In Groot Sint Joris, in the east of the island, the CurAloe plantation grows rows of aloe vera as far as the eye can see. This is where Curaloe products are born, the gels and cosmetics you later find in shops and pharmacies across Curaçao. The guided tour starts with a walk through the fields, where the guide explains how the Barbadensis Miller plant is grown and harvested, before heading into the factory to follow the process from cut leaf to bottle.
The site sits just steps from Sint Joris bay, a still fairly quiet corner of the island, far from the bustle of Willemstad. That's actually what makes the place enjoyable: you come as much for the plant as for the setting, dry and windswept, typical of the Curaçaoan kunuku.
At the end of the tour, you inevitably pass through the shop, where the gels, lotions and other products made on site are sold, along with an aloe vera drink and a slice of banana cake to enjoy on the spot. A short visit, but one that gives you another sense of what the island really grows, between sea and desert.
