Netherlands Antilles travel advice

This advice has been reviewed and reissued with an amendment to the Summary (Swine Flu). The overall level of the advice has not changed.

Travel Summary

• The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its Pandemic Threat Alert Phase to Level 6. The WHO website at http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html has further details. Check Swine Flu for further information.
  
  
• The nearest British Diplomatic Mission for the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao) is the British Embassy in Caracas . For St Maarten it is the British High Commission in Barbados . There is an Honorary Consulate in Curaçao where you can receive general assistance. See the General (Consular Representation) section of this advice for more details.
  
  

• We are not aware of any British nationals who required consular assistance in the Dutch Caribbean in 2008 but you should be aware that the Islands are used as a drug passageway from South America to Europe and North America. Never leave bags unattended nor agree to carry a package for anyone.
  
  

• Officially, as a tourist you may enter for only 14 days but extensions are easily available. See the Entry Requirements section of this advice for more details.
  
  

• The hurricane season in the Dutch Caribbean normally runs from June to November. See the Natural Disasters section of this advice and Tropical cyclones for more details.
  
  

• There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.
  
  

• We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. See General (Insurance) section of this advice and Travel Insurance for more details.

Safety and security

Terrorism

There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers. For more general information see Terrorism Abroad.

Crime

Most visits to the Dutch Caribbean are trouble-free, however petty theft and street crime is a concern. There is violent crime amongst members of the illegal drugs world, but this rarely affects tourists. The main tourist areas are generally safe, but you are advised to take normal precautions and, for example, do not wander alone off the main roads, especially at night. Never take valuables to the beach. Make sure purses and handbags are closed and not easy to snatch.

Unfortunately, the islands continue to be used to smuggle illegal drugs from South America to Europe and North America. You should have a heightened sense of awareness of this problem and never leave bags unattended, nor under any circumstances discuss or agree to carry a package for anyone. Some airports have installed "body scanners" and it is possible you may be required to have a scan. Dutch authorities generally screen all baggage and passengers from the Dutch Caribbean.

For more general information see Victims of Crime Abroad.

Local Travel

Small buses are available to get around the islands. When taking a taxi, always check that it is a registered one and negotiate the price before taking the ride. Most taxis do not have meters. Remote areas should be avoided at night.

Road Travel

Traffic drives on the right-hand side - serious traffic jams are rare except in St. Maarten. Main road conditions are relatively good, but roads can become slippery when wet.

For more general information see Driving Abroad.

Local laws and customs

Local laws are essentially similar to Dutch law.

For more general information for different types of travellers see Your Trip.

Entry requirements

Visas

Tourist entry is generally only for 14 days. Extensions are available at immigration.

Immigration is handled on an island to island basis so your passport is needed even when travelling from one island to another. However, there are no border formalities when crossing St Maarten from the Dutch side to the French side.

Passport validity

The official requirement is that passports must have at least six months’ validity on arrival.

Travelling with children

Single parents or other adults travelling alone with children should be aware that some countries require documentary evidence of parental responsibility before allowing lone parents to enter the country or, in some cases, before permitting the children to leave the country. For further information on exactly what will be required at immigration please contact the Royal Netherlands Embassy in London.

Health

Medical facilities are good on all the larger islands.

The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is not valid in any part of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba.

You should bring insect repellent with you.

You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see HIV and AIDS.

You should seek medical advice before travelling to Netherlands Antilles and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date. For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of the National Travel Heath Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) and NHS Scotland's Fit For Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

For more general health information see Travel Health.

Natural disasters

The hurricane season in the Dutch Caribbean normally runs from June to November. You should monitor local and international weather updates from the Meteorological service of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba and the World Meteorological Organisation. You can also access the National Hurricane Centre. For more general information see Tropical cyclones.

Most hurricanes pass well to the north of the ABC (Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao)islands, which have no record of a recent major hurricane; there areoccasional tropical storms. However, St. Maarten, Statia and Saba, andmany other islands in the northern and eastern Caribbean haveexperienced some quite severe hurricanes in the last decade.

General

Insurance

We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. For more general information see Travel Insurance.

If things do go wrong when you are oversees then this is How We Can Help.

The Netherlands Antilles and Aruba

The Netherlands Antilles and Aruba are separate countries (within the Kingdom of the Netherlands), with separate governments, central banks etc. The southern group (the "ABC" islands) lie within 50 miles of Venezuela while the northern group, consisting of St Maarten, St Eustatius (Statia) and Saba are some 600 miles to the north east, about 100 miles east of Puerto Rico. St Maarten is the Dutch side of an island that is half French (St Martin).

Consular Registration

Register with our LOCATE service to tell us when and where you are travelling abroad or where you live abroad so our consular and crisis staff can provide better assistance to you in an emergency. More information about registering with LOCATE can be found here.

Consular Assistance

There is an Honorary Consulate in Curaçao where passport, visa forms, emergency travel documents and general assistance can be obtained. Passport and visa forms are also available at the Parliament Building in Back Street, St Maarten and from the Bureau of Foreign Affairs in Aruba.

The nearest British Diplomatic Mission for the ABC islands is the British Embassy in Caracas. For St Maarten it is the British High Commission in Barbados.

Money

The local currency is the Antillean guilder (NAf) for the Netherlands Antilles and the Aruban Guilder (Afl). For both currencies 100 cents equals a guilder and both have been fixed to the US Dollar at approximately 1.80 NAf to 1USD for over 35 years. Local currency and US Dollar ATM machines (Maestro/Cirrus) are situated all over the islands. Major credit cards are accepted in practically all tourist establishments.