We just returned from our 5th trip to Curacao. A short trip for 5 nights and 4 days of diving. Because it was a short trip, we stayed at Nos Krusero just across the street from Gowest and dove their house reef every day. I had 11 dives and my wife 9. We flew down on JetBlue from NY and stayed at the TWA Hotel at the airport the night before which was fun and convenient with valet parking and an elevator that takes you right to the JB terminal. Flight fine. First ones off the plane and through immigration, baggage in 10 minutes and a rental car from Budget in another 10 minutes. All went well. Quick Centrum stop and then the drive out to Westpunt.
Nos Krusero worked out okay. It checked some boxes but missed some on others. Location and price were the big pluses. The air conditioning and our room being bug free were some other positives. Big Negative was no hot water for showers. The manager explained how the little heater unit above the shower head worked and heated the water but other than taking some of chill off the water we couldn't describe it as warm. It got old taking cold showers as the week went on. The interior of our unit was relatively spartan. but mostly clean. There is an outside porch with hammocks and table and chairs and drying rack.
Diving was great and we never got bored diving Playa Kalki. I like the Gowest set up and the staff were friendly. Lots of morays on the reef including the 5' green that was hanging out down the rope at about 47'. One turtle, one huge southern stingray, an octupus and lots of the usual characters. I have a video of a flying gunard scrounging along the bottom which I hope to edit and post sometime soon. Water temps consistently 84 in the shallows and 82 at depth. Dove in a rashguard and shorts. Never used my shorty. I thought the vis was fine with it sometimes being more cloudy in the shallows. Maybe 60-90'. It varied but was never bad. There was some rain but not bad.
Dining consisted of breakfasts and most lunches in. Diners out. 2x Cactus Cafe, Sunshine's Sol Food (she is always so nice and welcoming) Blue View and Playa Forti. All were fine and enjoyable, . Big plus having Cactus Cafe now located in Westpunt.
Thoroughly enjoyed our time out in Westpunt. It has such a laid back undeveloped slow quiet vibe. There were still wandering goat herds to be seen. No TV in the room so we pretty much read books in the evening after dinner for entertainment and listened to a radio in the morning for some news over breakfast.
As far as Westpunt news I was told and subsequently read that Kura Hurlanda had been sold this year to a group of local investors and they are working to have it reopen mid '23. They were working on the area around the snack shack/beach restaurant down by the water next to GoWest and was told that should reopen soon. That would be nice as it is a convenient place to grab lunch and snacks between dives. We did notice more tours and tourists coming to Westpunt from the city by bus and boat but they did not seem to stay very long or interfere with our diving and dining. Some pics below of Gowest. I
Nos Krusero worked out okay. It checked some boxes but missed some on others. Location and price were the big pluses. The air conditioning and our room being bug free were some other positives. Big Negative was no hot water for showers. The manager explained how the little heater unit above the shower head worked and heated the water but other than taking some of chill off the water we couldn't describe it as warm. It got old taking cold showers as the week went on. The interior of our unit was relatively spartan. but mostly clean. There is an outside porch with hammocks and table and chairs and drying rack.
Diving was great and we never got bored diving Playa Kalki. I like the Gowest set up and the staff were friendly. Lots of morays on the reef including the 5' green that was hanging out down the rope at about 47'. One turtle, one huge southern stingray, an octupus and lots of the usual characters. I have a video of a flying gunard scrounging along the bottom which I hope to edit and post sometime soon. Water temps consistently 84 in the shallows and 82 at depth. Dove in a rashguard and shorts. Never used my shorty. I thought the vis was fine with it sometimes being more cloudy in the shallows. Maybe 60-90'. It varied but was never bad. There was some rain but not bad.
Dining consisted of breakfasts and most lunches in. Diners out. 2x Cactus Cafe, Sunshine's Sol Food (she is always so nice and welcoming) Blue View and Playa Forti. All were fine and enjoyable, . Big plus having Cactus Cafe now located in Westpunt.
Thoroughly enjoyed our time out in Westpunt. It has such a laid back undeveloped slow quiet vibe. There were still wandering goat herds to be seen. No TV in the room so we pretty much read books in the evening after dinner for entertainment and listened to a radio in the morning for some news over breakfast.
As far as Westpunt news I was told and subsequently read that Kura Hurlanda had been sold this year to a group of local investors and they are working to have it reopen mid '23. They were working on the area around the snack shack/beach restaurant down by the water next to GoWest and was told that should reopen soon. That would be nice as it is a convenient place to grab lunch and snacks between dives. We did notice more tours and tourists coming to Westpunt from the city by bus and boat but they did not seem to stay very long or interfere with our diving and dining. Some pics below of Gowest. I
