Curacao Diving

[coberry7]

I'm going to Curacao Sometime in the next six months. I'll be traveling with two very inexperienced divers. I'm looking at Sea Aquarium, Lion's Dive, and Habitat. Any reccomendations? We're looking for full service diving, luxury, ammenities, etc. And world class, no current, boat diving. I'm catering to the two I am traveling with, so the no frills, dive til you drop stuff isn't a good idea.

I'd also like a place that has a 'confined water environment' so that I can teach some skills as well outside of a pool.

Help!

Colin Berry

 

[ScubaJewel]

I took a group to Lions Dive a couple of years back and we all loved it. The proximity to the Sea Aquarium was great and the dive operation that runs out of the dive shop at the hotel is run by Peter Hughes and it was wonderful as well.

Curacao is a great place to take Newbie divers, Most of the dives are easy and the reef levels out at 15 feet making your safety stop a true pleasure.

Julie

 

[divegeek]

I was in Curacao over Christmas. We stayed at Breezes because the two non-divers in the family didn't want to stay at a "dive hotel". No major complaints (parts of the place could use a little refurb, but so do most places). The dive shop at Breezez is the same as Lion (the main shop is at Lion's) called Ocean Encounters.

These hotels are near the main town (willemstad). The boat dives were easy. The shore diving in that area (Breezes and Lion's are in the same area) have a bit of current. Breezes has a contained area that you're looking for. It's a rock breaker between the ocean and beach.

We went shore diving at Cas Abaou which is in the same area as Habitat. Better shore diving but there's not much else in that area of the island.

Here's a link to my thread: http://www.scubaboard.com/t43651.html.

 

[TedJ]

coberry7,

I spent two weeks in Curacao this past fall. I will be posting a trip report somewhere shortly but in a nutshell I would recommend the Hilton and Seascape Diving. They were super. Diving at Lions Dive, Tortuga Diving and Breezes down near the Seaquarium is now run by Ocean Encounters. I stayed at Breezes next door to Lions Dive for a week and then the Hilton for a week and I would definitely go back to the Hilton for accomodations as well as diving.

I agree with Julie, however, that Curacao is a great place to go for newer divers. Check out the photos on my website, however, the trip report will be along shortly with more details. PM me if you have any questions.

BTW, Julie, I like your new avatar! Very stylish.
TEdJ

 

[TedJ]

Here's a link to the Trip Report I wrote for DigitalDiver.Net.

http://www.digitaldiver.info/trip_reports.php?reportID=97

 

[marisa-t]

Here's a link to the Trip Report I wrote for DigitalDiver.Net.

http://www.digitaldiver.info/trip_reports.php?reportID=97

Ted,

This report is AWESOME. I truly think this is the best report I have ever read. The dives sound beautiful, and I am even more SICK for Vacation than I ever was. Your report mentions things I never think to ask, and give such a great insight!

You guys have great pics, by chance did you get to see any sharks?
Almost everytime I dove in Grand Cayman with Sunset House the divers would tell us there had been this type of shark spotted or this type, and just as I figured, never saw any!!!!

I did however see some in Maui! (Molokini Crater)

I have saved this link to my 2004 Curacao Trip folder as I know it will be very helpful.



Thanks,


Marisa-T


"Live it while you can"

 

[TedJ]

marisa-t,

It's only a couple months late, but actually thanks to your questions I got it done.

Many divers probably don't consider the Hilton (used to be Sheraton) but instead concentrate on either Habitat or distantly second Sunset Waters. Both of these are way far out of town, whereas the Hilton (and the Marriott next door) are just on the edge of town. If your idea of a place is to be isolated, then the first two would fit the bill.

BTW, the only sharks I have seen in Cayman were out at the East End at a site where Ocean Frontiers used to feed them. I've never seen any sharks elsewhere and I have been going there for over ten years for two weeks at a time.
TedJ

 

[sharon]

Here's a link to the Trip Report I wrote for DigitalDiver.Net.

http://www.digitaldiver.info/trip_reports.php?reportID=97

I really enjoyed reading your report. I have done mostly shorediving on the west end of Curacao and Playa Kalki is one of my favorite dives. I also got engaged on the beach there late on Valentine's a couple of years ago. We always stay at Allwest Apts in Westpunt. I would not consider staying anywhere else on the island, we love being away from the town and since we usually stay for 3 weeks, you can't beat the rates at Allwest and the view is priceless. Thanks for sharing your report.

 

[TedJ]

sharon,
Welcome to the Photo group. Have any images to share? I really enjoyed Playa Kalki and the guys at the new shop couldn't have been nicer. For 3 weeks I agree with you. I don't think many folks realize how nice the diving is in Curacao and how easy it is too. Bonaire seems to continually get the bulk of kudos.
TedJ

 

[sharon]

Thanks for the welcome Ted. I have lots of photos from my 6 weeks on Curacao but they are not on the computor yet. My husband wants to buy a scanner soon and then they may just get put on. I really love sharing stories about Curacao, it is a great shorediving island. We have been to Bonaire also, but mainly due to our long vacation time and the limited reasonable flights in and out of Bonaire, we will stick with Curacao. The owner of Allwest is Louis and he has become a good friend of ours, he has always had topnotched people working for him. I really like to be totally relaxed on vacation and that you can find at Allwest overlooking those little boats in the bay, the little bay is also a great place to snorkel. If you ever go back, contact Allwest and go to Watamula and do a driftdive with them, it is an incredible site also and very few operators will go there, the usual second dive is Mushroom Forest and one can never get enough of it. Take care.
Sharon