Klein Curaçao is a small island where it is beautiful for diving and snorkeling. It is recommended to go diving there with a guide, as the current picks up easily and often draws you out to the open ocean.
Here you can dive left to the “Point” or dive to the right to the wall.
The shallow ends very quickly in a wall that goes straight down to a depth of 40 meters. If you follow this wall to the right, it will stay that way. There are even some small holes in some parts.
If you follow it to the right, the first part of the reef is not that spectacular, but after 10 minutes of diving you will reach the point. Once you get here you will find a beautiful reef with huge sponges and corals. Watch out for currents after you reach the point.
The Tugboat is one of the easiest but also one of the most beautiful dive sites on Curaçao.
Here you will find a reef that turns into a wall after a while, a shallow wreck at a depth of 5 meters, making it nice to snorkel at the pier where some seahorses can be found.
Recommended for all divers regardless of experience level.
This place is less known and you have to swim for about 10 minutes to get there.
Given that not many divers go, the reef is almost untouched and great fun for Lionfish hunting. For this dive we recommend a local dive guide.
Marie Pampoen is a small beach that you can enter and then dive to the left. The reef slowly deepens and is full of corals and sponges.
After 10-15 minutes you will reach the auto stack. It starts at a depth of 15 meters and drops to about 70 meters. The cars are almost unrecognizable, but there are also boats and many other metal objects to explore.
The Superior Producer sank at Otrobanda near the Megapier. That's why you can only dive there if there is no cruise ship in port.
The wreck is upright at a depth of 30 meters. Access is not easy and you need to know where the ship is or you will miss it easily.
An impressive wall dive, this spot is a must for those who enjoy vertical drop-offs. To reach the wall you have to go to Blue Bay Beach. Enter the water on the right side of the beach and swim straight towards the cliffs. The reef starts at about 25 feet and drops almost vertically to over 42 meters. Hovering over the vertical drop-off will make you feel like you're flying.
Along the edge of the drop-off, there's a healthy mix of Gorgonen and Stony Corals, with some big Sea Fans swinging in the current. Following the wall back towards the beach you will find some impressive coral formations and large schools of fish, with some of the better specimens at depths of 40-60 feet.
This is a good site to find the Longsnout butterfly fish that searches for invertebrates in the recesses.
Swim to the drop-off, which starts at 7 meters and continues all the way to 40 meters. If you follow the reef to the left after 20 min you will see the outline of a wreck (a pontoon) that was used to transport the car wrecks to their landfill.
The shallow point is at 20 meters while the deepest part goes up to 35 meters. The wreck is on the reef covered with sponges and surrounded by many fish such as sergeant mayors, trumpet fish etc.
The reef is a double reef, with a sand valley between the first and second reef and it reaches a depth of 30 meters. The second reef starts at a depth of 16 meters and drops to a depth of 50 meters, where you can watch the Garden Eels dance on the sandy plateau. Eagle or Stingrays are often seen at the 2nd reef.
Early in the morning the rays come from the depths to the shallows in search of food. They dig in the sand in search of shells. You can also spot various parrot fish and schools of goat fish, moray eels, tribe fish and much more. It's also funny to look for the Yellow head blennies that live in homemade holes. They come out to eat the plankton that pass by.
The bay has cliffs on both sides and is well protected so it is always calm. Follow the sandy bottom in search of sea horses and watch out for sea turtles. Follow the cliffs to the left and explore the cliff edges where Cup Coral, Anemones, Brain Coral and numerous small reef fish make their home.
Outside the bay (left side) you will find two small caves after about 200 meters. These can be explored by well-trained divers. To reach the drop-off, swim / snorkel straight out of the mouth of the bay another 100 meters. The reef starts in 9 meters of water and gradually drops to a depth of 30 meters. The flow is usually light. The reef on the left has large colonies of Great Star Coral, Brain Coral, Stove Pipe Sponges, Cup Coral, and Sea Rods.
Enter right at the pier and there are lots of little critters, small fish and cleaner shrimp to be found. Swim to the drop-off (5 min) and watch out for boats as it is a fishing port.
The coral formations at the drop-off are a habitat for many colorful fish.
Follow the stairs to the beach. At the surface, swim to the right towards the rocks. The shallow part of the bay was hit hard by hurricanes Lenny (1999) and Omar (2008) and is recovering. After a few minutes you will reach the drop-off which starts at 10 meters / 30 ft. and continues below 30 meters. Both directions are good, but the flow is often to the right.
Plate Coral, Flower Coral and Star Coral are plentiful, with Parrotfish, Soldierfish, Damselfish and Morays inhabiting the formations. Eagle rays and turtles are regular visitors here, as is tuna and mackerel chasing bait fish.
