Hi Natasha,
Just returned from Curacao on Monday.
I didn't have the greatest of trips, don't get me wrong it was still enjoyable but I didn't do things properly. I picked a hotel which appeared to be near the Sea Aquarium from there web site and was offering a good price, The Plaza. Wrong! it's 10 minutes away by hotel bus which do not leave in time to make the first boats therefore a $10 cab ride every morning.
Ditto I started out with Toucan diving (attached to the hotel) 1st morning they were doing the superior producer and as I had not done a check dive with them would not take me to this more advanced site, I had last dived in November but being careful is OK with me, anyhow ended up diving of the beach just to get wet. Next day nothing but promises of great action for tomorrow, day after that nothing but more promises, they just did not have enough clients so I marched up the beach and signed on with Ocean Encounters. That day 1 of the boats was late going out as it had broken and was being fixed so I was lucky enough to get on. I enjoyed diving with Ocean Encounters and my dives on Curacao, however they do appear to have a monopoly in terms of diving around there and I think that makes them complacent in terms of what they offer as extra service. Out of the 8 dive operators I have used on my travels, after Toucan Curacao I'm afraid these are bottom of the pile. Boats were overcrowded and cramped,18 persons, on a couple of days they left a boat in harbour,they really could have made 3 boats of 12. Boats incredibly noisey and smelly (although someone did tell me that has something to do with the grade of diesel available) not enough and wrong tanks (2 dives I had to dive 10l Nitrox tank as that was all that was left). Oh and if you are thinking of going soon the pier got washed away last Tuesday. I had little say in the chosen sites so did end up doing 4 sites at least twice, but I expect that as a downside of going alone.
On the plus side the dive guides were great and I did see plenty of Seahorses which was really what I went to see.
My overall impression of Curacao diving is that you really ought to go with say 3 buddy's rent a pick up and DIY dive maybe adding 2 or 3 guided boat dives. It is not really the place for the solo traveller.
I'm suppose I'm not really a go out for an evening meal every night type of guy and would have been much better off staying at Habitat even though its away from Willemstad, still chalk it down to experience and do it right next time.
p.s. I know my reference to The Plaza and Toucan will spook you a little because I'm on the Bonaire trip and thats where we are going but I fully appreciate The the Bonaire plaza is a completely differnet kettle of fish and that Toucan Bonaire has absolutely nothing to do with the Curacao DO. Toucan is a trademark of Van Der Valk and it is franchised to two completely different operators.
Neil
I am putting a trip together for my "Winter Escape" group to Curacao in March of 03. Because of this I have been doing quite a bit of research on the place. I have come up with either Lion's or Breezes for my group.
