The floating market: produce and fish from across the water

Along the Sha Caprileskade, on the Waaigat inlet in Punda, boats moor up having come from the Venezuelan mainland. They sell what they carry: fruit, vegetables, sometimes fish. The stalls stand under awnings on the quay, right beside the boats the goods came off.

What you will find

Mango, papaya, watermelon, varieties of banana you will not see at home, avocados the size of a fist, and generally whatever travels well. Prices are not always marked; asking is part of it, and haggling is not thought odd, though the sums involved are small.

When to go

Mornings. The market starts early and by late afternoon most of it has been packed away. Sundays are quiet.

If you have rented a house and want to cook, this is a nicer place to buy fruit than the supermarket, and considerably fresher.

Why it exists

Curaçao lies about sixty kilometres from Venezuela, closer to the South American mainland than to most other islands. The market exists because that crossing is short. Supply has been variable in recent years given the situation in Venezuela, so how many boats are moored varies by period.