Which to buy← Curaçao

Checked October 20, 2026 · 61 compared

Diving and snorkeling in Curaçao: which dive site suits you?

We compared 61 dive and snorkel sites in Curaçao. Most are free shore dives; only beach clubs like Cas Abao ($6 per car) and Porto Mari ($3 per person) charge entry. Beginners and snorkelers do well at Tugboat, Playa Piskado (turtles) and Playa Kalki; experienced divers pick the Superior Producer (wreck at 100 ft), Watamula or Car Pile.

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Your top 3

1. shore dive, double reef

Playa Porto Mari (The Valley, dubbel rif)

4.5★ · 1,833 reviews

shore dive, double reef · Sint Willibrordus · $3 per person · Down to about 30 m (98 ft) · Two reefs with a valley · Dive shop and restaurant

  • Double reef: enough for several dives
  • Easy navigation, gradual entry
  • Longest swim to the reef (5 to 8 minutes)

2. shore dive, snorkel cove

Playa Lagun

4.3★ · 1,020 reviews

shore dive, snorkel cove · Lagun · $0 free entry · Narrow channel between cliffs · Dive center at the cove

  • Calm water, fine for beginners
  • Turtles and a rich reef on both sides
  • Fishing boats in the cove

3. snorkel cove

Playa Daaibooi

4.2★ · 469 reviews

snorkel cove · Sint Willibrordus · $0 free entry · Shade from trees and palapas

  • Calm, clear water
  • Turtles if you swim farther out
  • Packed with local families on Sundays

Everything compared

Playa Porto Mari (The Valley, dubbel rif)

shore dive, double reef · Sint Willibrordus · $3 per person · Down to about 30 m (98 ft) · Two reefs with a valley · Dive shop and restaurant
4.5 ★ 1,833
  • Double reef: enough for several dives
  • Longest swim to the reef (5 to 8 minutes)
All pros, cons and scores
  • Easy navigation, gradual entry
  • Friendly dive shop
  • Crowded, especially Friday afternoons

Tripadvisor 4.5 (1,833)

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Playa Lagun

shore dive, snorkel cove · Lagun · $0 free entry · Narrow channel between cliffs · Dive center at the cove
4.3 ★ 1,020
  • Calm water, fine for beginners
  • Fishing boats in the cove
All pros, cons and scores
  • Turtles and a rich reef on both sides

Tripadvisor 4.3 (1,020)

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Playa Daaibooi

snorkel cove · Sint Willibrordus · $0 free entry · Shade from trees and palapas
4.2 ★ 469
  • Calm, clear water
  • Packed with local families on Sundays
All pros, cons and scores
  • Turtles if you swim farther out

Tripadvisor 4.2 (469)

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Playa Kalki (Alice in Wonderland)

shore dive · Westpunt · $0 free entry · Entry from jetty or beach · Dive shop on the beach · Reef 3 minutes' swim out
4.1 ★ 511
  • Lots of sponges and coral, reef visible from shore
  • Stairs from the parking lot, gear has to be carried
All pros, cons and scores
  • Well-run dive shop with air and nitrox
  • Turtles and rays

Tripadvisor 4.1 (511)

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Playa Piskado (Playa Grandi)

shore dive, snorkel cove · Westpunt · $0 free entry · Down to about 18 m (59 ft) · Small cash-only restaurant
4.1 ★ 905
  • Sea turtles almost always near the fishermen
  • Very busy once tour buses arrive
All pros, cons and scores
  • Easy entry down a sandy slope
  • Occasional strong, unpredictable current

Tripadvisor 4.1 (905)

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Klein Curaçao

island, boat trip · Klein Curaçao · $135 per person (boat trip, $135 to $170) · 1.5-hour boat ride · Uninhabited island
4.6 ★ 1,453
  • Clear water and turtles
  • Crossing is often rough
All pros, cons and scores
  • Chance of sharks and big fish
  • Little shade

Tripadvisor 4.6 (1,453)

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Cas Abao (Lower House)

shore dive, beach club · bij Sint Willibrordus · $6 per car (up to 4 people), $7 on Sundays · Dive shop with nitrox · Rope marks the way back
4.5 ★ 9,676
  • Easy wall to navigate, even solo
  • Entry fee per car
All pros, cons and scores
  • Sandy entry to settle into your gear
  • All facilities in one place
  • Busy when cruise buses arrive

Google 4.6 (6,834) · Tripadvisor 4.4 (2,842)

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Grote Knip (Kenepa Grandi)

snorkel cove · Westpunt · $0 free entry · Snack bar and chair rental · Snorkel along the rocks
4.5 ★ 5,098
  • Clear water, good snorkeling along the rocks
  • Busy on weekends and with tour buses
All pros, cons and scores
  • Quiet on weekdays
  • Pebbly entry

Tripadvisor 4.5 (5,098)

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Tugboat (Caracasbaai)

shallow wreck, shore · Caracasbaai · $0 free entry · Wreck at about 5 m (16 ft) · Wall farther out to 30 m+ · Small beach bar
4.5 ★ 136
  • Overgrown wreck, fine for snorkelers
  • Busy when cruise ships are in
All pros, cons and scores
  • Seahorses, octopus and morays
  • Some say the reef is damaged
  • Entry over rubble

Tripadvisor 4.5 (136)

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Klein Knip (Kenepa Chiki)

snorkel cove · Westpunt · $0 free entry · Small cove next to Grote Knip
4.5 ★ 28
  • Calm water, good snorkeling along the cliffs
  • Watch out for manchineel trees
All pros, cons and scores
  • Less crowded than Grote Knip

Tripadvisor 4.5 (28)

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Jan Thiel Baai

shore dive, beach · Jan Thiel · $3 per person beach entry, free after 4:30 p.m. · Sailboat wreck at 5 m · Reef starts at 9 m
3.9 ★ 1,238
  • Easy entry, dive center and showers
  • The bay itself is shallow with little to see
All pros, cons and scores
  • Good for beginners and courses
  • Busy and touristy

Tripadvisor 3.9 (1,238)

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Directors Bay

shore dive, wall · Caracasbaai · $0 free entry · Wall to about 50 m · No facilities
4.4 ★ 188
  • Lots of fish, healthy coral, turtles
  • Strong current around the corner
All pros, cons and scores
  • Old shark fence covered in coral
  • Car break-ins in the parking lot

Google 4.4 (188)

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Vaersenbaai (Kokomo Beach)

shore dive, beach club · Vaersenbaai · $0 free entry · Down to about 30 m (98 ft) · Reef starts close to shore
4.5 ★ 6,353
  • Reef close to shore with sponges and brain coral
  • Busy on weekends with DJs
All pros, cons and scores
  • Good snorkeling on the right side of the bay

Google 4.5 (5,753) · Tripadvisor 4.2 (600)

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Playa Jeremi

shore dive, snorkel cove · Westpunt · $0 free entry · Mostly local visitors
4.2 ★ 403
  • Quiet, mostly local visitors
  • No shade

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Boca Santu Pretu (wrak Catharine)

shore dive, wreck · Santa Cruz · Wreck at about 6 m (20 ft) · Black sand beach
4.5 ★ 4
  • Upside-down wreck, garden eels and brain coral
All pros, cons and scores
  • Remote and quiet

Tripadvisor 4.5 (4)

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Boka Sami (Sint Michiel)

shore dive · Sint Michiel · Fishing village on a bay
4.3 ★ 6
  • Local and quiet

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Watamula

boat dive, drift · Westpunt · Boat access only · Shifting current, drift dive
4.0 ★ 145
  • Dense, healthy coral and big schools of fish
  • Current can be strong and change direction
All pros, cons and scores
  • Turtles and rays spotted
  • Some surge near the point

Tripadvisor 4.0 (145)

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Blue Bay (The Wall en The Garden)

shore dive, resort bay · Blue Bay · Wall and coral garden
4.2 ★ 830
  • Wall and coral garden within swimming distance
All pros, cons and scores
  • Barracuda, jacks and soft corals

Tripadvisor 4.2 (830)

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Playa Forti (Sweet Alice)

shore dive · Westpunt · $0 free entry · Cliff-top restaurant
4.2 ★ 240
  • Easy to reach in Westpunt village
  • Gets deep quickly
All pros, cons and scores
  • Occasional strong current

Tripadvisor 4.2 (240)

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Superior Producer (wrak)

wreck, deep · bij de Mega Pier, Otrobanda · At about 30 m (100 ft) · Freighter, sank in 1977 · Closed when cruise ships are docked
4.7 ★ 164
  • Upright wreck with holds and bridge to explore
  • Only when no cruise ship is in port
All pros, cons and scores
  • Barracuda and schools of tarpon

Google 4.7 (145) · Tripadvisor 4.9 (19)

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Mako's Mountain

boat dive, open water · ingang Santa Marthabaai · Exposed, entry sometimes rough
5.0 ★ 1
  • Chance of eagle rays, barracuda and sharks
  • Rough conditions, for experienced divers

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Car Pile

car wrecks on the wall · Marie Pampoen · Wrecks from 28 to 50 m · Old cars and trucks
4.2 ★ 6
  • Lots of fish, tarpon and barracuda
  • Wrecks are decaying, once is enough
All pros, cons and scores
  • Deep with sometimes strong current

Google 4.2 (6)

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No reviews found yet (39)

Mushroom Forest

boat dive · bij Santa Cruz · Mushroom-shaped star coral · Often paired with the Blue Room
–
  • Unique coral shapes, great for photos
  • Has declined from heavy traffic
All pros, cons and scores
  • Turtles, morays and nurse sharks
  • Dense coral, watch your fins

no reviews found

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Rif Sint Marie (Coral Estate)

house reef from pier · Coral Estate · $0 free entry · Check in at the dive shop first · Lockers, showers, changing rooms
–
  • Reef balls at 15 to 20 ft for the safety stop
  • Small gear-up area, little shade
All pros, cons and scores
  • Turtles, barracuda and parrotfish
  • ID check at the gate

no reviews found

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Cornelius Bay

boat dive · bij LionsDive · Shallow and deep sections
–
  • Deep walls, healthy reef, rays and turtles

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Stella Maris en koraalkwekerij

reef and tech wreck · LionsDive, Seaquarium · Coral nursery in shallow water · Wreck at 120 to 145 m
–
  • See the Reef Renewal coral nursery
  • Wreck is for technical divers only
All pros, cons and scores
  • Turtles and rays

no reviews found

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Paradise

boat dive · tussen Klein Knip en Playa Jeremi · Bring a torch · Surface interval on a beach
–
  • Turtles and a healthy reef
All pros, cons and scores
  • Few boats and divers

no reviews found

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Elvin's Plane Wreck

plane wreck · westkust · Fokker sunk on purpose in 2006
–
  • Wreck on sand with turtles and morays

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Black Coral Garden

shore dive · Santa Marthabaai · 5-minute swim to the buoy
–
  • Lots of black coral and schools of snapper

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Snake Bay (Slangenbaai)

bay, reef · Slangenbaai · Night dive with torch recommended
–
  • Big schools of fish, rays and green turtles

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Pierbaai Reef

shore dive · Marie Pampoen · Down to about 18 m (59 ft)
–
  • Easy shore entry and calm water
All pros, cons and scores
  • Less dived than Oswaldo's

no reviews found

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Oswaldo's Drop-off

resort house reef · Sunscape, Willemstad · Sunscape guests only
–
  • Easy, pretty reef dive
  • Not open to non-guests

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Saba (sleepbootwrak)

boat dive, shallow wreck · bij Mambo · Wreck at about 12 m (40 ft)
–
  • Shallow, for all levels
  • Boat only, sometimes current
All pros, cons and scores
  • Fully covered in sponges

no reviews found

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Eel Valley

shallow macro dive · bij Santa Barbara · Shallow plateau next to a drop-off
–
  • Easy macro dive with morays and scorpionfish
  • Fewer eels than before

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Booby Trap

sand plateau, reef · Fuikbaai · Mild current, good visibility
–
  • Lots of sponges and juvenile fish, good for photos

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Hell's Corner

wall dive · westkust · Buoy moved to a calmer spot
–
  • Steep wall with big gorgonians and schooling jacks
  • Named for its strong current

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Double Reef

boat or shore dive · Otrobanda · Shore entry near the water plant
–
  • Rare double reef, turtles
  • Sometimes a drift due to current

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Kathy's Paradise

boat dive · bij Fuikbaai · Often a drift toward Smokey's
–
  • Fine coral, turtles and eagle rays
All pros, cons and scores
  • Rarely visited

no reviews found

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Blue Room (grot)

cave, snorkel and dive · bij Santa Cruz · Entrance at about 5 m (16 ft) · Best around midday
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  • Blue light inside the cave with silversides
  • Guide advised for getting in and out

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Airplane Wreck (Santa Martha)

plane wreck · Santa Marthabaai · Marked by a buoy
–
  • Overgrown small plane, good for macro

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Sponge Forest

sloping reef · bij Playa Hulu · Sponges on a sloping wall
–
  • One of the island's most colorful sponge sites

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Playa Hulu

shore dive · Santa Martha · Small secluded beach
–
  • Almost empty on weekdays

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Playa Hunku

guided shore dive · bij Porto Mari · Private beach, guided only
–
  • Lively coral, few divers

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Piscaderabaai

shore dive · Piscadera · 5 minutes from the cruise terminal
–
  • Handy for a half day from a cruise stop

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The Crash

plane debris · bij Marriott, Piscadera · Remains of a plane crash
–
  • Wing and parts between sandy patches
  • Hard to find without a guide

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Sandy's Plateau

boat dive · voor Jan Thiel · Lagoon with coral heads
–
  • One of the best coral dives

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Rediho

reef slope · bij Playa Hulu · Exposed to open sea
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  • Untouched reef sloping into deep water
  • Choppy waves and some current

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Diver's Leap

boat dive, wall · Jan Thiel · Wall down to 40 m · No longer reachable from shore
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  • Barracuda, mackerel and tarpon
  • Current can change direction
All pros, cons and scores
  • Seahorses on the plateau

no reviews found

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Lost Anchor (Playa Hundu)

cove, reef · Caracasbaai · Nearly empty on weekdays
–
  • Quiet cove

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Small Wall (Kabayé)

boat dive, wall · Caracasbaai · Down to 36 m
–
  • Beautiful coral and lots of fish
  • Pleasure boats nearby
All pros, cons and scores
  • Good visibility, around 25 m

no reviews found

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Barracuda Point (Punt'i Piku)

reef · tegenover Santa Barbara · Across the channel from Barbara Beach
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  • Barracuda at the point

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Smokey's (Punti Sanchi)

boat dive, drift · bij Fuikbaai · 30-minute boat ride
–
  • Nearly untouched reef
All pros, cons and scores
  • Sharks and stingrays at the drop-off

no reviews found

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Basora

wall on the point · Oostpunt · Easternmost dive site
–
  • Pagoda-shaped formations and many species
  • Current and waves change quickly

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Oostpunt (East Point)

boat dive, drift · Oostpunt · Boat access only · Often combined with Klein Curaçao
–
  • Untouched coral and big sea fans
All pros, cons and scores
  • Reef sharks, eagle rays and tarpon

no reviews found

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Seldom Reef (Bullenbaai)

deep wall dive · Bullenbaai · Sheer vertical wall
–
  • Large sea fans, jacks and few crowds
  • Very deep, watch your limits

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Car Wrecks (Vaersenbaai)

car wrecks, deep · Vaersenbaai · Dozens of car wrecks
–
  • Unusual spot for photos
  • Deep, needs directions from shore

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Marie Pampoen

shore dive · Marie Pampoen · $0 free entry · Entry from a small harbor · Quickly deeper than 30 m
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  • Easy entry without surf
  • Gets deep fast
All pros, cons and scores
  • Tarpon and big morays
  • Boat traffic and sharp scrap metal

no reviews found

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Sweet Bottom

wall drift · bij Jan Thiel · Reef and wall, drift
–
  • Wall with drift

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Beacon Point

boat dive, drift · bij Jan Thiel · Down to 36 m · Large pillar corals
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  • Impressive pillar corals and drop-offs
  • Strong current, experience needed
All pros, cons and scores
  • Jacks, tarpon and barracuda

no reviews found

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Shipwreck Point (SS Oranje Nassau)

wrecks, deep · Seaquarium/Mambo · Two tugboat wrecks around 150 ft · Boiler of an 1884 wreck
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  • Anchors and a propeller at 20 to 35 m
  • Strong, shifting current
All pros, cons and scores
  • Dive center and restaurant on the beach
  • Visibility sometimes poor, boat traffic

no reviews found

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Black Rock (Piedra Pretu)

boat dive, deep wall · Oostpunt · Wall to about 37 m (120 ft)
–
  • Spectacular wall, chance of sharks and mantas
  • Long, sometimes rough boat trip

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Prices are "from" prices we saw at the source on the stated date; they vary by season.

Booking through a middleman

Tripadvisor

Reviews and ratings per dive site and beach; also books guided dives and snorkel trips.

PADI Travel

Dive site list with max depth and bookings at PADI centers.

Curaçao Tourist Board (curacao.com)

Official list of 46 dive and snorkel sites with short descriptions.

Duikersgids.nl

Dutch dive site guide with depth, current and divers' logbook reviews.

Good to know

  • A surface marker buoy is required for diving in Curaçao; bring one.
  • Leave nothing in your rental car: break-ins happen at Directors Bay and other remote spots.
  • The Superior Producer can only be dived when no cruise ship is at the Mega Pier; ask your dive shop for the schedule.
  • Cas Abao, Porto Mari, Playa Kalki and Jan Thiel have a dive shop on the beach for tanks, weights and rinsing.
  • You'll almost always see turtles at Playa Piskado; go early, before the tour buses arrive.
  • Watamula, Mushroom Forest, Beacon Point and East Point are boat-only and often have current.
  • Klein Curaçao is a 1.5-hour boat ride; the crossing is often rough, so bring seasickness medicine.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best dive site in Curaçao?

For beginners: Tugboat (wreck at 16 ft) and Playa Kalki. For experienced divers: the Superior Producer (wreck at 100 ft), Watamula and Beacon Point. Klein Curaçao and East Point have the most untouched coral.

Where can you see turtles in Curaçao?

Playa Piskado (Playa Grandi) in Westpunt is the best-known spot: turtles gather near the fishermen. You'll also often see them at Playa Lagun, Directors Bay, Daaibooi and Klein Curaçao.

Can you shore dive on your own in Curaçao?

Yes. Most sites are shore dives you can do with a rental car and rented tanks. You need a buddy and a required surface marker buoy. Popular shore dives are Tugboat, Cas Abao, Porto Mari, Playa Kalki and Directors Bay.

How much is entry to the dive beaches?

Most sites are free. Cas Abao charges $6 per car ($7 on Sundays), Porto Mari $3 per person and Jan Thiel $3 per person during the day.

How deep is the Superior Producer?

The freighter sits upright at about 100 ft, with the wheelhouse around 80 ft. It is a dive for experienced divers and only possible when no cruise ship is docked.

Where is the best snorkeling in Curaçao?

Tugboat in Caracas Bay (wreck at 16 ft), Playa Piskado (turtles), Playa Lagun, Grote Knip and Cas Abao. The Blue Room is a sea cave you snorkel into on a boat trip.

Where is Mushroom Forest?

Near Playa Santa Cruz on the west coast. You reach it by boat, often combined with the Blue Room. The coral formations look like giant mushrooms.

How many dive sites does Curaçao have?

The tourist board cites more than 70 dive sites; this page lists 61 with depth, access and ratings.

How we compare

We looked up every provider in Curaçao on Google Maps, Tripadvisor, Trustpilot, travel forums and the providers’ own sites. For each we show the score and number of reviews per platform and summarize, in our own words, what keeps coming back in reviews. Providers do not pay for a spot.

Sources (75)