Help me identify this Curacao dive resort...

[Glock Diver]

Well, I did some searches but couldn't come up with it.

In January 2005, I took a 7-night cruise with Royal Caribbean on the Adventure of the Seas. I took my OW course onboard the ship, and we did 2 of our dives from a Dive Resort that was within about 30 mins of the cruise ship port in Willemstad. It was a very nice place, and I'd love to go back and stay there... Being a brand-new diver, I wasn't paying much attention to my surroundings, and never got the name of the resort.

I do remember that it had great shore diving, as we swam through a small opening in the barrier reef that enclosed the swimming/snorkeling area. The wall dive was just beyond that lagoon, where the depth went from about 30' to 4000+ (according to the DM). At the resort, there was a nice little beach side bar, along with your typical manicured beach, lounge chairs, etc. Wooden pathways (slightly raised off the ground) led through the area to beaches, villas, dive shop, etc.

If anyone has an idea of the name of the resort, I'd be grateful for the tip!

 

[mikerault]

There are several like that. I vote for the Marriott.

Mike

 

[Glock Diver]

There are several like that. I vote for the Marriott.

Mike

I will have to check that out, maybe their website will have some pictures that I'll recognize.

I'm inclined to say that it wasn't a big-name hotel resort... appeared more local in nature.

 

[CheddarChick]

I agree with Mike. But do you remember a current there? Marriott seems to always have a current. The dive shop is right on the beach and is called Carribean Sea Sports, Tom is the Big Puba there, a great guy and well run shop.

 

[Glock Diver]

Well, I looked at their website, and it's not the Marriott The place we used was not so grand.

Too bad, because I could use some of my Reward points to get back there cheaply!

 

[Glock Diver]

I agree with Mike. But do you remember a current there? Marriott seems to always have a current. The dive shop is right on the beach and is called Carribean Sea Sports, Tom is the Big Puba there, a great guy and well run shop.

Thanks for the reply, CheddarChick. There was little to no current- it really was an ideal place for our first 2 OW dives.


I wonder if I could contact someone with Royal Caribbean and ask what dive operation they have agreements with in Curacao? In addition to our class, there were other divers at this resort from our ship who opted for the cruise line's dive excursion.

 

[GaTT]

Sunset Waters Beach Resort (www.sunsetwaters.com) and their on-site dive op (www.sunsetdiver.com) sounds likely to me. I was there July 22-29 and it was one of my best vacations ever! Terrific place.
Good luck!

 

[diversteve]

Lion's Dive. There's a waterfront beach bar, some paths between the facilities and a wooden dock along the property over to Ocean Encounters to the east (left) of the property. But I don't remember seeing a protected cove, more like a boat channel with a beach off to one side. There's a pretty good sized breakwater off to the left as you exit the channel. The reason I think it might be them is that OE is the dominant dive outfit on Curacao and their main location is there. So they'd be the likely cruise ship operator. Was there a big aquarium just to the east of the diveshop? That would be the SeaAquarium. OE does dolphin dives using their dolphins, you could've seen them in a pen just to the left standing on the dock by the diveshop.

as we swam through a small opening in the barrier reef that enclosed the swimming/snorkeling area...there was a nice little beach side bar, along with your typical manicured beach, lounge chairs, etc.

Sounds like Sunset Waters, but everything there is on the same level as the beach with the resort up on a hill behind it. And no wooden pathways - are there? - at least not at beach level. The diveshop is a good 100yds. behind the snorkeling area and off to the left across a road on a boat channel.

Picture of Lions Dive showing the bar to the right. Beyond that a walkway leads to the Ocean Encounters dock/diveshop:

 

[Damselfish]

If you are thinking of going to Curacao for a dive trip you might want to look into a number of the resorts and pick the one that seems best for you, rather than just going to the one you happened to wind up at through the cruise line. Which ever place it is might be the perfect place and what you decide upon, or you might find a better option.

 

[herman]

Holiday Beach Resort maybe? It has a "lagoon" walled off by a man made barrier. You exit the lagoon to dive on the right hand corner while looking to sea.