Pastel Dutch gables on the Caribbean
Willemstad is split by the harbour channel into Punda and Otrobanda, linked by the Queen Emma floating pontoon bridge, which swings open to let ships pass. The Handelskade waterfront of pastel gabled buildings is one of the most photographed scenes in the Caribbean, and the historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Mikvé Israel-Emanuel Synagogue, with its sand floor, is the oldest in continuous use in the Americas. Outside the city, Curaçao has small beaches in rocky coves, good diving and Christoffel National Park.