Curaçao – West (Banda Abou & Westpunt)

Banda Abou, Curaçao's northwest half, is where the island's most photographed reefs sit. A string of beaches from Daaibooi and Porto Marie up to Playa Kalki and Westpunt offer easy shore dives, while Santa Cruz is home to Mushroom Forest and the Blue Room (boat or snorkel) and the northwest tip hosts the current-swept Watamula. Go West Diving, Dive Center Lagun and Ocean Encounters (boats) cover this coast. The exposed north coast is boat-only and advanced.

Facts

• Marine park & fees: The Curaçao Marine Park, managed by CARMABI, protects over 21.7 km of the southeast coast (Eastpoint area). No dive or nature fee for visitors is verified as in force: Curaçao Chronicle reported a 2022 plan for a diving tax and a July 2023 draft 'Nature and Environmental Management Fund' levy (USD 55 for visitors, not officially announced), and an undated dive-directory listing mentions an entrance fee of USD 10-15 that could not be confirmed. Some private beaches may charge entrance or parking; check with your operator. No site here is therefore tagged permit-required.
• Shore diving rules: Shore diving is the island's speciality (38+ marked shore sites). Divers must use a dive flag, SMB or DSMB when shore diving. Several of the north-coast boat sites are unmarked with large swell and heavy currents and are rarely dived recreationally.
• Water & visibility: Water 25-29 C year-round, visibility typically 15-30 m (best on east-coast drop-offs); a rental car is the key to shore diving.

Season

• Best months: Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep
• Acceptable: Jan, Feb, Mar, Oct, Nov, Dec
• Water temperature: 25–29 °C

Curaçao lies outside the hurricane belt, so it is diveable year-round. Water is 25-27 C from November to April and 28-29 C from May to October; visibility is typically 15-30 m. Scubarank puts the calmest, warmest period at May-November; Dive Curaçao says the dry season (Jan-Sep) has the best visibility while the rainy season (Oct-Dec) can briefly cut it. The trade wind picks up by midday, so morning dives are best.

Dive sites (17)

Westpunt

• Alice in Wonderland (Playa Kalki) – 6–25 m, beginner
• Elvin's Plane Wreck – 12–20 m, intermediate
• Playa Gipy – 15–30 m, advanced
• Playa Piskadó (Playa Grandi) – 3–18 m, beginner
• Sweet Alice (Playa Forti) – 5–18 m, beginner
• Watamula – 12–25 m, advanced

Sint Willibrordus & Porto Marie

• Daaibooi Beach – 3–18 m, beginner
• Playa Porto Mari – 3–25 m, beginner

Santa Cruz

• Mushroom Forest – 10–25 m, intermediate
• The Blue Room – 1–6 m, intermediate

Lagun & Knip

• Paradise – 15–30 m, advanced
• Playa Jeremi – 3–20 m, beginner
• Playa Kenepa Chikitu (Kleine Knip) – 3–18 m, beginner
• Playa Kenepa Grandi (Grote Knip) – 3–20 m, beginner
• Playa Lagun – 3–18 m, beginner

Soto, Santa Martha & Cas Abao

• Playa Cas Abao – 3–20 m, beginner
• Playa Hundu – 5–25 m, intermediate

Operators (3)

• Go West Diving – dive centre, Playa Kalki, Westpunt
• Dive Center Lagun – dive centre, Playa Lagun, Lagun
• Ocean Encounters – dive centre, Bapor Kibra, Willemstad (LionsDive Beach Resort and Sunscape Curaçao Resort)

Conditions change: currents at the north coast, Klein Curaçao and Eastpoint can be strong, and several sites need advanced training or a local boat operator. Shore diving needs a dive flag/SMB by law. Positions are estimates for orientation only; check current fees, access and conditions with your dive operator.