Whimsical Williwood!
What do wild flamingos, a Dutch saint, goat burgers, a Hollywood-style sign, a landmark church, a historic plantation, and gorgeous beaches have in common? Head to the interior to find out!
The tiny community of St. Willibrordus, just 12 miles northwest of Willemstad, was originally named after ‘Willibrord’ a Northumbrian missionary saint, and you’ll find his namesake church dating back to the 1880s still rising majestically out of the scrubby wilderness there, and still in operation. But there’s more to this special little corner of Curacao that, up until recently, was barely a blip along the roadside. It’s now becoming famous since it changed its name.
A little piece of paradise!
More as a joke than a marketing plan, locals erected a gigantic sign that resembles the iconic “Hollywood” landmark but spells “Williwood” instead. Standing tall in the middle of nowhere, it’s hard to miss, and as it brought more attention to the area, locals decided to officially change the name of the town to “Williwood”. (And now refer to themselves as “Williwoodians”.) They also created a map to point out the surrounding attractions like the wild flamingo sanctuary, the historic plantation of Landhuis Jan Kok, the drop-dead gorgeous beaches of Porto Mari and Daaibooi, and the nexus of the community “Toko Williwood” the original home of Curacao’s now famous goat burger, also known as a the “Williburger.”
Look for the goat-shaped grill to find the lively terrace of locals and visitors enjoying authentic island fare there, and to learn all about the region. You can also buy “Williwood”- themed keepsakes at the little shop next door.
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