Otrobanda — "the other side" in Papiamentu — is the western half of Willemstad's historic centre, and the grittier, more lived-in counterpart to Punda. Where Punda is polished and commercial, Otrobanda still has the texture of a working neighbourhood: laundry on balconies, corner shops, small restaurants that cater to locals rather than tourists.
The Kura Hulanda Museum and hotel complex is the main visitor attraction, occupying a beautifully restored 18th-century courtyard. On the waterfront, Rif Fort has been absorbed into a commercial complex of shops, restaurants, and bars, but its stone walls still frame good views towards Punda. The neighbourhood was the subject of a major restoration effort in the 2000s; some of the streets behind the museum are still in various states of repair.