The Netherlands may be colored dark red in some areas, but I have the impression that there are quite a few people abroad. And to be honest: I can understand it. We finally had the feeling that after more than a year there was light at the end of the tunnel, and then the government makes dubious decisions that cause infections to soar again. And it is of course true that certain countries are perfectly fine to visit. I just wouldn't really recommend the Netherlands as a holiday destination right now…

What I would recommend is to book a holiday to Curacao. I just came back from there and I can tell you: it is wonderful there. It’s like that all year round, so if you’re still looking for an ideal destination for this autumn or winter — this is where you want to go.

The little moment of happiness when you walk up to a beautiful beach and within three minutes you’re watching the sunset with an Amstel Bright — indescribable. That happened to me at the beach tent Chill Beach Bar, which is part of the Lionsdive Resort. A must-visit if you’re heading to Curacao: the sunset is beautiful there and the atmosphere is so relaxed. And it’s really nice to get that holiday feeling back. The COVID infections in Curacao are hardly worth mentioning and the majority of the population is vaccinated. Masks are only required in shops and casinos.

Well, life in Curacao mainly takes place outdoors, so you hardly notice it. And what does life there entail? Beautiful beaches (Cas Abou! Porto Marie! Klein Curacao!), so many nice restaurants (BijBlauw, Nultwintig, Hemingway, Zanzibar…) and if you prefer something more active, this is a nice infection. I went stand-up paddleboarding — which was quite something given my bizarre phobia of fish — you can snorkel and dive everywhere (I didn’t dare to do that) and a quad tour around the island is highly recommended.

I went to Curacao with actually very few expectations. I thought: I’ll just see how it goes. But I quickly realized that this was exactly what I needed. An ultimate holiday feeling with the clearest water I have ever seen. And all those Amstel Brights… Yes, on holiday I am quite a reasonable alcoholic, but then it’s allowed, right?

And since I stayed for a total of a month, I have gathered a ton of tips. And I will share all of them with you in the coming weeks.