Oostpunt

Oostpunt (also Land van Maal) is a geozone (region) on the island of Curaçao. It is located on the easternmost point of the island. Since the 1870s, the area has been privately owned by the Maal family, and most of the area is off-limits, with the exception of the villages of Oostpunt, Sint Joris, and Santa Catharina. The geozone of Oostpunt covers about 10% of the island.

==History== Plantation Klein Sint Joris (also San Juan) was founded in 1662 by Matthias Beck and is one of the oldest plantations on Curaçao. Around 1840, Oostpunt was inhabited by 150 to 200 people, most of whom were slaves. The Maal family, army officers from the Netherlands, arrived in Curaçao in the late 18th century and had acquired five plantations by the 1870s. The plantations were used for agriculture, livestock, and mining, however, the vast majority of land is pristine wilderness. The coral reefs in Oostpunt are considered one of the best preserved reefs of the Caribbean.