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Delft pottery, Gouda cheese, windmills? Get a taste of Old Holland and a classic Caribbean vacation in the Netherlands Antilles.

There's no denying that the Caribbean islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao—which are known as the ABC islands—remain true to their Dutch heritage. On these windswept outposts, which were settled by the Dutch in the 1600s, and are still part of the Netherlands 400 years later, Dutch is the official language, Gouda cheese is a table staple and there are even a few working windmills. Here, how to explore the colonial aspect of these islands.

Aruba

Americans' Favorite This is the Dutch Caribbean's most popular destination for U.S. visitors, and it's also the most Americanized. Chain resorts and fast-food places crop up around Palm Beach's strip of high-rise hotels and casinos, as well as in bustling downtown Oranjestad, so you'll find the island familiar…even if you've never been there before.

Play Time The Dutch built Fort Zoutman in 1796 to protect the island, and it remains the oldest original Dutch building on the isle. In 1868, the Willem III Tower was built nearby to serve as a lighthouse; it was a birthday present to the king of the Netherlands. Today, you can visit these historic landmarks, which currently house the Aruba Historical Museum. Go on a Tuesday afternoon, and stay on for the Bon Bini Festival, a weekly showcase of the local culture and folklore, which starts at 6:30 p.m. The music changes with the season; in December you'll find Caribbean Christmas music as well as a steel-drum band. You can also sample typical island cuisine, including pan bati, triangular meat- or fish-topped breads; a goat stew called bestia chikito; and pastechis, pastries filled with cheese or ground beef (they're similar to Mexican empan-adas, only smaller). Wash your dinner down with some cool coconut water, and finish off with a dessert of cocada, a coconut-filled sweet that's similar to a Rice Krispy Treat. Made with brightly colored food dye, these desserts have a festive appearance (011-297-5826099).

Shop Talk Stores all over the island carry plenty of delft pottery, that earthenware with the signature cobalt-blue glaze that hails from the town of Delft in the Netherlands. (It was made primarily for Dutch royalty.) At Vibes, a boutique, you can choose from pitchers, tea sets, vases and candlesticks. The shop has one of the best selections on the isle—and the best prices (visitaruba.com/vibes). If you're looking for European linens, such as intricately embroidered place mats, tablecloths and napkins, head to Little Holland. This shop is also popular with the island's residents (011-297-5838-494).

Dig In Aruba's restaurants are more Continental than Dutch, but you can enjoy the ambience of a colonial-style home if you book a table at La Trattoria el Faro Blanco. Order an antipasto such as baby octopus cooked in garlic and olive oil, then choose a pasta dish such as linguine with lobster and tuna, or try a savory seafood pizza. Ask for a table on the lovely terrace, and dine by candlelight as you watch the sun set behind the nearby California Lighthouse (011-297-586-0786; aruba-latrattoria.com).

Sleep Tight The 72-room Amsterdam Manor Beach Resort is as Dutch-looking as can be—think bright-ochre stucco, a peaked tile roof, fanciful cutout balconies and ornate shutters. Check in, and then go right to the bar for some perfectly chilled Amstel Bright beer. You won't soon forget how good it tastes in the sunshine (011- 297-5871-492; amsterdammanor.com).

Bonaire

An Unspoiled Delight The quietest and least developed of the ABC islands, with only two casinos, Bonaire has remarkable wildlife features and adventure sports to keep you busy. Perhaps its greatest treasures dwell not in its very Dutch shops and restaurants, but in the well-protected coral reef that rims the island. You don't have to be a seasoned scuba diver or snorkeler to appreciate it, either, since most sites are accessible from the shore, and a brief scuba course will have you ogling the bottom of the sea in no time.

Play Time Head out to the salt mountains in the southern part of the island. Here, modern-day windmills—that Dutch symbol of resource and industry—spin in stark contrast to the desolate landscape, which is made up of mountains of salt from the area's mine, a nature preserve full of shockingly pink flamingoes and 400-year-old stone huts. It's a world away from the swaying palm trees and sandy beaches you expect to find in the Caribbean.

Shop Talk The capital city of Kralendijk, within walking distance of most resorts, is home to a seaside strip of restaurants and souvenir shops. They're mostly vacant during the day, when everyone on the island seems to be underwater, but they come alive at night. Spend your guilders at the Maharaj Gift House, where you can buy kitschy souvenirs such as Dutch girl dolls, beer steins and wooden shoes. It's a good place to stock up on gifts for friends (011-599-717-4402).

Dig In Kralendijk's restaurants are more European than Aruba's, and, like the Dutch, favor fish and cheese. Stop by Zeezicht for keshi yena, a Dutch-Antillean dish consisting of a hollowed-out wheel of Gouda that's filled with chicken stew and baked until it's gooey. It's a warm and savory treat (011-599-717-8434). For more upscale Continental-Dutch cuisine, make a reservation at Mona Lisa, where you can order fish soup and fresh lobster (011-599-717-8718).

Sleep Tight If you're looking for colonial-plantation-style digs, the 30-room Harbour Village is your best bet. Brightly painted stucco walls, rounded windows and barrel-tile roofs replicate the era's architecture on the outside, while wicker furnishings, teakwood and French doors characterize the comfortable interior design. Book one of the large suites, with a kitchenette and a private garden with a hammock (800-424-0004; harbourvillage.com).

Curacao

Cocktails and Dreams

This cosmopolitan isle is the most sophisticated spot in the Netherlands Antilles. It's the largest of the ABCs, and also the most urban, with a thriving downtown area, tony beach clubs, museums galore and top-notch cuisine.

Play Time Head to Landhuis Chobolobo, an old Dutch plantation manor that's now home to the Curaçao liqueur distillery. This orange-flavored liqueur comes in many colors—orange, clear, red, green, blue—plus, the distillery sells interesting flavors, such as chocolate and coffee (011-599-9-461-3526; curacaoliqueur.com). Or tour Amstel, the only brewery to use 100 percent seawater—desalinated, of course. This is also where the local concoction Amstel Bright is brewed, and it's a good place to pick up some beer to drink back in your hotel room (011-599-9-434-1500; amstelcuracao.com).

Shop Talk Downtown Willemstad, with its Dutch-style waterfront, is a great place to buy souvenirs. Visit the floating market on Waaigat Canal, where you can shop for exotic tropical fruit, such as mangos, papayas and plantains, and Caribbean spices, including cinnamon, nutmeg and spicy jerk seasoning. Boats sail in weekly from Venezuela and the far reaches of the West Indies, and vendors assemble along the waterfront to show off their bounty.

Dig In One of the most amusing ways to dine in the Netherlands is to go to an Indonesian restaurant and order a traditional rijsttafel, or "rice table," which involves at least a dozen miniature dishes, such as chicken satay (strips of chicken served with peanut sauce) and beef rendang (beef cooked in coconut milk, chilies and spices), all served with rice. You can eat this way in Curaçao, too: Stop by Rijsttafel Restaurant Indonesia to try the cuisine of this other former Dutch possession—it's a refreshingly different use of coconut milk (011-5999-461-2606).

Sleep Tight The newest hot spot in town is the 80-room Hotel Kurá Hulanda , a Dutch-owned boutique hotel that's housed in restored 18th- and 19th-century colonial buildings and is part of the posh Leading Hotels of the World group. The complex oozes style, from the fashionable eateries to the spa. Don't miss the cultural museum, where you can see pre-Columbian gold, Mesopotamian relics and artwork created in the Netherlands Antilles. Call ahead to arrange for a private tour in English (011-5999-434-7700; kurahulanda.com).