Curacao for Couple That Has Only Done Bonaire Shore Dives

[Nubiesan]

Hi all, and Happy New Year!

We have visited Bonaire 5 times, and still enjoy the diving, but the new construction is unreal!
We are considering Curacao, but are unsure about the logistics of shore diving. Do most people stay at resorts or use self catering apartments? If self-catering, are any of these on resort like grounds and amenities or more in locals neighborhoods? Are grocery stores readily available?

If you stay at a resort, do the packages include shore diving only or just boat dives?
Are dive operators affiliated with specific resorts or are there independents? Do they have multiple locations where you can get tanks (think Dive Friends in Bonaire)?

Is a car needed?


I have issues with deep dives, so I prefer to stay above 60 feet -- is Curacao a good idea?

Can you access house reefs if you are not staying at the resort (like Buddy Dive allows) ?

Any recommendations on resorts and/or apartments? Car rental agencies?
Dive sites?
East or West end?

We usually get in two dives a day, and like the freedom of shore diving, as we would like to spend some time birding and seeing the island, since this would be our first trip.

Thank you for any suggestions.

 

[drrich2]

I can't answer all your questions; only been once, and stayed at Sunscape Resorts Curacao. The practical aspects of some of your questions may depend on whether you stay to the east (near Willemstad, the major city) or out west (the Westpunt area). Be mindful Curacao looks (from eye-balling it on Google Maps) about half again the size of Bonaire, and while many people on Bonaire cluster along the west coast from mid.-island to a bit south, it seems the 'spread' over Curacao is greater.

Perhaps my trip research notes can help get you started.

Curacao Trip Research Notes
Curacao Trip Report with SB Surge Jan. 2019

Just as an example by location, we didn't need a car at Sunscape, but I just did boat dives. Had we stayed at Westpunt, we'd have rented one. I dove using Dive Friends in Bonaire this past October; haven't heard of anything like it in Curacao. It's often the practice in Curacao that some sites have on-site vendors/amenities and divers often rent tanks for diving that site from the on-site provider, as opposed to the Bonaire model of exclusively load up the truck with tanks and hit the road.

 

[diversteve]

Curacao Diving is Bonaire Diving with much easier access. Actually IMO Curacao is better, A lot of south Bonaire seems pretty similar.

Scuba Shore Diving Site Listing for: Curacao, ABC Islands

Almost every beach is a dive site and most have dive operators onsite. Nost also have some sort of food. Most also charge a small usage fee ib guilders if you use their showers/lockers etc. Some also have a separate bech concessiion perator (the plastic chairs, recliners etc. At some sites Curacao has installed covered concrete tables - those are free.

There is no Dive Friends comparable operation. About the closest they get is Relaxed Guided Dives - a tank pickup/shore dive operation on the main road just West of the Airport or The Dive Bus - a similar operation south of downtown at Pieerbaai Beach (The CarPile dive site)

We rarely broke 60' in a week of dives - a couple times to 89. Like Bonaire it becomes flatter and less interesting deeper.

You will need a rental car, the dives sites are farther apart. A few years ago Budget at the airport was the best deal but IIRC we covered the CDW's with our AMEX cards. 7 of us so we rented a SUV and a small truck for tanks,

We found ourselves more diving West even after we moved back to town to dive east, it was better IMO.

Do dive both ends, Westpunt has Go West Diving at 2 locations and Playa Kalki is a good dive. Check with GoWest and get on their boat to Watamula - one of the best. Aso the Signature Tugboat dive is all the way East. the boat is 17' deep, the pier aound 40' and the wall to the south around the point extends deeper. Another decent dive there is Director's Bay - No facilities. Mid Island we liked the old Habitat resort site (now condos, Coral Estate and you can drive right down to the shop/dive.

Around Lagun is pretty good also, both Discover Diving and Bahia diving are there. On the other end of Lagun is Playa Jeremi, a good dive but no facilities, A little to the east (seemssouth) is Porto Mari - a good double reef dive, popular on weekends. nearby is Cas Abao and out to the main road then back in s Varsenbaai - we saw both seahorses and turtles there,

There's also a Klein Curacao but those are usually all day trips. Ocean Encounters goes out there weekly from their shop next to Lions Dive resort. It's also where they do the Dolphin Dives ($200+) since they live at the Sea Aquarium next door.

OE probably has the most shops on Curacao but not where you need them - really far east at the Santa Barbara resort (No shorediving allowed) and in town at the Sunscape AI resort.

We sort ofgrouped our dives - one day we stayed West alldy - Lagun to Westpunt) one day east (Tugboat etc, and a couple days mid-island, We wanted to do Mushroom Forest but our captain said it;s not as good as it was a couple of storms dmaged it. Also since it;s so flat the fish have nowherer to hide, He talked us intoLost Anchor and another site instead - the omly boat dive we did.

One thing to realize about West Curacao is that it's pretty vertical and very quiet. We stayed a few days ib Lagun about 100' above the water then moved to Piscadera Bay to be closer to things like restaurants and food stores. Our rental mgr in Lagun recommebded stoppimg for food at Centrum Market b4 we drove out, there's also a CostuLess neaby, You won't find much once you leave town till Westpunt about an hour drive west.

Since you mentioned Birding - you want Chrustoffel Park mid-island. Besides hiking there's big trees.

 

[The Chairman]

West End Diving is your solution. The best shore diving is in the NW of the island. Stay with West End too and dive right from your resort. Their efficiencies are awesome.

 

[Norwegian Cave Diver]

We have been there once before. Rented a house in the gated community of Coral Estates. Rented two vehicles - divers and non diver vehicles. Sandy bottom at 100 feet. Did all of our diving there in the 60 foot range. Toured the west side. Brought tanks a couple times and rented tanks from the local dive shop a few times. All good diving. We are going back feb 23 for 14 days. This time we rented in Casa Abou.

 

[rhwestfall]

Three trips in two years (been home just a week from the last one). We have stayed "in town" (2x at Lions, and this last time at Bon Bini). Like the grocery store only 1.5 miles from us, and have used The Dive Bus for our diving with each trip. A guide with local knowledge has been a benefit. A place to keep your gear safe, and getting it dry is a plus too.

YMMV

 

[tarponchik]

Stay in the West and dive in the West, anywhere in between Watamula and Largu. Port Marie used to be a great dive but last time we did it in 2017 the corals were covered with brown slime and there wasn't much to see except too many divers. The reefs at Habitat Curacao were in such poor state already in 2010 it's not even worth trying. Lagoon, Jeremi, Kalki, Mansalina and Grandi were all in good condition, and the 2 dive sites by AlWest were also good. Also, the Mushroom Forrest/Cave drift dive from Santa Cruz is very interesting, but this is done from the boat.

 

[Altamira]

+1 for shore diving with the Dive Bus, and boat diving with Ocean Encounters in Curacao.

 

[Nubiesan]

Thanks for the input! You've given me a lot to think about, but it should be an interesting trip!

 

[rick00001967]

we have been here only once. would like to return. haven't done bonaire so cannot compare. it is on the list though. haha
we decided to stay in two different locations. one week in playa lagun and the other near town. playa lagun reef was good. a bit of a swim out to it but easily done if in decent shape.
also did kokomo that week. very nice spot to dive. dive shop / shower / restaurant and a great beach on site.
the second week we did directors bay a couple of times. it was very close to shore. great diving. the tug was good as well. not a great spot if you wanna hang out on shore but lots to see there. and it is shallow. would be a good night dive i suspect.
only a couple of all inclusives on the island i believe. most do hotel or condo. remember of you stay up north it is quite far to get groceries etc. some resorts offer grocery services though if you don't want to have a car.
cars were expensive. but if you want to access shore dives you will need one. unless you use a service like the dive bus. had some friends use them. they loved it.