Currently the market is trending downward slowly, but the popular areas to buy remain near Willemstad and on the water.

BBC: Living in: the ABC islands

The secluded beaches on the western coast of the island, from Willemstad north to Westpunt, are popular for snorkelling and sunbathing.

BBC: Living in: the ABC islands

It will take over government assets such as a large oil refinery and one of the Caribbean's biggest dry docks, both in Willemstad, the capital, and the taxes from thriving tourist and offshore-banking industries.

ECONOMIST: Cura?ao savours the prospect of autonomy

The capital Willemstad, settled in 1634, is the financial and commercial centre of life on the island, as well as a Unesco World Heritage Site, thanks to its well-preserved, cotton-candy-coloured Dutch Colonial architecture and buildings like the Mikve Israel Synagogue, the oldest synagogue in use in the Western Hemisphere.

BBC: Living in: the ABC islands