Klein Curaçao in December: Weather, Boat Trips & Christmas Travel

You can do a Klein Curaçao day trip in December, and the island is as warm as in any other month: the average high is about 30°C (87°F). December still sits in Curaçao’s wetter season, with about 86 mm of rain falling on 10 days on average, and the Christmas and New Year weeks are when the boats fill fastest. Book your seat as soon as your dates are fixed, put the trip early in your stay so a cancelled sailing has a spare day to move to, and judge the forecast by wind and waves, because a passing shower does not keep the boats in port. For most people the Mermaid full-day boat trip ($155, 4.8/5 from 361 reviews) is the one to book, because its beach house gives you shade and cover when a shower comes through.

December at a glance

Planning factor	What to know
Getting there	Klein Curaçao is an uninhabited island about 15 miles offshore, reached only by boat
Length of the day	A standard trip takes about 9 hours, marina to marina
Price	$140 to $160 per adult on the scheduled boats
Rain	About 86 mm on 10 days in December, usually in short showers
Wind	About 11.2 knots on average, close to full trade-wind strength
Main sights	White-sand beach, turquoise water, the lighthouse and the shipwreck
Snorkeling	Optional, and only where the crew says the water is safe
Booking	Book as soon as your dates are fixed for the Christmas and New Year weeks

Rain and wind figures are the Meteorological Department Curaçao’s monthly averages, as summarised in our month-by-month weather guide.

What makes December different

Three things meet in December: holiday demand, the last weeks of the wetter season and a crossing of open water. A normal beach day on Curaçao is hardly affected by any of them. A Klein Curaçao trip is affected by all three, because each boat sails once a day and stays in port when the sea is too rough.

Before you pick a boat, think about where you are staying, who is coming, how you handle a boat in a swell, whether you plan to snorkel and whether you are happy to spend most of a day offshore. The marinas are on the Spanish Water and Jan Thiel side of the island, so a hotel in Westpunt adds a long early drive.

If all you want is a few hours on a beach, the beaches on Curaçao itself cost far less. Klein Curaçao earns its price when the trip out to a remote island is part of what you want from the day.

Choosing a boat for December

Five boats sail the scheduled day trip. Two run a beach house on the island; the others bring chairs or keep you on and around the boat.

Operator	What you get	What to check for your date	Our pick on GetYourGuide or Viator
Mermaid	Motor vessel, exclusive beach house with palapas, about 2 hours each way from Spanish Water	It does not sail on Saturdays	Mermaid full-day trip: $155, 4.8/5 from 361 reviews
Miss Ann	Motor yacht, beach house with a bar and showers, about an hour each way from Marina Santa Barbara	Which departure and inclusions your ticket covers	Miss Ann yacht trip with beach house access: $155, 4.8/5 from 292 reviews
Irie Tours	Catamaran with open bar and free pickup at Jan Thiel; beach chairs, no beach house	Whether your hotel is inside the pickup zone	Irie Tours catamaran day trip: $140, 4.7/5 from 127 reviews
BlueFinn Charters	Sailing catamaran from Jan Thiel, about 1 hour 45 minutes out	Beach shade, group size and pickup	BlueFinn sailing catamaran: $140, 4.7/5 from 1,608 reviews on Viator
Gold Seahorse	Catamaran yacht with a toilet on board and the shortest day	Departure time and what is served	Gold Seahorse catamaran yacht tour: $160, 4.5/5 from 311 reviews

Food, soft drinks and snorkel gear come with most of these trips. Alcohol, beach beds, transfers, showers and guided snorkeling vary by boat, so read the inclusions on the listing before you pay. In December a beach house matters more than usual: the island is almost treeless, and the Mermaid’s palapas or Miss Ann’s beach house are where you wait out a shower. Book Miss Ann if you want the shorter crossing, and the Mermaid if you would rather sail with the most-reviewed boat on the route.

What a December trip costs

Scheduled boats charge per seat; a private charter charges for the whole boat. For a couple, two seats cost $280 on Irie Tours or BlueFinn, $310 on the Mermaid or Miss Ann and $320 on the Gold Seahorse, before a taxi to the marina. BlueFinn charges $75 for children aged 4 to 12, according to its own site.

With four or more people, compare a private boat such as the Captain Dirk private boat tour ($517 for up to four people, 4.9/5 from 9 reviews, still a small sample). Our private charter guide shows when a whole boat beats buying seats.

When you compare boats, add the taxi to the marina, the length of the day, food, drinks, beach facilities and what happens if the sailing is cancelled. The $155 Miss Ann seat can be better value than the $140 Irie seat if you want showers and a covered bar on the island. Irie suits you better if the open bar, the sailing and a livelier crowd matter more than a beach house. For the full breakdown, see what each boat costs and what the money buys.

Rain, wind and cancellations in December

The crossing to Klein Curaçao is open sea. The sun can be out and the water still choppy, and a grey morning with a passing shower can be perfectly fine for sailing. Curaçao’s Meteorological Department counts October to January as the rainy season and February to May as the dry season. December’s showers are usually short, and the bigger factor on the boat is the trade wind, which averages about 11.2 knots in December.

The night before, look at the wind and wave forecast and the risk of thunderstorms, not only the chance of rain. The outward leg runs into the wind and is the rougher half of the day; take seasickness tablets before you board. Our guide to the best boat if you get seasick compares the hulls.

Every operator offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure. When the captain cancels for weather, you can usually move to another date or get a refund under your booking terms; cancelling yourself inside 24 hours because you dislike the forecast is treated differently.

Book the trip for the first days of your stay and keep a spare day after it. In the Christmas and New Year weeks the next free seat can be several days away. Do not take a trip that returns close to a cruise ship’s all-aboard time or a flight.

Christmas and New Year sailings

No operator publishes a holiday timetable, so a regular weekly schedule does not tell you whether a boat sails on 25 December or 1 January. Check your exact date on the listing’s calendar before you plan around it. In 2026, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day both fall on a Friday, and 26 December is a Saturday, when the Mermaid does not sail.

The weeks between Christmas and early January are the busiest of the month. In a normal high-season week, booking two or three days ahead is usual; over the holidays, book once your flights are fixed so you are not left choosing between full boats.

Making the most of the island

Leave time for the beach as well as the snorkeling. You can walk to the old lighthouse and look at the shipwreck on foot, but the ground is open, uneven and hot, so wear shoes and carry water. Do not climb on the wreck: it is unstable. The sea stays between about 26°C and 28°C (79°F to 83°F) all year, but visibility, currents and the safe places to get in change from day to day, so follow the crew’s instructions.

Non-swimmers can have a good day here too. For them, how you get from the anchored boat to the beach, where the nearest toilet is and whether a dinghy runs during the day matter more than which boat advertises snorkel gear. Read our beach guide for the layout of the island.

Booking checklist for December

Confirm the date and departure time on the listing, not only the operator’s usual weekly timetable.
Check the marina and check-in time; they are not the same as a hotel pickup time.
Read the cancellation terms on your booking before you pay.
Check the age, swimming and boarding rules for everyone in your group.
Ask about toilets on the island, how often the beach transfer runs, shade and sunbeds.
Keep valuables in a dry bag, and bring reef-safe sunscreen, water, a hat and shoes you can walk in.
Give sea turtles and other wildlife space: never touch, feed, chase or block them.

Our packing list for Klein Curaçao covers the rest.

Frequently asked questions

Does December rain ruin the trip?

Rarely. December averages about 86 mm of rain on 10 days, usually in short local showers, and the boats sail through light rain. No day is guaranteed dry, so a boat with a beach house gives you somewhere covered to wait.

Do boats sail to Klein Curaçao on Christmas Day?

Check your exact date on the listing. No operator publishes a holiday schedule, and a regular weekly timetable does not confirm a sailing on 25 December or 1 January.

Should I book a boat with a beach house in December?

It helps. The Mermaid and Miss Ann run beach houses with shade on the island; Irie Tours and BlueFinn are catamaran trips with chairs or shade on board. With showers more likely than in spring, the cover is worth the extra $15 a seat for many people.

Do I need to snorkel to enjoy Klein Curaçao?

No. The beach, the lighthouse, the shipwreck, the food and the boat ride are reasons to go on their own. If you are not swimming, check how you get ashore and where the shade is.

Will the crossing be calm in December?

Do not count on it. The trade wind averages about 11 knots in December, and even on a dry, sunny day the open-sea run can be choppy. If you get seasick easily, take tablets before boarding and tell the crew.

Which operator should I choose in December?

The Mermaid or Miss Ann if you want a beach house to shelter in, Irie Tours or BlueFinn if you want a catamaran day with sailing. Check the live details and whether the trip suits everyone in your group before you pay.

What happens if my December trip is cancelled?

It depends on your booking terms. Free cancellation runs up to 24 hours before departure, and when the operator cancels for unsafe seas you can usually move the date or get a refund. Cancelling yourself close to departure can cost you the fare.

Our December advice

December is warm and in the last weeks of Curaçao’s wetter season, and a Klein Curaçao trip is still a good day out whenever the sea allows it. Book well ahead for the Christmas weeks, keep a spare day after the trip, and tell a passing shower apart from strong wind, high waves or thunderstorms.

To pick a boat, compare the boats side by side or read which Klein Curaçao boat trip is right for you. Coming a few weeks later? See Klein Curaçao in January.