Sometimes you book a trip for one reason and somehow come home with an entirely different story. That was Curaçao for me.
I originally traveled to Curaçao as a guest for a good friend's wedding, so the trip was supposed to be pretty straightforward: fly to the island, celebrate the wedding, enjoy some time with friends, and head home. Instead, six days later, I left with memories of colorful streets in Willemstad, an ATV adventure through the city and countryside, a cave exploration, a luxury villa stay, a surprise engagement proposal, and one very important realization: I may not be an all-inclusive resort girl. And honestly? I'm okay with that.
Flying From Ohio to Curaçao
Getting to Curaçao from Ohio took about six and a half hours, including a layover in Atlanta. At the time, I paid around $700 for my flight, which felt pretty reasonable considering the distance and the experience waiting for us on the other side.
The moment I arrived, I knew this wasn't going to feel like a typical vacation. This trip had a purpose. We were there to celebrate love. The wedding was held at Dreams Curaçao Resort & Spa, and I stayed at Zoëtry Curaçao Resort & Spa, the boutique sister property. This was actually my first real experience staying at an all-inclusive resort — which brings me to my honest review.
Picture from Balcony At the resort beach Resort View
Is Curaçao Worth Visiting? My All-Inclusive Resort Review
The things to do in Curacao; Let me just say this upfront: an all-inclusive resort can absolutely make sense for the right traveler. But for me? I'm not sure it's my thing. The convenience was nice — having food, drinks, activities, and amenities available without constantly pulling out your wallet definitely has its advantages. But I personally wasn't blown away by the food, and because I don't drink alcohol now, the unlimited drinks aspect doesn't really add much value for me either. So I started thinking about what I actually want from a vacation. I would rather spend my money exploring a destination, trying local restaurants, experiencing excursions, meeting locals, and discovering places outside of the resort. That doesn't mean I wouldn't stay at an all-inclusive again — it just means I learned something about how I like to travel. Sometimes you don't know your travel style until you actually experience it. So is Curaçao worth visiting? Without question. Just don't expect me to answer that question the same way as someone who never left the resort.
What Is Curaçao Best Known For? The Wedding That Brought Us There
The main reason we were in Curaçao was to celebrate our friend's wedding, and honestly, having a wedding as the centerpiece of a group trip made the experience even more special. We weren't just tourists checking things off a list — we were celebrating a major life moment with people we cared about. The wedding itself was beautiful, and for the first few days, our attention was mostly on wedding festivities and enjoying time together. But once the wedding was over, we still had more of Curaçao to experience. And that's when things got adventurous.
Unique Things to Do in Curaçao: The ATV Adventure
One of my favorite experiences was our ATV excursion. If you're looking for unique things to do in Curaçao beyond sitting at a resort, I highly recommend adding an ATV adventure to your itinerary. We explored both the city and off-road areas, including farm and countryside terrain that gave us a completely different perspective of the island. We weren't just riding around taking pictures — we were actually moving through the landscape, getting dusty, exploring different areas, and seeing parts of Curaçao beyond the typical resort experience. Give me an experience. Give me something I can talk about when I get home. Give me a story. The ATV excursion gave me exactly that.
Riding the ATV through Mud My ATV Rental Pit Stop at the farm
Exploring Hato Caves — An Unusual Thing to Do in Curaçao
We also visited Hato Caves, which was another completely different experience. After spending time around the colorful streets, beaches, and tropical scenery, stepping underground into the caves felt like entering another world. The cave formations and atmosphere made it a really interesting, slightly unusual addition to our Curaçao itinerary — a reminder that a Caribbean vacation doesn't have to be all beaches and pool days. There's so much more to explore.
In line for the Cave Inside Hato Cave Hato Cave
Exploring Willemstad: My Favorite Thing to Do in Curaçao
Of course, no Curaçao travel guide would be complete without talking about Willemstad. This was one of my favorite parts of the island. The colorful architecture immediately catches your attention — everywhere you look, there's something interesting to see: colorful buildings, artwork, boutiques, restaurants, local businesses, and people simply living their everyday lives. I loved being able to walk around and experience the city rather than only seeing Curaçao from inside a resort. There's something special about getting into a destination and actually experiencing the culture and personality of the place. Willemstad felt colorful, lively, artistic, and full of character.
Things to Do in Curaçao at Night: Mambo Beach
We also went out one night to Mambo Beach. Now, let me be honest — the atmosphere was definitely geared toward a younger crowd, and the music leaned more toward techno and electronic. It wasn't necessarily my favorite nightlife experience, but I still enjoyed seeing the area and experiencing another side of Curaçao's after-dark scene. Sometimes a place doesn't have to be completely 'your vibe' for you to appreciate the experience. And the scenery? Beautiful.
Leaving the Resort for a Luxury Villa
The Six-Bedroom Villa in Saliña Abou
After spending about three days around the resort and wedding festivities, our group decided to switch things up. We rented a luxury Airbnb villa for the remainder of our trip, and when I tell you this villa looked like a million-dollar home... baby, it was beautiful. Six bedrooms, six beds, six private bathrooms, a pool, and plenty of space for our group to relax and enjoy each other's company. We stayed in the Saliña Abou area, which was significantly farther from the main attractions. And that taught me another important Curaçao travel lesson: location matters.
Do You Need a Car in Curaçao? My Must-Have Travel Tip
If you're planning to stay outside of the main tourist areas, this might be the one must-have for your Curaçao trip: a car, or an arranged driver. Our villa was about a 45-minute drive from the main areas of Curaçao. Once we moved in, we realized just how far away we actually were from everything. The resort gave us convenience. The villa gave us privacy, space, and that luxury group-trip feeling. I loved having both. But there was one more thing happening behind the scenes.
The Proposal Nobody Thought Was Going to Happen
While we were in Curaçao for the wedding, another major event was quietly building in the background. My male best friend had a ring. He wanted to propose to his girlfriend. The problem? This man is not a planner. We had been asking him the entire trip: 'When are you doing it?' 'Do you need help?' 'What's the plan?' And somehow, we got all the way to the last day. Then he came to me and asked: 'You think we should get flowers?' Sir. WHAT?! At that point, I realized I was about to become the unofficial proposal planner.
Planning a Surprise Proposal in Another Country
First of all, I didn't have a car. Second, I was hungry. Third, I was trying to find a florist in another country who could create a special arrangement and deliver it to our villa, same day. I found one florist willing to make it happen. The original plan was rose petals scattered around the pool. But Curaçao had other plans — it was incredibly windy that day, and I knew petals outside meant petals flying across the entire property before the bride-to-be ever arrived. So we pivoted. The florist created a beautiful red-and-white rose arrangement inside the villa entrance, with a centerpiece that read: 'MARRY ME.'
There was just one more challenge: the florist didn't speak English. She brought someone along who understood a little, and somehow, between all of us, we made it work. While everyone else was out enjoying Curaçao, I was alone at the villa, hungry, walking a wooded path toward the beach just to find something to eat — trying to pull off a surprise engagement in a language I didn't speak, in a country that wasn't mine. Travel really does build character.
The Moment She Saw "Marry Me"
When the group returned, everyone entered through the back of the villa. His girlfriend came in through the front. The lights came on, and for a second, she looked confused. Then she saw it — the flowers, the setup, the words: MARRY ME. She was shocked. Everyone was excited. Their daughters even watched the moment through FaceTime. We celebrated afterward, took photos, laughed, and soaked it in. We had come to Curaçao for a wedding. We left having celebrated an engagement too. A full wedding and a proposal, on one group trip. Now that's a vacation.
The Proposal She got her ring
Top Things to Do in Curaçao: My Honest Recap
So after six days in Curaçao, would I go back? Absolutely. Here's everything Curaçao gave me on this one trip:
Attended a beautiful destination wedding
Explored the colorful streets of Willemstad
Rode ATVs through the city and off-road countryside
Visited Hato Caves
Experienced Mambo Beach nightlife
Stayed at an all-inclusive resort (Zoëtry Curaçao Resort & Spa)
Lived the luxury villa life in Saliña Abou
Traveled and bonded with a full friend group
Helped plan a same-day surprise proposal
Learned exactly what kind of traveler I actually am
But the biggest thing I took away from this trip wasn't which resort I liked better or which excursion topped the list. It was learning more about the way I like to travel. I want to get outside of the resort. I want to experience the city. I want to eat local food. I want to explore. I want experiences that give me stories — not just souvenirs.
So if you're planning a Curaçao vacation, my honest advice is simple: don't just stay at the resort. Get out. Explore Willemstad. Try an excursion. See the caves. Rent a car or arrange transportation ahead of time if you're staying farther out. Because Curaçao is a destination worth exploring beyond the resort walls. And if you're lucky, maybe you'll even end up planning somebody's proposal while you're there.
As for me? I came to Curaçao for a wedding… and left with a wedding, a proposal story, an ATV adventure, a luxury villa experience, and a whole lot of memories. And honestly? That's exactly why I travel.
Watch the Full Video
Want to see the wedding, the ATV adventure, Hato Caves, Willemstad, Mambo Beach, the luxury villa, and the surprise proposal for yourself? Watch the full Curaçao vlog below.
Not just trips… this is a transition.
Your Travel Bestie,
Nequa
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