Tips on where to go, what to do — 2 years ago
A warning to all who think they may want to vacation in Curacao. Before you hop on a plane, read this. Curacao isn’t your typical lush, tropical, green leafy Caribbean island. It is rather the opposite. There are cactus everywhere, and also beware of a dreadfully spiky plant called wabi with spikes so long and strong, the can puncture car tires. Wabi is seriosuly everywhere. But don’t let that that i have just said steer you away from this woderful island. That was just a warning so you didn’t expect Curacao to be any different then it is.
Curacao is quite and island. It is famous for it’s snorkeling and diving, which attracts many tourists each year. It shares the same reef system with nearby Bonaire. The sites to be seen underwater are seriosuly incredible. There are 1000’s of brilliant fish, simply saturated with every color imaginable, there are coral formations everywhere and there are even a few wrecks at which you can either snorkel or dive. The wreck i recommend is the Tugboat wreck off Caracasbaai, a beach just east of the Seaquarium located near Spanish Waters. It’s a stunning wreck in only about 15 feet of water, so snorkeling is recommended. It’s a well preserved wreck that went down in the 1970’s and is also a wonderful spot to view tropical fish. I saw a blue parrot fish that was seriosuly as long as my arm!
About snorkeling locations, you can’t beat Playa Lagun, on the western side of the island. Explore the coral formations along the right and left sides of the cove that is Playa Lagun, because there are many exotic fish and pieces of coral it would be a shame to miss. Another primo snorkeling location i discovered was Westpuntbaai, also on the western side of the island, but is more westernly located then Playa Lagun. If you get a chance to snorkel there, explore along the left-most side of the beach, along the sheer drop from the restraunt above. Similarly to Playa Lagun, there are 100’s of fish that congregate there and so many from of coral i can’t even tell you.
If you want a beach at which to simply swimm, not to snorkel, not to sunbathe, just to swim, i highly recommend Playa Jeremi, just West of Play Lagun. It is about the size of Playa Lagun, but with a purely sandy bottom. There is no snorkeling to be done here, but thats not a problem. The water gets deep quickly, and there are no waves or current at all, both making for perfect swimming conditions. If you are at Playa Jeremi and are feeling adventurous, look to the left wall of the beach, all the way out where the left wall stops. Do you see the ladder? It may be coated with coral, but can support anyone. Climb that latter, and climb up the rocks above it (even though it is basically vertical, you can still climb it if you try; if i can do it, anyone can, seriously), then when you get to the top, just jump out into the water. It’s deep enough to be safe for sure, and is so exhilerating!
For hotel recommendations, i recommend Sunset Waters Hotel and Resort, located on the west side of the island in a small town called Soto. It’s about a 30 minute drive from the hustle and bustle of Willemstad, the capital, but thats a good thing. The hotl has a pool with a swim-up bar, a woderfully sheltered beach with thatched cabanas everywhere, and there is even some snorkeling to be done there. The hotel also offers a beach barbecue on Thursday evenings and a fish fry on Monday evenings, but dinner is served every night. I didn’t stay here during my visit, but rather at the house my family owns about a mile away from here, however we ate here many times and were permitted by the manager, who is a family friend, to swim at the beach and pool as often as we liked.
I really hope this helps you on your visit to Curacao. it’s a great island with so much to do and see. The lolcals are gracious and welcoming, the beaches and food are unmatched by any other Caribbean island, and relaxing is the order of the day. To get more tips, check out the book Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao ALIVE. Have fun!
Carley
