Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, the island of Curaçao was hard hit by the abolition of slavery in 1863. Its prosperity was restored in the early 20th century with the construction of oil refineries to service the newly discovered Venezuelan oil fields. The island of Sint Maarten is shared with France ; its northern portion is named "Saint-Martin" and is part of Guadeloupe .
The Antilles are part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands , but with full internal autonomy.
Tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds.
Five islands in two groups. Generally hilly, volcanic interiors.
Tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds.
Leeward Islands
Windward Islands
There is an airport on each island.
Ports and harbors at Kralendijk, Philipsburg , Willemstad .
The different islands of the Netherlands Antilles vary enormously and so do the accommodations. On Bonaire it is forbidden to build higher than three floors up, resulting in many smaller accommodations scattered along the islands coast. On the largest island Curaçao, you will find basically any kind of accommodation, from large hotel chains to small privately owned properties that you can rent per week or even per day. Some good places to stay include:
![[^]](http://static.explorra.com/img/link.png "External link to: http://www.plazaresortbonaire.com"){kind=small}
Enjoy the best of Bonaire scuba diving at Plaza Resort Bonaire, a dive resort that offers spacious accommodations in a magnificent sun-drenched setting. Less than five minutes' drive from the airport, our air-conditioned Bonaire villas and suites feature beautiful views of the lagoon, marina, or ocean. With an on-site PADI dive center and invigorating activity options like snorkeling and windsurfing, you'll soon discover why we are the perfect destination for a sunny vacation in Bonaire. $190-$300 USD per room, per night.
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Globe-trotterTodd VerBeek, Stephen Atkins and Yann Forget, Tatatabot, ChubbyWimbus, Ypsilon, Episteme, Pashley, InterLangBot, Bijee, Engelshai and CIAWorldFactbook2002
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