Curacao - worth it?? or just ok?

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Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Location
Colorado usa
# of dives
100 - 199
Seen lots of different opinions on Curacao - getting a bit picky on spending money on just OK diving. I have dived in Indonesia and other
great locations. We will be in Curacao for others reasons but want to know if we should go early to dive?? I need up to date info since
the reefs change so quickly. I have about 200 dives under my belt so not a beginner. Love pretty fish, nudibranch, and good colors. Any up to date
people who have dived there recently (not years ago) like in the last 4 or 5 months. appreciate it
 
I haven't been recently (october 2023) but I think it would be worth adding it to an existing trip for sure.
 
I think the diving in Curacao is very worthwhile, especially if you are going there anyway. It may not be in the same league as some places in Indonesia, but I don't think I have ever heard anyone say diving Curacao is not worth it. I have been there many times, most recently in April, 2024, and certainly look forward to my next visit. From my perspective, it is still one of the best dive locations in the Caribbean with excellent diving, very nice beaches, and more than adequate nightlife and good food.
 
I’m not very picky for diving, but we loved Curacao this past November. It’s a unique blend of shore dives, beaches, and topside entertainment. The sites are pretty similar, but some of the drop offs can be quite dramatic. I would say great smaller marine life, ok coral, not much for larger life when I was there. When you’re done diving you can sit on an amazing beach with facilities too. The diving is so easy there, I would absolutely tack some onto an existing trip!
 
Everyone has their favorites, but when I was there in October 2022 I thought it was pretty mediocre for Caribbean diving. Viz was mediocre (may have been due to recent storm), coral was in nice shape, which made it more surprising to me that I didn't see the variety of creatures I've become used to in the Caribbean. I saw lots of bait fish and colorful reef fish smaller than my hand, but not that many interesting critters bigger than that.

I'd put it below Cozumel, S.E. Florida, St. Croix, and Exumas Cayes (Bahamas), and even with or below Amergris Caye (Belize).

I'm not planning to take another scuba trip there, but if I was going for another purpose (that is, already paying airfare) I might add on a day or two to dive. Still beats Gulf dives, quarry dives, Myrtle Beach, etc., so it's still fun to me.
 
Nothing in the Caribbean compares to Indo Pacific especially Indonesia. I would definitely dive there if you’re there anyway. But set your expectations low and you’ll have a great time.
 
As said above, if picky means "as good as the Pacific", then the entire Caribbean is out. Otherwise there is plenty worth diving, especially if you just do the highlights: Director's Bay, Superior Producer, Playa Largu, Alice In Wonderland. I dove them last month, they've all suffered bleaching, but they are far from barren wastelands (yet).
 
Beautiful shore diving. Never need a boat.
 
i assume is is hard to compare where you have been to anywhere in the caribbean. but for that part of our world, curacao offers some very good diving. we were there once. did all shore dives. no really exciting large critters but the reefs off shore was in great condition with lots of life. that was about 8 years ago i think.
 
Seen lots of different opinions on Curacao - getting a bit picky on spending money on just OK diving. I have dived in Indonesia and other
great locations. We will be in Curacao for others reasons but want to know if we should go early to dive?? I need up to date info since
the reefs change so quickly. I have about 200 dives under my belt so not a beginner. Love pretty fish, nudibranch, and good colors. Any up to date
people who have dived there recently (not years ago) like in the last 4 or 5 months. appreciate it
Lot of recent info here once you get past the stickies

 

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