Curacao - Dive Ops Recommendations

[diversteve]

try new foods especially local faire

Bistro Le Clochard in the RIF fort complex downtown. From the bar there's a great view of the Swinging Bridge at night. Nice food also. It qualifies as romantic. It's in the MegaPier area though so if there's cruise ships in port, that area is busy. At night they're generally gone. Home

Blues at the Avila hotel downtown is a known Jazz Bar. Limited hours though. Live Music some nights IIRC. Avila - Blues Bar & Restaurant Landhuis Daniel on Weg Naar Westpunt - it's fairly close to where you're staying. Nice setting, first rate food. Landhuis Daniel Curacao

If you get down to the Marie Pampoen area east of town - Surf & Turf. It's pretty eclectic, outdoor casual beachfront dining. | Beachside Restaurant Surf&Turf-Curaçao |

We went to Pirate Bay/Hooks Hut in Piscadera Bay a couple times - we stayed nearby. Beach bar with a long pier out into the water. Live music also once. Only place I've ever seen a bar with a dive operation inside it. I wouldn't make a special trip but if you're in the area...

Obviously the shopping district downtown is what Curacao is most famous for. I'm pretty sure there was an open air/craft market on the street just behind the shops. If you drive down to the Otrabunda (west side) you can walk across the swinging bridge (tourist attraction) and avoid the traffic congestion on the Punda side.

historical sites

The synagogue on the Punda side is an old one. Mikvé Israel-Emanuel Curaçao, N.A.

RIF fort is also but they added a mall behind it. Riffort
Renaissance Mall & Rif Fort / Shop & Splurge / Attractions and Restaurants / Home - Curacao

love animals

There's the Ostrich Farm. https://www.facebook.com/OstrichFarmCuracao

They do Dolphin Dives at the main Ocean Encounters by the Sea Aquarium. Special dive trips on Curacao | Ocean Encounters Diving Curacao
We didn't go into the Sea Aquarium but it's right next door also. Kind of a smaller version of SeaWorld. Home - Curacao Sea Aquarium

One of the newer attractions is Substation Curacao - a deep diving sub just east of town. Pretty pricey though - Home » Substation Curaçao

 

[steelwindmachine]

Steve, thank you for the excellent info. I will check into those places this week.