Right off the coast of mainland South America you’ll find a string of southernmost Caribbean islands. They’re known as the “ABC Islands:” Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao.

Although these vacation destinations are a stone’s throw from Venezuela, they are in fact part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (the same goes for Sint Maarten). Each is its own country, but they do not have full autonomy on the global stage, which can be a bit confusing to understand. It makes each country all-the-more interesting to visit, as you’ll find Caribbean and Dutch influences in food, architecture, & more.