Christoffel National Park

Christoffel National Park covers a broad stretch of dry tropical woodland in the rugged west of the island, in the rural Bandabou region. At its centre rises Mount Christoffel, at 372 metres the highest point on Curaçao and the obvious magnet for anyone who wants a real hike on what is otherwise a flat coral island. From the top, on a clear morning, the view runs the length of Curaçao and out across the sea toward the other ABC islands.

The park is far more than one summit. A network of marked hiking trails and a set of one-way driving routes thread through cactus scrub, divi-divi trees, and limestone hills, past caves with Arawak rock paintings and the ruins of old plantation works. The restored Savonet plantation house at the entrance now holds a museum that tells the story of the land from its earliest inhabitants through the plantation era.

Hiking and wildlife

The Christoffel summit trail is the headline walk, a steep, rocky scramble in its final stretch that rewards early starters with cooler air and the best light. Easier loop trails take in caves, blue-stone slopes, and viewpoints without the climb. The park is the stronghold of the rare Curaçao white-tailed deer, and dawn or late afternoon are the best times to see deer, iguanas, and the many birds that shelter here. After rain the hillsides bloom with native orchids.

• Start the summit hike at opening time; the trail closes to new climbers mid-morning because the rock gets dangerously hot.
• Bring far more water than you think you need, plus sturdy shoes for the loose rock near the top.
• Combine a visit with the wild coast of Shete Boka National Park next door for a full day in Bandabou.

The park sits a short drive from the village of Westpunt and the beaches of Westpunt, so many visitors pair a morning of hiking with an afternoon swim on the leeward coast.