Inside the tiny Caribbean island that's the smallest nation to enter the World Cup - with exquisite beaches, exotic bird life, and the best cocktails in the region

• Home
• News
• Royals
• U.S.
• Sport
• Showbiz
• Lifestyle
• Money
• Crime Desk
• Games
• Travel
• Buyline

• Latest Headlines
• Escape
• Destinations
• Holiday Types
• Holidays
• Expert Reviews
• Mail Travel
• Celebrity Travel

• The world's best hotels for 2026 named in the Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice Awards - and the winner is just £35 a night
• The world's cheapest five-star destinations revealed - and how to bag the best deal on your hotel
• How to avoid EES travel chaos this summer: Our expert reveals everything you need to know about the controversial new system - and steps to take to avoid being stuck
• Find your perfect all-inclusive Caribbean escape: From Jamaica and Antigua to Grenada and St Vincent, our guide to the island resort holiday that's right for you
• Tranquillity, thrills, gourmet food and the great outdoors: Why Orlando is the best holiday you never dreamt of - til now
• Forget touristy Cancun and influencer-laden Tulum - this 200-mile strip of Pacific coastline is the secret to discovering the real Mexico
• Sun, sea and sophistication: Why a holiday to Türkiye offers everything you dream of, at a price that's within reach
• The US city you've been overlooking: Walkable, creative and packed with culture - why Pittsburgh is having a moment
• Brit buys £500 caravans, spends another £500 renovating them - and now sells them for THREE times the price: The tricks anyone can use and the costly mistakes to avoid
• World's 100 best beaches named - and two iconic UK spots make the list
• UK's best airport revealed as Manchester Airport is ranked as the 10th worst in the world following string of brawls, arrests and delays
• The lucky pets who live at some of the world's most lavish hotels, including Toto the tortoise at the Shangri-La in Mauritius and Teddy the Shetland pony at royal favourite The Goring
• Single mum left 'stranded' in Gran Canaria after Ryanair seats her two-year-old daughter on her own on flight home
• Married couple reveal they had a 'holiday divorce' opting for separate 10-day trips without each other - and why others should do the same this summer
• Inside 'Ireland's best hotel', where Taylor Swift once booked an entire floor - with marble bathrooms, leather seats in the LIFT and Dublin's nightlife right on the doorstep
• ADHD sufferer reveals why holidays can be 'so hard' for neurodivergent travellers - and the destinations she finds overwhelming
• The world's best cities for food revealed by Time Out - and London makes the top five
• Inside the Douro Valley wine region cruise ship - and how it gets through the largest lock in Europe, revealed in new Daily Mail documentary
• Why Britain's trains are some of the worst in the world for WiFi - and the country's best routes for coverage
• Europe's most beautiful restaurants named in prestigious Prix Versailles Awards - with an Italian in London's Mayfair making the list
• Inside the sleepy Cotswolds village Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling are getting married in - with fairytale-like thatched cottages and just 940 residents
• Orca spotting, foodie heaven in the wilderness and a jaw-dropping hotel: Why Vancouver and British Columbia are the perfect places to hide if England crash out of the World Cup this summer
• This private island in Croatia is on sale for less than the price of a London house - but there's a catch
• Inside France's six new 'Palace' hotels for 2026 - as 33 properties now hold the 'higher than five-star' status

• READ MORE: Inside the luxury New York hotel offering a $1 million World Cup 2026 final package - with tickets to the match, a private helicopter to the stadium and an on-call massage therapist  
• See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source

By MARK PALMER FOR THE DAILY MAIL

Published: 15:43 BST, 9 June 2026 | Updated: 15:50 BST, 9 June 2026

The odds of Curacao winning the FIFA World Cup are 2,500 to 1, longer than those for any country in the tournament’s history.

But already they are champions of sorts. Because never has such a small country, both by population and size, qualified for the finals.

Curacao (pronounced cure-uhsow) has a population of 158,000 – not far off that of Oxford – and is 38 miles long and up to eight miles wide. 

It’s part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, albeit strictly self-governing, and sits 40 miles off Venezuela in the Caribbean Sea near two other Dutch islands, Aruba and Bonaire.

The opening of the Queen Juliana Bridge in 1974 in its charming capital, Willemstad, was a big deal and, so, too, was the day in 1634 when the Dutch arrived and built the fort, the walls of which still stand.

But now it’s gone football crazy. Billboards proclaim ‘one island, one dream’; ‘the wait is over’ and ‘the day has come’. 

The whole island is over the moon, Gary – and rightly so.

When Curacao plays mighty Germany in its opening match on June 14 in Houston, every man, woman and child – plus, I dare say, the resident iguanas, of which there are many – will be glued to TVs supporting the Blue Wave, as the team is known.

Curacao, part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, is located in the Caribbean Sea

Mark Palmer visited ahead of the FIFA World Cup, in which the Curacao team are playing

‘The island is like a village and yet we will be participating at the greatest sporting event on earth,’ says Magali Gorre, who has special reasons for feeling elated.

Mrs Gorre is the mother of Kenji Gorre, the team’s speedy winger. What’s more, Mrs Gorre’s husband – Kenji’s father – is Dean Gorre, the team’s assistant coach. 

‘We don’t have a chance on paper – but the ball is round, so anything can happen,’ says Mr Gorre, a former professional footballer.

To reach Curacao from the UK requires a hop to Amsterdam and a ten-hour KLM flight, but you are rewarded with exquisite beaches, inspired restaurants and exotic bird life – including the Venezuelan troupial, known as the turpial, which has a bright orange underbelly and white swatches on its wings. 

I meet the Gorres at Sandals Royal Curacao in the island’s south-east, where we are staying. It’s huge, with 361 rooms, 11 restaurants and 13 bars. 

It’s our first experience of an all-inclusive Sandals, and what a joy it is never having to sign for drinks, nor hesitate going for seconds at the buffet (and always giving in to temptation when presented with the dessert menu). 

Our room comes with the use of a Mini Cooper for half a day – quite a perk. We drive the length of the island, ending up at Kleine Knip, a fabulous little beach, where the water is so clear you don’t need goggles to admire the fish. 

Mark stayed at the Sandals Royal Curacao, home to excellent restaurants and coastal views - pictured with the parents of Kenji Gorre, the Curacao football team’s speedy winger

Also included is dinner at a restaurant outside the resort. We opt for Sal, where I’m served the best margarita I’ve ever had in the Caribbean.

Being south of the hurricane corridor, Curacao is arid and nothing much grows locally. Food is imported, mainly from Venezuelan traders, to the floating market in Willemstad.

This is a terrific town with colourful colonial buildings on either side of the harbour that remind me of Bergen in Norway. There’s also the oldest surviving synagogue in the Americas, its sand-covered floor symbolising 40 years of wandering in the desert. 

Exploring Willemstad on Thursday evenings during ‘Punda Vibes’ is essential. You get the full flavour of the island, with bars and restaurants spilling on to streets, as well as live music and fireworks. 

It’s a celebratory vibe, and I can only imagine the delirium later this month if the boys from the Blue Wave somehow pull off a miracle and defeat Germany. The island has my support, that’s for sure.

A week at Sandals Royal Curacao costs from £1,829pp all-inclusive, including transfers (sandals.co.uk). More information at curacao.com. Return flights, via Amsterdam, from around £900 (klm.co.uk). 

TOP TRAVEL STORIES

• Brit buys £500 caravans, spends another £500 renovating them - and now sells them for THREE times the price: The tricks anyone can use and the costly mistakes to avoid
  
• UK's best airport revealed as Manchester Airport is ranked as the 10th worst in the world following string of brawls, arrests and delays
  
• Single mum left 'stranded' in Gran Canaria after Ryanair seats her two-year-old daughter on her own on flight home
  
• US tourists are 'tricked' into paying 44 euros for two ice creams in Rome
  
• The world's best hotels for 2026 named in the Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice Awards - and the winner is just £35 a night
  
• The world's best cities for food revealed by Time Out - and London makes the top five
  
• The world's cheapest five-star destinations revealed - and how to bag the best deal on your hotel
  
• Is your British staycation tacky - and where is the classiest?
  
• London's luxury secret garden is reopening this summer and anyone can visit - but there's a strict dress code to follow
  
• Cruise ship in dramatic rescue of a 74-year-old man caught in storm
  
• Most underrated coastal spots in Europe - from remote Finnish archipelago to the crystal-clear waters of the 'Maldives of Europe'
  
• Global Airlines finally announces new routes from the UK - a year after its first and only two flights took off
  
• Europe's 10 best beaches revealed - with dazzling turquoise waters, unmatched views of beautiful sunsets and fresh seafood
  
• Beaches across Britain left in 'absolute mess' following UK heatwave, with overflowing bins, glass bottles and disposable barbecues left behind - forcing furious locals to endure two-day clean-up
  
• This private, 243-acre Greek island is on sale for half the price of a London flat... but there is a catch!
  
• The 'Maldives of Africa' is getting direct flights from the UK for the first time - and hotel stays are as little as £13.50 a night
  
• Revealed: The breathtaking National Geographic Traveller UK Photography Competition 2026 winners
  
• Every time we go on holiday it's to a Greek island - and here are the best four (but if you're thinking of visiting Mykonos, don't bother!)
  
• UK-bound easyJet flight diverts to Rome as power bank is found in passenger's luggage
  
• Tourists still abandoning Cyprus three months after drone attack - with deserted pools and beaches, empty hotels, and cruise bookings down by 50 per cent
  
• Forget Cornwall, THESE are the best places to buy a beachfront bolthole: Ultimate guide to little-known 'up and coming' coastline havens (without the massive premium)
  
• Inside the secret art of hotel towel twisting: Artist reveals how she makes fluffy crocodiles, frogs, dogs and tiny bunnies for guests
  
• Hedsor House owner reveals what it takes to run the luxury manor house built for Queen Charlotte and loved by Gemma Collins and the Beckhams - and how Nicole Kidman film was driving force behind the business' success
  
• I've been visiting the Caribbean for 25 years: these are the BEST boutique hotels for every island, from luxury hideaways to bargain gems on hidden beaches: NIGEL TISDALL
  
• As London is named the world capital of culture, the Daily Mail Travel team reveal their must-do experiences from the UK city
  
• All the train upgrades we'll see across the UK this year - from wind power to a new £250million train station
  
• The White Lotus season four filming location confirmed as luxury £1,178-a-night Paris hotel alongside the Château de La Messardière in Saint-Tropez
  
• Awkward moment Disneyland visitor caught sneaking child into theme park in pram
  
• Make like Kate! Princess of Wales puts Northern Italy's forgotten region, home to the 'King of Cheeses' - and a Mafia past - on the map
  
• The French seaside town offering a week of discounts and activities only for British tourists in the hopes of tempting them back this summer - and you don't even have to fly there
  
• The most beautiful new hotels in the world named in the prestigious Prix Versailles awards - and prices start from just £134 a night
  
• The overseas spa breaks that are cheaper to fly to than staying in the UK - with £15 flights taking you to retreats with whirlpools and mud baths
  
• The 16 most breathtaking sites in northern Italy - including a 'rainbow lake', electricity-free theme park and pyramid-like rock formations emerging from the forest
  
• The countries where you can still get a golden visa - for less than the price of a UK home
  
• British family's £3,000 Egypt holiday was ruined when they turned up to their hotel to find a 'construction site, faeces-covered toilets, a playground that gave electric shocks' and the food made them ill
  
• World's first women-only beach opens in Dubai - with night swimming, fitness zones and all-female staff
  
• The holiday destinations that have DROPPED in price since the Iran war - with trips to the USA costing £117 per person less now than in February
  
• The UK's best family-friendly camping sites: Record numbers will pitch a tent this summer amid the jet fuel crisis... Here's where to go and the exact outdoor gadgets to take (and what's not worth your money)
  
• Can YOU answer this GCSE Maths question? You can get £50 off your holiday this summer if you can work out this tricky problem only 8% of adults get right
  
• London named world's best city for culture in 2026 - here's the full list
  
• I completed one of Britain's toughest hiking challenges - here's what it's really like climbing 23 miles in under 24 hours
  
• Inside the car-free Devon seaside village that's so pristine you have to pay £10.90 to enter
  
• UK beach closed to the public for 20 years could soon reopen following hundreds storming the fences for 'protest picnics'
  
• Disney cruise abruptly cancelled and passengers forced to 'panic pack' and disembark due to mechanical fault on the ship
  
• How hotels are stopping the 6am sunbed wars this summer after man wins payout
  
• Spain's hidden gems: As bookings soar, where to avoid the crowds during May half-term
  
• Ultra-glam resort loved by Elizabeth Taylor FINALLY set to reopen following five-year beach access row
  
• UK's worst railway operator for 2026 revealed - with almost 7% of services delayed or cancelled and 'trains in need of repair'
  
• Emirates named world's most profitable airline and has record-breaking year - despite Iran war grounding planes. How has it done this?
  
• How to travel like Sir David Attenborough as he celebrates his 100th birthday - from Madagascan safaris to snorkelling among 40,000 puffins in Wales
  
• Inside the Canary Islands lighthouse that was left in ruin - and now houses a luxury hotel with an infinity pool, private viewing deck and beacon that still works today
  
• Universal Studios Orlando set to close much-loved Island of Adventures area to make way for mystery new section
  
• Somerset couple reveal how they bought a caravan and now holiday 240 nights a year for just £3.60 per person - and get access to a private beach
  
• World's best airport lounges for 2026 revealed - and a surprising UK entry makes the list
  
• The Paris neighbourhoods to visit to avoid the crowds and €5 croissants with NO tourists in sight - as city set to get new direct train from airport
  
• What it's like on the boozy pub crawl that's been named London's 'best tourist experience' by Tripadvisor - and one of the best in the world
  
• Dramatic moment disruptive passenger HALTS airline by screaming at flight attendants for speaking English in chaotic scenes
  
• Unique photos reveal Britain's weirdest tourist attractions - including a fairy glen, 'house in the clouds', and a pyramid built by Queen Victoria
  
• The world's biggest scams tourists need to watch out for or risk losing thousands - from 'bird poo' trick to £1,500 kebab rip-offs
  
• All the reasons you could be DOWNGRADED on a flight - and what your rights are if it happens to you
  
• Cruise captain reveals the perks of a career at sea - including his wife getting FREE holidays for life
  
• EXCLUSIVEBashed and arrested at a Thailand airport for a simple mistake: The warning signs are 'small', the consequences brutal - and you can be banned for life
  
• The Brits living the American dream: New TV show Escape to Florida reveals why so many of us start new lives in the Sunshine State
  
• What it's really like to sleep in your boot using Aldi's £69.99 car tent - and why some 'snooty' campsites say they won't accept tourists who bring them
  
• Easyjet initially refused to refund £4,000 stag do flights after groom's two-year-old was diagnosed with aggressive brain tumour
  
• Luxury UK holiday company in Belfast becomes yet another AI casualty forced to close after 23 years - so where did it all go wrong for travel agents?
  
• Taste expert reveals the middle-class holiday habits that are actually tacky - are you guilty of any of them?
  
• The Spanish village offering free houses and a secure job - but you'll need to bring some skills
  
• Free activities and events across the UK this May Bank Holiday - from a Pitbull lookalike competition to top beaches, gardens, and a pint on the house
  
• How to outsmart a pickpocket: Expert reveals the anti-theft gadgets tourists should always carry while travelling, as report reveals travel scams are at an all-time high
  
• How taking photos of British Airways flight attendants could get you banned from the airline for LIFE
  
• Restaurants in Austria charging up to €11 for empty plates in nationwide clampdown on meal sharing
  
• World's best beaches for 2026 named - and a Greek gem comes in second place
  
• Emirates reveals plans for the world's first en-suite bathrooms on planes
  
• How to see Ibiza's greatest sunset ever as Spanish island gets ready for once-in-a-lifetime total solar eclipse
  
• The top Polish destinations to add to your bucket list as travel to Eastern Europe set to boom, including one with £15 flights and £2.50 pints - and the 'Alps of Poland'
  
• The world's top tourist attractions and experiences revealed by Tripadvisor - and a UK spot takes the crown
  
• Stephen Mulhern bringing his hit magic show to P&O Cruises ship this summer
  
• Warning over new 'reservation hijack' travel scam pressuring holidaymakers to hand over payment details
  
• Wales' most beautiful hidden gems revealed in breathtaking pictures - from one of Europe's best beaches to a lighthouse with dramatic views of the Irish Sea
  
• Spanish bars are ordered to SHUT outdoor terraces for drinking and eating this summer if it's too hot and sunny
  
• Holidays to Turkey are half the price now of what they were in 2024 - these are the 10 best things to do there and the hidden gems
  
• The 10 cheapest destinations to fly to this summer - and which week of the year can save you more than £200
  
• 'World's first electric airline' plunges into liquidation less than three years after being launched by Just Stop Oil backer Dale Vince - and it never got one plane in the air
  
• The holiday destination swaps for expensive cities - including Paris, Barcelona and New York - that could save you hundreds this summer
  
• British Airways forced to downgrade thousands of loyalty club members due to 'error'
  
• Swap Egypt for this Spanish escape with Red Sea-style waters, pink lakes and flamingos - just two hours from the UK
  
• Inside the world's creepiest abandoned hotels - from Asia's most haunted hotel to a Marie Celeste town of 587 mini castles
  
• 'Humiliated' British holidaymaker forced to pay £55 for her daughter's carry-on - after being caught out by Ryanair's 'petty' wording
  
• The countries with the best work-life balance in 2026 revealed - including the destination offering 54 weeks of paid maternity leave
  
• Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary claims Wizz Air and airBaltic won't survive the winter due to jet fuel crisis
  
• From the Maldives to Venice, the 17 tourist destinations that could be wiped off the map by the end of the century
  
• World's best restaurants for 2026 revealed - and a London spot with a £380 tasting menu takes the crown
  
• The crafty wording airlines use in travel policies that passengers need to watch out for - and why 'priority' doesn't always mean you'll get on the plane first
  
• The UK's best zoo named as Northern attraction for the second year running
  
• The world's longest flight is set to take off from Sydney to London in 2027
  
• Which Canary island is your perfect holiday match? TUI travel agent reveals how to pick the right one
  
• UK's top 100 restaurants revealed - here's the full list
  
• Americans are just discovering the 'quaint seaside town' of Liverpool due to a rush in cruise ships heading to the Northern city - and their reactions are confusing Brits
  
• The best walkable cities for 2026 revealed - and four UK spots make the top 100
  
• Cornwall tourist tax will 'choke' small business already on the brink over Labour rate hikes - with holidaymakers facing shut-down hotels and closed restaurants
  
• Where's hot in May and June? The world's sunniest holiday destinations revealed
  
• Ryanair threatens to axe ALL flights to Malta as airport sees long queues and border check delays
  
• All the airlines adding extra charges and cancelling flights amid the jet fuel shortage as easyJet boss warns there's just 'three weeks' left
  
• New 'daily' tourist tax introduced in popular Spanish cruise ship destination
  
• The best travel discount clubs revealed - offering members hundreds off holidays to Rhodes and the Maldives for just £30 a year
  
• Beautiful beaches, constant sunshine and no crowds! Our top expert reveals their ultimate guide to the best holidays in May... no matter your budget
  
• Brits' favourite UK and European destinations revealed - as the Lake District comes out on top
  
• Spain's Santiago de Compostela Airport to be closed for FIVE WEEKS leading to Ryanair and British Airways flight cancellations
  
• Inside Croatia's secret coastal city with €2.50 wine, alpine views and access to four small islands
  
• The busiest European airports for Brits as EES border checks cause delays
  
• The UK's best staycations revealed by the Daily Mail's Travel team - from a Gara Rock beach proposal to an £80-a-night mansion retreat
  
• The world's most family-friendly landmarks revealed - with six UK spots making the top 50
  
• How to retire to the seaside for as little as £90,000 - and Britain's best hidden beach home spots
  
• How planes and airports are even dirtier than you think - and the germ-laden seats at 30,000ft to avoid
  
• New business class seats with IMAX-style wrap-around screens revealed - making passengers feel like they're in the cinema
  
• ALL the travel updates making your holidays more expensive, from jet fuel prices to Air Passenger Duty hikes and new border rules
  
• The European airports where Brits are facing hours-long queues and missed flights due to the new Entry/Exit System rules
  
• The 20 UK 'no-go' beaches for swimming this spring revealed - with contaminated waters, sewage and dump waste polluting the sea
  
• The world's best food markets revealed - and a UK spot comes in second place
  
• UK's Pier of the Year 2026 revealed - beating 62 other seafront icons to the top spot
  
• What Booking.com's huge data breach means for holidaymakers - and how travel scams are getting harder to spot
  
• Manchester Piccadilly tells passengers 'do not travel' with cancellations and severe delays affecting all trains
  
• The UK's 10 best hotels for under £100 - and how to bag the cheapest room rate =
• Why shark attacks are on the rise as holidaymaker fights for his life after Maldives horror bite - as experts blame influencers
  
• Major German airline cancels hundreds of flights as pilots go on strike - affecting 50,000 passengers
  
• Mexico is named the happiest and most affordable country for Brits to move to in 2026 - with £1,081 monthly living costs and 2,529 sunshine hours a year
  
• More European flight chaos as major airline to extend strike by another two days
  
• British tourists warned as Tenerife police clamp down on mobility scooter misuse with fines of up to £900
  
• Air New Zealand launches new economy class sleep pods
  
• Say no to Chub Class! Airlines shouldn't make seats bigger for fat people - they just need to lose weight and stop moaning, says Fat Families presenter STEVE MILLER
  
• Spanish airline demands extra fees from passengers who have already paid due to jet fuel prices
  
• The charming village only 30 minutes from London that's been dubbed 'the prettiest in England'
  
• Revealed: The free hack to guaranteeing you don't get the middle seat on a Ryanair flight
  
• Can celeb holidaymakers save Center Parcs? After complaints over 'criminal' prices, 'tacky' food and drunken louts ruining middle class family getaways, why stars including Dani Dyer are flocking to its woodland chalets
  
• Rachel Reeves' 'holiday tax' will add £500million a year to the cost of UK breaks, business owners warn
  
• I was Madame Tussauds' biggest fan until this week... I despaired at what I saw - and Ariana Grande should be insulted!
  
• Inside the UK's best abandoned railway tunnels and viaducts - from Grade II-listed structures to one nicknamed 'The Spider Bridge'
  
• Jersey asks the UK government for help as residents are being wrongly denied boarding at airports in a string of passport issues
  
• Direct London-Sydney flights one step closer as passengers demand routes avoiding Gulf
  
• I escaped my boring London suburb and moved to glamorous Paris - but there's a dark side to dating in the City of Love that no one tells you about
  
• Inside the UFO hotel in Wales - with 'spacecraft' door, NASA-designed interiors and Doctor Who TARDIS bathroom
  
• Inside the world's creepiest abandoned airports - from a disused Kent base to the German hub with a Nazi past
  
• How I avoided paying Ryanair's pesky add-on luggage fees with a 16-pocket coat... and I packed a week's worth of clothes!
  
• Frustrated passengers report 'complete chaos' at European airports as EU's new digital border system becomes official today - but passport machines stand idle at Eurostar terminal
  
• Strike action in Spain set to hit 14 airports across the country bringing travel chaos
  
• Britain's most beautiful hidden holiday spots as summer weather creeps in - including the 'slice of Italy in North Wales' and the 'Hawaii of the North'
  
• The best tax-free countries for Brits to relocate to in 2026 revealed - and the top costs just £580 a month to live
  
• An entire Irish village is on sale for £20m - and it includes a pub and watermill
  
• World's best new hotels for 2026 revealed - and two are in the UK
  

• Follow DailyMail
• Subscribe Daily Mail
• Follow @dailymail
• Follow DailyMail
• Follow MailOnline
• Follow Daily Mail

LATEST TRAVEL NEWS

• Tourists warned as Goa taxi protest turns violent
• Parliament to debate cost of term-time holidays
• New Brazil yoga retreats for World Cup widows
• Outer Hebrides boasts stunning airport approach
• Lewis Hamilton to star in Top Gear festival
• Thailand set to lose £1.6bn in tourism revenue
• 14% of Brits abroad refuse to speak local dialect
• Egypt bombing: New FCO advice to UK tourists
• India to cut red tape and issue visas on arrival
• Qatar Airways' new all-business class flights
• Rise in British travellers visiting Germany
• Brits rate cuisine as essential part of holiday
• London to Glasgow train to host comedy gig
• British sounds in £2.5m tourism advert
• Two-fifths of parents would risk term-time trip

TravelMail Partners

•   Free prepaid MasterCard for your Euros or Dollars
•   Save up to 85% on phone calls on holiday

Source: Dailymail.com