Curaçao is quiet this year, with one caveat on the numbers.
Dengue has been low in 2026 and the trade wind keeps most biting insects down. Dengue isn't a notifiable disease on the island, though, so official counts run short, and the 2023–24 outbreak ran straight through the winter.
Curaçao is dry and windy, and dengue has been quiet in 2026. There is one caveat. Dengue isn't a notifiable disease on the island, so official counts run short, and the 2023–24 outbreak ran straight through the winter. Wear daytime repellent when you're out, especially after rain, and put more on your ankles and calves for dawn and dusk on the beach, when sand flies bite. There is no malaria.
Curaçao is the C in the ABC islands, and like Aruba it is dry and windy for most of the winter. The trade wind keeps biting insects down on most days, and for a typical visitor that means few bites. The exceptions are predictable. Sand flies come out at dawn and dusk on sheltered beaches, mosquitoes pick up after rain, and the island's dengue record is harder to read than its quiet 2026 suggests.
Quiet in 2026, with a caveat on the numbers
The Dutch travel-health center LCR reported only low or sporadic dengue on Curaçao in 2026 through early August. As of late January, the health ministry reported no chikungunya on the island and had announced preventive measures because of chikungunya in neighboring countries such as Suriname. There is no malaria.
The caveat is in how dengue gets counted. It is not a notifiable disease in Curaçao, so doctors aren't required to report it, and the Dutch public health institute RIVM notes that official figures are incomplete. RIVM says the Dutch Caribbean islands together see dozens of dengue reports in a typical year. A quiet year on paper is still a good sign. Read the reported figures as a minimum, and keep the daytime repellent habit.
Winter isn't immune
The 2023–24 outbreak is the reminder. It was the island's largest since 2010–2011, and it ran from late 2023 into spring 2024, right through the months Americans visit. By late January 2024 there were 31 confirmed dengue cases and one chikungunya case. By spring, Curaçao Medical Center had admitted about 20 patients and three people had died. Most of the cases were local residents, and with dengue not notifiable, the true total was likely higher. That outbreak is over.
The government said in January 2026 that Aedes aegypti is widespread on the island, and a local news report during the outbreak named the Asian tiger mosquito as the main carrier. Both bite by day, with peaks after sunrise and in the late afternoon. Our dengue & Zika daily routine has the full schedule. On Curaçao it comes down to three habits.
A calm early morning is sand fly time on the beach. Repellent on feet and lower legs before a dawn swim or walk.
Dengue mosquitoes bite in daylight. Wear repellent when you're out and about, reapply after swimming, and be strict about it after rain.
When the wind drops at dusk, spray your lower legs again and pick a breezy table over a sheltered one.
Sand flies on sheltered beaches
The bites most visitors notice come at beach level. Sand flies, the tiny biting midges Americans call no-see-ums, are around all year on Curaçao and bite mostly at dawn and dusk, on calm days and after rain. They're weak fliers, so a steady breeze keeps them down, and travelers often say windy, exposed spots have fewer bugs. Small, sheltered cove beaches are where they're likely to be worse.
Forum regulars argue about whether "sand fleas" exist on the island. Whatever you call them, ankle bites at dawn and dusk call for the same response. Put repellent on your feet, ankles and calves before a sunrise swim or a sunset drink, wear light long pants or socks for beach-level dinners, and sit where the wind reaches you. Our Barbados sand fly guide explains the insect in detail.
Mosquitoes are the second biter. They pick up after rain leaves standing water, and visitors notice them most at dawn and dusk. Picaridin 20%, DEET 20–30%, oil of lemon eucalyptus or PMD 30%, and IR3535 are all EPA-registered options. Forum advice on the island leans toward DEET; our picaridin vs. DEET comparison explains the trade-offs. Air-conditioned or screened rooms help at night.
Where you're staying
Here is how the main areas compare for a December–April trip.
Willemstad & the cruise port
Urban and breezy, so a daytime port call carries little exposure. Dengue mosquitoes bite in daylight, so put repellent on before a walk through town, especially after rain.
Westpunt, Grote Knip & Playa Lagun
Small, sheltered cove beaches where sand flies are likely at dawn and dusk. Midday, with the wind up, is the easy time to be on the sand.
Jan Thiel
The resort and beach-club area near Spanish Water. Expect the island pattern: few bites on breezy days and possible ankle bites at dawn and dusk.
Curaçao and Aruba
If you're choosing between the two islands or visiting both, the bug picture is close to the same. Both are dry and windy, LCR's 2026 report grouped them with Bonaire as low or sporadic for dengue, and on both the common complaint is sand flies on still mornings and evenings. Both also ask for proof of yellow fever vaccination only from travelers arriving from a country with yellow fever risk. Our Aruba briefing covers the resort strip and the rainy spells there.
The Curaçao kit
- Picaridin 20% travel sprays: odorless, layers over sunscreen and easy to aim at ankles and calves before sunrise walks and sunset dinners. One 3.4 oz bottle covers about a week of daily use for one person.
- A full-size backup in the checked bag for a family or a two-week stay, so you're not hunting for a familiar brand in a beach-town shop.
- Light socks or long linen pants for still evenings. Sand flies go for the skin you leave out at ankle level.
Two last notes. If you're pregnant, review the CDC's Zika guidance before you go, because the CDC lists Curaçao as an area with past Zika transmission. And any fever during or after your trip means a doctor visit, and you tell them you were in Curaçao.
Traveler questions
Is there dengue in Curaçao right now?
Activity has been low. The Dutch travel-health center LCR reported only low or sporadic dengue on Curaçao in 2026 through early August. Dengue is not a notifiable disease there, so official counts miss cases. The 2023–24 outbreak ran from late 2023 into spring 2024, which is why a daytime repellent habit makes sense on a winter trip.
Is Curaçao buggier than Aruba?
About the same. Both islands are dry and windy, both rate low for disease risk and occasional for bites in our briefings, and LCR's 2026 report put Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao together as low or sporadic for dengue. On both, the bites most visitors notice come from sand flies at dawn and dusk on still days. Our Aruba briefing covers the resort strip there.
I'm pregnant. Is there Zika in Curaçao?
The CDC lists Curaçao as an area with past Zika transmission and reports no current outbreak. If you're pregnant, review the CDC's Zika guidance before you book.
Do I need malaria pills or a yellow fever vaccine for Curaçao?
The CDC lists no malaria transmission in Curaçao and recommends no antimalarial medication for it. A yellow fever vaccine is not recommended and isn't required when you fly from the US. Curaçao does require proof of vaccination from travelers arriving from a country with yellow fever risk, including airport transits of more than 12 hours there, which matters if you're combining the trip with South America.
Is there chikungunya in Curaçao?
As of late January 2026, the health ministry reported no chikungunya cases on the island and announced preventive measures because of chikungunya in neighboring countries such as Suriname. One case was confirmed in early 2024, during the dengue outbreak. Chikungunya spreads through the same day-biting mosquitoes as dengue, so the same routine covers it.
Sources
Health authorities, surveillance reports and news coverage of official bulletins used for this briefing, last checked October 2026. Traveler reports are linked where they appear. This page summarizes public-health guidance and is not medical advice.