On all three islands, most shops and business are normally
open Monday to Saturday 8am-noon and 2-6pm, with a few places on Curaçao opening on Sunday mornings if cruise ships are in port.
Banks are generally open Monday to Friday 8am-3.30pm, and some close for lunch; the bank at Curaçao's airport is open Monday to Saturday 8am-8pm and on Sundays 9am-4pm.
Of the many festivals and celebrations on the islands, the one that all three share is Carnival , which on Aruba and Bonaire officially begins forty days before Lent, and is celebrated with parades, steel bands, costumes and colourful floats, though Bonaire's Carnival is smaller than those on the other islands. Curaçao has a month-long Carnival season, which kicks off on New Year's Day and culminates with a grand parade on the day before Ash Wednesday. Emotions run high during the four-day Tumba festival , a preamble to Carnival, when local musicians compete to have their piece ( tumba ) selected as the official road song.
During the rest of the year, Aruba's calendar includes One Cool Summer , a festival from May to October that features concerts, traditional food, and cultural and sporting events; the Hi Winds Pro-Am Windsurfing competition in June, which draws international competitors of all ages and skill levels; Dera Gai on June 24, a folkloric celebration commemorating the harvest; and the annual Festival de las Americas in October, a music celebration showcasing the unique rhythms of the Americas.
Outside Carnival, Bonaireans have a number of events to look forward to: the Simadan harvest festival in Rincon in April, when locals pay tribute to the farmers with traditional music and costumes; the week-long Bonaire Dive Festival in June, when activities and games focus on raising awareness of the importance of the coral reefs; and the International Sailing Regatta in October. The events of the preceding twelve months are recapped in song and dance during the colourful Bari Festival held in December.
Curaçao has a number of international events, including its regatta (late Jan or early Feb), when sailors from around the world compete in races near Willemstad; the J azz Festival in May; and the Salsa Festival (dates vary in summer), which attracts popular international stars.
Public holidays
The following holidays are observed on all three islands, unless specified otherwise.
January 1 New Year's Day
January 25 G.F. Croes Day (Aruba)
Monday before Ash Wednesday Carnival Monday (Aruba)
March 18 National Anthem and Flag Day (Aruba)
March/April Good Friday and Easter Monday
April 30 Queen's Birthday and Rincon Day (Bonaire)
May 1 Labour Day
May 24 Ascension Day
July 2 Curaçao Flag Day
September 6 Bonaire Flag Day
December 25 and 26 Christmas
December 31 New Year's Eve
