Curaçao Diving Spots – A Caribbean Underwater Paradise

The Caribbean island of Curaçao is a popular destination for diving enthusiasts wanting to explore the breathtaking underwater world. In our article, we present some popular beaches and spectacular diving sites along the coast of the Caribbean island, perfect for Curaçao diving adventures. While diving you can marvel at exotic fish, adorable sea turtles, and colorful coral reefs, as well as explore sunken shipwrecks. The numerous diving schools offer courses for both complete beginners and certified divers, giving everyone a chance to discover the fascinating marine world.

The water temperature in Curaçao is consistently between 25°C and 28°C throughout the year. This temperature is neither too warm nor too cold, making it ideal for swimming and diving. Due to the comparatively higher number of rainy days in November and December, the best time to dive is between January and October.

Curaçao is a true paradise for diving enthusiasts, as you can discover numerous diving spots around the island. The island is surrounded by a variety of breathtaking reefs that host diverse fish species and colorful corals.

Many of these spots can be reached directly through the shallow waters or from the beach.

However, some of the diving sites in Curaçao are further out in the open sea. To explore these, you need to take a boat out. The advantage: You can combine your diving trip directly with a boat trip, offering breathtaking views of the coast.

To provide you with inspiration for dives during your holiday, we have compiled some of the most noteworthy locations on Curaçao below.

Close to Tugboat Beach, you will find the shipwreck at a depth of 16,40 feet. It is an old barge that was accidentally sunk more than 25 years ago. Today, it is one of the most popular diving spots on the Caribbean island. From the beach, you have to swim about 164,04 feet to reach the Tugboat Wreck. Once there, due to the crystal-clear waters, you can also see the details of the sunken ship excellently. Additionally, you can admire various marine life such as turtles, seahorses, clownfish, crabs, and corals.

By the way, it’s not necessarily required to dive at Tugboat. Even while snorkeling around the wreck, you can observe numerous colorful fish.

The Small Wall is located near Caracasbaai, a beach on the southwest coast of the island. Since the diving site is relatively far out, you can only reach it by boat. From the boat, you first reach a sandy plateau from which a steep wall, the Small Wall, descends. Along this wall, numerous small caves and holes form, which are home to crawfish, fish, seahorses, and other animals. Due to the depth and boat operation, this location is more recommended for advanced divers.

Playa Grandi is perfect for snorkeling and diving. The beach is especially known for the many sea turtles that live there. This means that there’s a good chance you’ll encounter some turtles on your trip. To capture this special outing, we recommend bringing an underwater camera*.

As the name suggests, at Sponge Forest you will find numerous sponges in various colors, shapes, and sizes. You can also reach this diving spot by boat. At a depth of about 26,25 feet there is a plateau from which you can start your exploration. Right next to it is the steep wall covered with corals and sponges, which is 131,23 feet deep in total.

Even if you are an absolute beginner with no experience in diving, you can find the perfect diving course in Curaçao. In a beginner’s diving course, you can gradually get accustomed to the depths of the sea and will be appropriately supervised. You don’t need any prior knowledge, as you will be trained and accompanied by professional guides. At the end of the day, you will also have the opportunity to participate in a first dive. The diving gear is provided for you, often including meals during the entire course. If you already have some prior experience but haven’t dived in a while, you can also take a refresher course to regain confidence.

For certified divers, various diving schools in Curaçao also offer guided diving trips to popular spots. There you can dive near places like Marie Pampoen Beach or Caracasbaai. In small groups of no more than five people, you will always be accompanied by a trained guide. If you do not own your own diving gear or did not bring it with you on your holiday, some diving schools provide all the necessary equipment without extra charge.

The range of diving schools in Curaçao is vast. So you don’t have to sift through the extensive offerings, we have compiled a selection of the best diving schools in Curaçao for you. At Curacao Divers, there are diving courses in German. The two diving instructors, Mike and Andi, are super fun and, with their empathetic nature, sensitively cater to even the more anxious diving beginners. In addition to trial courses, the diving school also offers comprehensive beginner and advanced courses, ensuring there is a suitable option for participants of all experience levels.

If you are traveling as a multilingual group, it makes sense to visit the Central Dive School. This school offers diving courses in English, Dutch, German, and French. Here you can choose between diving courses for various experience levels, and even children can learn to dive here.

The diving school Relaxed Guided Dives also has offerings for kids. Moreover, the dive center is recommended for experienced divers who, for example, are aiming for a specific specialization, such as the Deep Diver or Night Diver Specialization. You can also complete a First Aid course there, which will benefit you not only while diving but also in other emergency situations.