Planning our first trip to Curaçao fro Jan, ‘22

[BoltSnap]

Because it's less expensive, the car is nicer to drive, and in the past trucks weren't as ubiquitous as say Bonaire. Safe?? really?? now you're just arguing...if you want a truck get one, just saying I've dived many of the "dirt road" sites in the past from a car and it wasn't a big deal. Admittedly post-covid might now be a factor.

In my 13 trips to Curacao, I rented a "car" only once for a couple of days only to return and get a a truck in its place. Never went back to a car at all nor had any problems finding a truck or be more expensive at all. And yes, it is safer with the equipment separated from the passenger cabin especially when you hit the breaks when you a pothole at the last minute with all of the tanks, weights and other heavy equipment behind you.

 

[drrich2]

Since the suitability of a car vs. a truck has come up with shore-diving in mind (and I wonder myself), let me ask this...

If someone wants to drive 'primitive' sites (no topside amenities), bringing their own tanks, it stands to reason a truck might come in handy.

If someone wants to stick to sites with topside amenities, like a business where you rent tanks, can buy food during your surface interval, and don't worry much about your vehicle being broken into, a car would probably be okay.

Am I inferring the correct message? A car is okay for some shore destinations, but a truck is a big advantage if you want to do some others?

If so, it becomes a question of listing which sites are which.

 

[RIHappyDiver]

I think @drrich2 hit the crux of the matter. I was thinking of unlimited tank package for the house reef (wherever we stay) and only hitting other sites that have rental facilities, unless someone where we are staying tells me about some must do spot that doesn’t have facilities. I wasn’t sure if we might need a truck for the parks, as well. It might make sense for one couple to rent a truck and the other a car. Besides, the other diver and I are the only two in the group who know each other, so after a couple of days we may all want to get away from each other, which would make having 2 vehicles very important, lol!

 

[AdivingBel]

LOL...I've dived all the sites I've attempted on multiple/muti-week trips including the "dirt road" sites (including the San Juan sites which are definitely dirt road) in a 4-door sedan without issue. If I came to a road too washed out to cross, I guess I would go dive somewhere else, but to date that hasn't happened. I'm not saying don't get a truck. When I first started coming to Curacao trucks weren't as numerous and a lot more expensive. The folks who owned the condo I rented suggested a car. The last time I checked they still run $25/day or so more and over a couple weeks that adds up (not counting gas & ease of driving). If I had to have a truck to dive the sites I wanted to dive, I would get a truck. So far that hasn't happened, but who knows, times change and so can I.

 

[RIHappyDiver]

I just realized that the emojis from my keyboard aren’t working and they are showing up as “, !”, . (That one is from the menu board, haha)

 

[rhwestfall]

@lexvil

 

[JohnN]

LOL...I've dived all the sites I've attempted on multiple/muti-week trips including the "dirt road" sites (including the San Juan sites which are definitely dirt road) in a 4-door sedan without issue. If I came to a road too washed out to cross, I guess I would go dive somewhere else, but to date that hasn't happened. I'm not saying don't get a truck. When I first started coming to Curacao trucks weren't as numerous and a lot more expensive. The folks who owned the condo I rented suggested a car. The last time I checked they still run $25/day or so more and over a couple weeks that adds up (not counting gas & ease of driving). If I had to have a truck to dive the sites I wanted to dive, I would get a truck. So far that hasn't happened, but who knows, times change and so can I.

+1

I've been diving on Curacao 5 times and always rented a car. No problem even for the 'rough' sites like San Juan. Besides, everyone knows there are three basic types of all terrain vehicles: Hummers, Jeeps, and. . . rental cars.

 

[Norwegian Cave Diver]

We will be there for the month of February - Rented a house in Coral Estates. Perhaps we can do some diving together.

 

[lexvil]

I’m hoping to be back on Curaçao June 8th, if the lockdown gets lifted. There are usually 3 or 4 divers on the trip, we prefer vrbo houses, shopping for breakfast and lunch stuff, dinners we like the ribs factory, pinchue, the lady down the road with the Webber etc. the shop for us is dive bus, we go for unlimited air and a 4 door pick up, we load a full days worth of tanks and a few spares and off we go, two favorites are tug boat and directors bay and underwater between those two, we saw this guy there

We are all pretty independent divers so we don’t do things on other peoples schedule, lots to see so find a spot and dive the heck out of it, you’ll see more cool stuff in the water than you will driving around to hit maximum sites.

 

[RIHappyDiver]

We will be there for the month of February - Rented a house in Coral Estates. Perhaps we can do some diving together.

I would take you up on the offer but we’re looking at January 15-22. I’ll try to get an update to you on Covid/site conditions before you go.