Who discovered the hidden gem of the Caribbean?

A lot of times we hear people talking about the hidden gems of the Caribbean. Curaçao is also considered to be one of these gems, but what do we really know about the island?

During our private tours and online travel consultations, we always get the question: Who were the first inhabitants of the island? Who actually discovered Curaçao? We already know that the island is part of the Dutch kingdom, but who really discovered this gem? In this following piece, we will try to answer these very interesting questions.

Being from the sunny island of Curaçao, I was taught that the island was discovered in the year 1499 by the crew of one of the Spanish ships that were intended to discover a new horizon and the new world outside of the boundaries of the European continent. At least that is what was taught to me in school.

The reality is that Curaçao has always been a popular place in the Caribbean. First, it was the native Indians of South America that migrated to the island. They crossed the Caribbean Sea on their small canoes to settle themselves in caves on the north side of the island. The reason we know this is because of the cave sculptures that are still visible at the Hato Caves of Curaçao. These cave sculptures are actually the oldest documentation of human life on this hidden gem of the Caribbean.

Hato Caves Curaçao

In the years after the arrival of the first Spanish vessel, other European countries took an interest in capturing this ‘newly’ discovered gem. It was the Dutch that ultimately managed to claim and keep the island in the year 1634. The early Dutch presence is still visible through the still-standing architecture in downtown Willemstad Punda.

Downtown Willemstad, Curaçao

Derived from the findings we can say that the native Indians were probably the first to discover this hidden gem, but there is still a lot for you to discover.

Let us help you discover and experience this amazing hidden gem of the Caribbean. Check out one of our private tours, or if you want to discover it on your own, we can help you do that with an online travel consultation so you can plan ahead and make sure you do not miss anything whilst on the island!

Joey - Gone Caribe