Curacao in 2 weeks - grocery stores?

[ithacayr]

Hi
I'm heading for my second trip to Curacao in 2 weeks, this time staying at All West. The idea is to shore dive and keep the trip on the inexpensive side. Last trip I stayed at Habitat, so have no idea on shopping for groceries. A TripAdvisor post mentioned Centrum Supermarket - can anyone provide any suggestions (including easy directions for those of us 'drive on the left impaired'?) Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Kukuisa]

Centrum Piscadera Supermarket is at the corner of Weg naar Bullenbaai and the Weg naar Westpunt.
There are traffic light at their crossing and you can see the supermarket from there.

For a map go to Curamap, Online Roadmap and find in the index "Weg naar Bullenbaai" (the one without a number). The blue road east of that point is the main road from town (south) to the airport (north) and to Westpunt.

 

[diversteve]

Instead of turning off right towards Westpunt at the rotary south of the airport go straight through (south). Then follow the directions above. The market is on the SW corner. There's a white circular structure (water tank?) of some kind on the hill, the market is to the right of it.

They had cheap styro coolers ($2?) on top of one of the aisles when we were there. Looked like some kind of re-used packaging. If you need something later, it's about a 45min. drive from Westpunt. There was also a little local market on the road between Lagun and Westpunt IIRC. We drove past it and my friend remarked they he'd stopped there earlier in the week but they didn't have much.

Here's the whole area on Google Earth. The airport is at the top of the attached image.
And a close-up view of the area on Google Maps: (gotta love technology...) Google Maps - Centrum Curacao

 

[jd950]

ithacayr:

You already have directions now, so I won't try...

Centrum is open until something like 8:00 PM (IIRC) and I always arrive too late and have to go by there the next day. I think they have different hours on Sunday, but am not sure.

If you aren't stopping there on the way from the airport, check for coolers in the gear room at Allwest. I have gotten the Centrum coolers before and left them in the storage area afterward, and I think others do this as well. There might be one or two there.

Typically, I stop at the Chinese-owned store on the way to Allwest from the airport for some stuff to breakfast items to hold me until I get to Centrum. It is on the way and is open late. You can get some cereal, bread, yogurt and such (Watch out for the milk, it is not what you might expect). Or, if you prefer, I think Allwest will supply you with a basic set of groceries to get you by for a day or so for something like $35.00.

 

[tarponchik]

Would be very interesting to see your report after the trip. We stayed at All West in 2003, and now we are thinking of going there again this November.

 

[bkpix]

Bring Your Own Bags!!!

The Centrum Market is fairly complete as far as markets go, but they do not provide free bags to get your grocery items home in. They have them for sale for something like 25 cents each, but if you have some at home save the trouble and bring some with you, they don't take up much space in your suitcase and it will help eliminate the "stupid tourist" looks you will get at the market if you need to buy their bags.

 

[chauncy19]

tarponchik,
have nothing really to add. we will be at all west this November for first time to Curacao. Hope to see you there!!!
can't wait and absorbing as much info as posted. thanks all.

 

[TheWizard]

......they don't take up much space in your suitcase and it will help eliminate the "stupid tourist" looks you will get at the market if you need to buy their bags.

Yes, those condescending scowls are to be avoided fer sure...

 

[Kukuisa]

Bring Your Own Bags!!!

The Centrum Market is fairly complete as far as markets go, but they do not provide free bags to get your grocery items home in. They have them for sale for something like 25 cents each, but if you have some at home save the trouble and bring some with you, they don't take up much space in your suitcase and it will help eliminate the "stupid tourist" looks you will get at the market if you need to buy their bags.

And when you forget:
Most supermarkets sell big plastic shoppingbags with their own logo on it for a few guilders. Locals use them also to put their wet and dry beach stuff in when visiting the beach. But bringing your own is better.

K.

 

[WarmWaterDiver]

Cost-U-Less has by far the best meat counter of all the supermarkets on Curacao. It's kind of a mini-Costco with no membership fee. Decent produce selection as well, but that's all kind of hit or miss anyway with whatever the most recent perishable container arrrrives with.

Cost U Less > Stores > Curacao

Directly across the street from Cost-U-Less is Esperamos Supermarket. Again, our experience is it's worth a trip since each store is likely to have something we want the other's don't have, and they're all located very close to each other.

http://maps.google.com/maps/place?h...rmarket&hnear=curacao&cid=7943275478987050420

Both are near Centrum mentioned in the other posts, one main sreet towards Wespunt from where Centrum is. Turn at the Mitsubishi dealership going back towards the airport and you can't miss them.

Centrum has the best fresh seafod counter of these 3 supermarkets.