Curacao
Curacao
Curaçao was originally formed from volcanic limestone, on which coral has been growing for
centuries. Right from your first dive this is easy to see. Close in to the coastline you can see
the most magnificent coral reefs. It's not surprising that scuba diving is one of the most
popular sports on Curaçao. Fortunately this sport does no harm to the peaceful atmosphere or
to the breathtaking underwater flora and fauna which have been there for more than 60 million
years.
With some 100 good spots for scuba diving along the whole of the south coast, Curaçao is
considered by many to be a diving paradise. Just admiring a shallow reef is an unforgettable
experience. Once you reach the deeper water beyond the edge of a reef, one of Curaçao's
greatest and most impressive sights opens up for you.
Boat diving with a recommend dive
operator is the most comfortable and
luxurious way to dive Curacao, and for
beginners with their Open Water
Certificate, this option gives the greatest
feeling of security. Many experienced
divers prefers to head out and explore
the numerous shore diving sites with
their buddies. Diverse underwater
landscapes can be found just about
anywhere, right of the coast of the
island. Most shore diving sites are easily accessible: with a good map of the island and a
rental car visitor can reach almost all sites in less than half hour. Every major hotel has it's
own dive base offering dive and snorkel excursion by boat, rental equipment, packages and
certification courses. Dive excursion by boat often head to the sites which are not easily
accessible by land.
The wonderful world between surf and drop-off.
One of the greatest advantages of diving Curacao is that most of the beautiful sites are perfect
for divers of different certification. In very shallow water of 3-9 feet, divers and snorkels can
discover soft coral, sea urchins, brain corals and numerous tropical fish. A little deeper at
about 12 feet divers will find colonies of Elkhorn and fire corals.
Somewhat deeper is the transition from the plateau to the wall where the riches underwater
flora and fauna can be found between 30 and 70 feet. When the sunlight begins to fade at
around 80 feet, the sea life diminishes because many of Curacao's sea creatures are
dependent on a constant stream of sunlight from the surface, therefore they prefer shallower
waters.
Curacao is also a "top" destination for Snorkeling.
You can swim but your mind boggles at the thought of scuba diving? You can still experience
the magnificence of the underwater world. Only the most basic equipment is needed, and
mastering snorkeling techniques is relatively easy. Curacao has been rated as one of the best
Caribbean islands for diving and snorkeling. Because of the arid climate, deep water close to
the shore and distance from major sediment sources such as rivers, the reef is lush.
Snorkeling is best away from sandy beach areas - around rocks, corals and cliff or reef edges
are the best options. Water temperatures are balmy, visibility is excellent, averaging about
30m (100ft). If you plan to dive or snorkel from shore, use booties and open heeled fins as
many shore entries consist of coral rubble and rocks. A t-shirt and swimsuit are usually
protection enough against equipment chaffing and sunburn. You may want to bring a dive skin
to protect yourself from brushing accidentally against the coral.
