The Ultimate ABC Islands Itinerary (10–14 Days): Aruba, Bonaire & Curaçao

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Imagine waking up to water so blue it doesn’t look real, spending your days beach hopping between hidden coves and secluded islands, and ending every evening with an amazing sunset sipping a glass of wine and enjoying an amazing meal. That’s exactly what traveling through the ABC islands feels like.

The ABC-Islands consists of the three Caribbean islands Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao, all equally beautiful and still surprisingly different. Most people choose to only visit one, but if you have the time and budget for it, combining all three is hands down the best way to experience the Caribbean properly, because each island offers something completely different.

I spent over a month exploring every corner of these three islands and all I can say is that it’s now one of my favourite places on earth.

In this guide, I’m sharing the ultimate 10–14 day ABC-islands itinerary, with everything you need to know—from logistics and hidden gems to where to eat, stay, and snorkel. It’s the perfect itinerary for those wanting to explore both the highlights and hidden gems of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao in one amazing vacation.

Why You Should Visit All Three ABC Islands

Before we get into the itinerary, here’s the thing most people don’t realize:

These islands might be close geographically, but they feel like three completely different trips.

Aruba is polished, easy, and all about dreamy beaches and fun energy
Curaçao is colorful, cultural, and full of hidden coves and stunning beaches
Bonaire is quiet, raw, and one of the best snorkelling and shore diving destinations in the world

If one of these sounds like more your vibe, then by all means pick just one because you'll have an amazing time no matter which island you choose to visit. However, if you want to see how huge the variety can be between these three islands and really have a mix of relaxing beach days and big adventures, then I recommend you mix the three islands.

This is an outline for how I would spend my days if I had two weeks on the ABC-Islands, but you can also use my various guides below to pick and match just one or two of them based on your travel style.

ABC Islands Itinerary Overview (10–14 Days)

This route is designed to be realistic and efficient, but not rushed.

Days 1–4: Aruba (beaches + fun + easy start)
Days 5–8: Curaçao (culture + hidden coves + variety)
Days 9–12: Bonaire (snorkeling + nature + slower pace)
Optional Days 13–14: Pick your favourite island and add days there for a slower pace.

The Dock Restaurant, Bonaire

Days 1–4 of your 2 Week ABC-Island Itinerary: Aruba

Aruba is the perfect introduction to the ABC-Islands. It's the kind of place where everything just feels easy. It’s the soft landing you want at the start of a trip.

The Best Hotels to Stay in Aruba

Eagle Aruba Resort ($350 per night)

A more affordable option with spacious suites and a relaxed vibe. Perfect for longer stays or travelers who want extra space.

Hilton Aruba ($500 per night)

A historic resort set on lush tropical grounds. It’s known for its beautiful beachfront, relaxed vibe, and excellent location right in the middle of Palm Beach.

Bucuti & Tara Boutique Beach Resort - Adult Only ($900 per night)

A peaceful adults-only boutique resort known for its romantic atmosphere and incredible beachfront location. It’s one of the best places in Aruba for couples.

Detailed Daily Itinerary for Aruba

Day 1: Eagle Beach & Sunset Cruise

After arriving in Aruba, don’t overplan your first day. Check into your hotel, drop your bags, and head straight to the beach.

Eagle Beach is where you want to be—wide, uncrowded, and with that soft white sand Aruba is famous for. The water here is calm, clear, and perfect for a first swim after a long travel day.

In the evening, either just stay on the beach for your first sunset, or be a bit more adventurous and join a catamaran sunset tour

Book a sunset cruise in advance here

Day 2: Palm Beach & Water Sports

Start your day at Palm Beach, which feels completely different from Eagle Beach. This is where you’ll find a more social and lively vibe with resorts, beach bars and lots of water sports. It's definitely more touristy, but still fun.

In the afternoon, book a catamaran snorkeling tour, which is honestly one of the best things to do in Aruba. Most tours include stops like the Antilla Shipwreck and Boca Catalina.

If water sports or snorkelling isn't your thing you can spend the day at one of the more relaxing beaches. Check out my guide to the best beaches in Aruba to find the one that suits you the best.

Check prices & availability for the best snorkeling tour here

Day 3: Flamingo Beach & Exploring Oranjestad

Aruba is famous for being the only place in the world where you can watch flamingos on the beach. So if that's something you want to see, then today is the day!

They're located on Renaissance Island so you can either choose to stay there for a night or two and access the beach for free, or book a day pass for about $120 per person.

In the afternoon, head to Oranjestad and explore the colourful capital of Aruba. Wander around the city, do some shopping or just grab a drink and relax.

If you want to spend the night at Flamingo Beach, this is the Hotel you need to book

Oranjestad, Aruba

Day 4: Arikok & Arashi Beach

Today you’ll see a completely different side of Aruba. Set aside the day to explore Arikok National Park, which covers almost 20% of the island. It’s wild, rugged, and feels nothing like the resort areas.

There are multiple ways to explore the area, either by joining a Jeep Tour, an ATV Tour or go by horseback.

Later in the day I recommend relaxing on Arashi Beach. This is one of the most beautiful and relaxed beaches on the island. Compared to Palm Beach, the atmosphere here is quieter and more local.

Check availability to go horseback riding in the national park here

Check availability for the most popular Jeep Tour around the island here

Book an ATV tour around the island here

Days 5–8 of your ultimate trip to ABC-Islands: Curaçao

Curaçao instantly feels more local, more raw, and a little less polished—in the best way. It's the perfect next stop on your trip.

Best Hotels to Stay in Curaçao

Livingston Jan Thiel Resort ($130 per night)

A relaxed resort surrounded by tropical gardens.

Avila Beach Hotel ($300 per night)

A historic beachfront hotel with a relaxed atmosphere and beautiful private beach areas.

Papagayo Beach Resort ($400 per night)

Spacious villas perfect for longer stays.

Detailed Daily Itinerary for Curaçao

Day 5: Willemstad & Island Culture

After arriving, head straight into Willemstad, the colourful heart of Curaçao. Walk across the famous Queen Emma Floating Bridge, and explore both the Punda and Otrobanda areas, one in the morning and one in the evening. Grab a nice dinner and just enjoy the stunning city.

This is where Curaçao really stands out compared to Aruba—it feels like Europe meets the Caribbean.

Check availability for the best guided walking tour of Willemstad here

If you want to learn more about the city's history while exploring, or make sure to see all the best views of the city I highly recommend doing a guided walking tour with a local guide while you're here.

Otrobanda

Day 6: Relax on Grote and Kleine Knip

Your second day is all about starting to discover some of the incredible beaches along Curaçao’s western coast. Rent a car and drive along the west coast, stopping at some of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean:

Grote Knip – iconic viewpoint, unreal colors
Kleine Knip – smaller and quieter

Take your time. This isn’t a checklist day—it’s a “stop wherever looks beautiful” kind of day.

If you're not comfortable renting a car you can choose to join this popular beach hopping tour instead.

Compare prices for your rental car here

Join this beach hopping tour with ATV to see the best beaches in one day

Check availability for a snorkel tour with turtles here

If you want to snorkel with turtles and relax on the beach afterwards, this is the tour for you.

Day 7: Klein Curaçao Day Trip

If there’s one thing you absolutely shouldn’t skip—it’s this. Klein Curaçao is a tiny, uninhabited island about 2 hours by boat, and it feels like something out of a dream. The island is famous for its powdery white sand and some of the clearest water you’ll ever see. Most tours include breakfast, lunch, and an open bar, and the entire day just feels effortless.

This is the exact tour I booked to Klein Curaçao

I highly recommend booking this tour if you want to spend the day exploring Klein Curaçao on a catamaran.

Klein Curaçao

Day 8: Explore Shete Boka National Park or Relax on the Beach

Today it's time to explore a more rugged side of Curaçao. Head to Shete Boka National Park, where you can see dramatic stretches of coastline where powerful waves crash against the cliffs. Explore the walking trails and viewpoints along the way.

Alternatively, if you just want to spend your last day on Curaçao relaxing, you can choose to head to either Mambo or Jan Thiel beach and relax at one of the beach clubs.

Explore Sheta Boka National Park on this guided tour

This popular highlights tour takes you to all the must-see destinations in Curaçao, including Sheta Boka National park

Days 9–12 of 14 Days in Caribbean: Bonaire

Bonaire is quieter, rawer, and honestly feels like a secret. If you love the ocean, this might be your favourite island.

Best Hotels to Stay in Bonaire

Bonaire Oceanfront Apartments ($175 per night)

Comfortable apartments with full kitchen, ideal for longer stays.

Sorobon Luxury Beach Resort ($270 per night)

Right on the water, perfect for water sports enthusiasts.

Allegro at Sea ($700 per night)

Spacious apartments, private beach and a swimming pool with stunning views.

Detailed Daily Itinerary Bonaire

Day 9: Snorkelling & Beach Hopping

This is what Bonaire is famous for, so there's no better way to start your adventure on the last island. The entire coastline is basically one giant marine park, and you can snorkel straight from the shore almost everywhere.

Rent a car, drive and just stop at different spots you think looks nice. Some of my favourites are:

1000 Steps (don’t worry—it’s not actually 1000)
Andrea I & II

Even if you don't want to snorkel, this trip and these spots are amazing to just witness. You can choose to just spend the day on one of these spots, or go beach and snorkel-hopping to see more.

Roadtrip in Bonaire

Day 10: Klein Bonaire Beach Day

Today is all about that Caribbean dream. Take a short water taxi to Klein Bonaire, a completely untouched island with pristine beaches and water so clear you can hardly believe it.

There’s nothing here—no restaurants, no hotels—just nature. So make sure to bring water, snacks and snorkel gear.

Spend the day doing absolutely nothing except swimming and floating in perfect water.

You can book a water taxi here or join this tour that includes a couple of snorkelling stops along the way.

Klein Bonaire

Day 11: Washington Slagbaai National Park Adventure

Wake up early to see a completely different side of Bonaire. Head to Washington Slagbaai National Park, a rugged, wild area covering the northern part of the island. The roads are rough, but the landscapes are absolutely worth it. This is also the best place to spot flamingos on the island.

End your day wandering around in Kralendijk and admire the colorful buildings, or head to Atlantis beach for some more action and go kite surfing.

Book your private kitesurfing lessons in advance here

Kralendijk & kitesurfing

Day 12: South Bonaire Road Trip

Today is another road trip but this time a more historic one. Drive along the southern coastline and stop at spots like:

Bachelor’s Beach – a very small but stunning beach
Salt Pier - stunning views of the salt production in Bonaire. You can see flamingos here if you’re lucky. Just watching the pink water is worth it.
Slave Huts – one of the most unique sights on the island and a must visit to learn more about the islands history.

Since it’s your last day I recommend finishing with some relaxing time on the beach. Heading to Sorobon beach makes sense on this route and is a perfect beach to end your stay in Bonaire. Alternatively you can head to Te Amo beach closer to town.

Days 13–14: Flex Days (Optional but Recommended)

If you have extra time, use these days to slow it down a bit and have some days just relaxing at your favourite beach or visit a spa, you're on vacation after all. You can also think of them as travel days so you don't start every new island with a big activity. Add more days to the island that seems to suit you and your travel style the best and just enjoy.

I've outlined an itinerary that takes you to all the highlights and many hidden gems around the ABC-Island, but pick and mix as you see fit. You can also find even more things to do and see in my various travel guides for the different islands.

Best Time to Visit the ABC Islands

One of the biggest advantages of visiting the ABC-islands is that they're outside the hurricane belt, which means they are great to visit all year around, even during summer months. That's when I visited, and had the most amazing time.

How to Travel Between the ABC Islands

You need to fly to travel between Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire. There are no ferry options that will take you between the islands.

The best options are the local airlines called Divi Divi Air or EZ Air. The schedule is easiest to navigate on their local websites. I found that not all flights could be found on some of the bigger operator sites.

Flight time between the islands are approximately 20-45 minutes, so it's a short ride. I do recommend booking early, because the prices can go up quite quickly.

How to Get Around the ABC Islands

The best way to get around on all of the islands is to rent a car. Getting around can be quite tricky if you don't have one. The only island I would say you can manage without a car is on Aruba where you can take the bus to see many of the different beaches.

Alternatively, if you don't want to rent a car you can choose to join different guided tours on every island, but it will quickly take a huge chunk of your budget, so a car is the best and most budget friendly option.

Is Visiting All Three ABC Islands Worth It?

I honestly think it is! You get the best of the caribbien, and so much variation on each island. I think it's hard to pick a favourite island, because they're all amazing and fun in their own way.

Most Caribbean trips blur together after a while. But this one doesn’t.

Because here, every island gives you something new:

Aruba = easy, beachy, fun
Curaçao = colorful, cultural, diverse
Bonaire = quiet, nature-focused, underwater magic

Together, they create one of the most well-rounded and unforgettable Caribbean trips you can take.

I hope this helps you plan your upcoming vacation to the ABC Islands. If you have any questions about travel in the ABC Islands or the Caribbean in general, or just want to follow along as I travel the world full time, don‘t hesitate to reach out to me on social media. I would love to connect and help out!

-Ingrid