The top 26 dive and snorkel sites in Willemstad, ranked by diver reviews, with maps and photos. Read the Willemstad guide
Oswaldo's Drop-off is found off the dive shop dock of the Princess Beach Resort. The site Car Pile is also found here. This is a fun dive with easy entry and exit. About 3 km South East of Punda, wind your way down the coastal roads of Penstraat to the intersection of Dr. MLKing Blvd and Koraalspechtweg.
The Bapor Kibra wreck, almost 100 years old, is off the Curacao Sea Aquarium. Conditions can be a little choppy, so check the weather before you head out. About 4 km Southeast of Punda, wind your way down the coastal roads of Penstraat, Dr. MLKing Blvd, and then on Bapor Kibra.
Steep wall right off the beach. Filefish, Trumpetfish, Juvenile Spotted Drums, Queen Anglefish, Blue Tang, Honeycomb Cowfish and much more. From the beach a very short swim South of Jan Thiel Bay
The wreck of the Superior Producer has been gathering coral since 1977, in about 25-35 meters (80-110 feet) of depth. It's a worthwhile and relatively easy wreck dive, when the conditions are right. Found on the coastal highway of Pater Euwensweg in Otrobanda, just 1.1 km West of the inlet to the harbor area of Willemstad. Parking is at the Holiday Beach Hotel. If it is not too choppy it is easy to enter the water from shore (off the concrete jetty). Boats go there quit often also. If you choose to park abeam the wreck buoy on the Mega Pier, leave someone watching your car. We had our cars broken into twice in a year at this site. Superior Producer is also known as Location Mega Pier.
After my husband dived from a boat at this site and really liked it, we rented a car and drove out there so I could snorkel. It was the best snorkeling we did on the island. There are huge columns used for tying off ships that have lots of corals growing on them. The coral was pristine and the fish abundant. Coronets, spotted drums, parrotfish, several kinds of butterfly fish, eels, Spanish hogfish, and a very attractive tugboat below. From Anonymous: Get there early and beat the snorkel boats to this picturesque site! Tugboat is everything you see in the dive Curacao ads. Shallow site, great for photographing the little things! Finish your dive by checking out under the pier. There is a small dive shop there, but the day we went they were out of tanks and have no compressor. The attendant promised to have tanks there in a hour, we waited two hours and still no tanks. Bring your own tanks! From downtown Willemstad go east to Salina and take Nieuwe Caracasbaaiweg all the way out to its end, which is a roundabout, where you take the left turn (east). continue along the road, passing the ruins of Fort Beekenburg and alongside Baya Beach. Follow the unpaved road up the hill and back down to a parking lot below the Quarantaine Building (old, large, yellow building on hill). At the end of the parking lot is a small beach facility. It has a small dive shop, picnic tables, a small cobbled beach, and snack shop, changing rooms, and showers. The shop's name is Tugboat. On the big 'SmartDriving' road map we got from out hotel this divesite is marked as #63, 'Tugboat'.
Grote Knip is another excellent beach for the whole family. The kick-out for the diver is a little far, but if you take your time, and enjoy the scenery, you'll be at the reef edge before you know it! 4.3 km South of the Northernmost village of Westpunt, turn at the intersection below.
Great dive site with lots of Tarpon (as its name is already indicating).
North shore dives in Curacao are very dangerous, due to the strong currents along the rocky shore. Recommended only if windstill(and thus less current) weather, go with a large party, use a standby diver, use dive lights even during daylight. Bring markings to find the tunnel entrance back. Possibility to shore in a nearby small bay. Located between Playa Canao and St Joris Bay. From Playa Canoa follow the big wind mills to the last one on a dirt road. At the last windmill, take a sharp turn north to the shore. You wille see a circulair hole in the rock bottom. the tunnel entrance is at the north pointing toward the see.
Playa Kanoa is a 0-star rated scuba dive and snorkel destination in Curacao which is accessible from shore based on 0 ratings.
Hamrak is a 0-star rated scuba dive and snorkel destination in Curacao which is accessible from shore based on 0 ratings.
Site is short ride from Playa Kanoa. Variety of coral and sealife. Use a broken pipeline on shore as reference point.
Marie Pampoen is a 0-star rated scuba dive and snorkel destination in Curacao which is accessible from shore based on 0 ratings.
Parasasa Beach is a 0-star rated scuba dive and snorkel destination in Curacao which is accessible from shore based on 0 ratings.
Dolphin Academy Curacao is a 0-star rated scuba dive and snorkel destination in Curacao which is accessible from shore based on 0 ratings.
It is a very nice and easy dive, lot's of fish and very nice: a little tugboat at safety stop depth. Also very nice to snorkel. Avoid this site when cruise ships are in town--snorkel tours keep the site VERY busy. This is an excellent site for kids on a Bubblemakers course. A wreck dive on their first dive in only 15' of water! At the moment, Google Earth shows this in the wrong place. It is actually a few more miles east than the marker listed there, by the Baya Beach marker. Located just beyond the Baya Beach Club on the southeast side of Caracasbaai. The wreck is in the Curacao Underwater Park. Easily accessible from shore( boatdives also available) from a nice coral beach: Baya Beach. All facilities available.
Grote Knip (Playa Abou) is a 0-star rated scuba dive and snorkel destination in Curacao which is accessible from shore based on 0 ratings.
Car Pile starts getting interesting at around 80-100ft / 25-30m so it's for Advanced or experienced divers only. Head back along Pierbaai Reef on the return leg. The barge carrying these vehicles was sunk as an artificial reef in 1973 and the 1950's cars and trucks have become totally integrated into the reef by now. There's lots of marine life. Look out for moral eels swimming through car headlamps, and check out your reflection in the chrome bumper Car Pile is also known as Pierbaai.
Based on Zentacle reviews, the top-rated sites in Willemstad are Oswaldo's Drop-off (4.9 from 12 reviews), Bapor Kibra (4.8 from 4 reviews) and Directors Bay (4.6 from 8 reviews).
The top-rated beginner sites are Oswaldo's Drop-off (4.9 from 12 reviews) and Directors Bay (4.6 from 8 reviews).
Oswaldo's Drop-off, Bapor Kibra, Directors Bay and Superior Producer are the top-rated sites you can enter from shore.
Zentacle lists 8 dive shops in Willemstad. The top-rated are The Dive Bus (4.9 from 141 reviews) and Scubacao Diving Adventures (4.9 from 127 reviews).
