is located in the southwestern Caribbean, just 60 km (37 miles) north of Venezuela. It is a nine-hour flight from and to Amsterdam. The largest and most populous of the Netherlands Antilles is located between Aruba and Bonaire. The island is 60 km (38 miles) long and varies between 3.2 and 13 km (2 to 8 miles) in width. Spectacular beaches line the southwest, leeward coast. Curacao is outside of the hurricane belt, which makes it a safe holiday destination! it falls within the Atlantic Standard Time Zone, 5 hours earlier than MESZ (6 hours during european daylight saving time) and 4 hours earlier than GMT. There is not much in the way of vegetation except for cacti, and the Curacao Orange, which is used to make the liqueur of the same name. What the island lacks in beauty in the interior, it makes up for with its pretty beaches. The capital of Willemstad was built by dutch merchants and is full of brightly colored houses, reminiscent of Amsterdam. The first language spoken is dutch, but english is also widely understood. UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is committed to preserving the culture and heritage of major sites around the world. The latest World Heritage list includes varied places like the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Barrier Reef of Australia, East Africas Serengetiand Curacaos Willemstad. In 1997, the UNESCO World Heritage Site committee selected the historic city centre of Willemstad one of just six caribbean sites chosen because of its outstanding value and integrity, which illustrates the organic growth of a multicultural community over three centuries, and preserves to a high degree significant elements. Curacao has a turbulent history. 1499 Alonso de Ojeda, a spanish lieutenant of Columbus, discovered the paradise and settled. 1634 The dutch conquered the island. Until the early 19th century the island passed over alternating into english and dutch hands, finally it concerns a piece of paradise. 1815 The dutch attained again the control over the island. The 'colonial' status Curacaos and the other islands of the Dutch Antillean was changed 1954 when the Dutch Antillean received complete autonomy within the Dutch Kingdom. If you want the story of Curacao yet a little more exactly, you will be enthused in the visit of one of the islands museum. Curacao Museum in Otrobanda, the Maritime Museum in Punda and the Kura Hulanda Museum to name only a few.