Curacao Trip In July

[Mariner11]

Hello everybody,
Im heading to Curacao in July with my non-diving family. I don't want to be gone all day on Dive trips every day but am ok with doing a couple of shore dives a day and maybe one day doing a full on 2 tank boat trip. The kids are 7,8,10. Also I have no buddy so will have to instabuddy. I am almost done deciding on Sunscape resort so the kids have things to do. Wanted to ask you guys for opinions on:
1. Safer beaches with amenities and with on site dive shops so the kids can play on the beach and have snacks etc , where I could buddy up (through the onsite dive shop) and can be gone for 45-60 mins without worrying the kids and wife are gonna be unsafe
2. Activities to do with kids /family that they will enjoy
3. Any thoughts on sunscape as a resort (I haven't pulled the trigger on it)
4. The house dive shop is ocean encounters, any thoughts on them
5. Ocean encounters has one all day dive trip to the mushroom forest and one all day dive trip to klein curaçao, any recommendations as to which one i should go on, i think snorkelers can go on the mushroom forest one i think
I know these were a lot of questions and appreciate you guys for having the patience to read through all this

 

[diver0008]

If you stay at Sunscape, all your needs will be met. With Ocean Encounters you could dive from their boats any morning or afternoon - no need to try to find a buddy. You can also shore dive right from their dock if you want to. Sunscape has an okay beach for wife and kids to play on and around. They could also snorkel inside the breakwater safely. There's a pool, kids activities, a fun center, and several places to eat. It's a good place for divers with non-divers.

 

[Bas Harts]

1. Porto mari and Cas Aboa...... Not sure about buddying up through the diveshop. They have guided dives and try to make money.
2. Not sure with kids..... No experience yet, mine is only 1.5 years
3. Never had a customer from sunscape that didnt like it.
4. No comment
5. Mushroom forest and Klein are over-rated dives imo.

 

[JohnN]

1. Porto mari and Cas Aboa...... Not sure about buddying up through the diveshop. They have guided dives and try to make money.
2. Not sure with kids..... No experience yet, mine is only 1.5 years
3. Never had a customer form sunscape that didnt like it.
4. No comment
5. Mushroom forest and Klein are over-rated dives imo.

+1 on Porto Marie and Cas Abou. What's not to like about white sand beaches, no wave entries, and a fresh water shower when you're done?

Maybe get yourself a pony and solo dive?

 

[Nivek Llekots]

If you stay at Sunscape then "The Dive Bus" is just across the road. They run daily shore diving trips to most of the good sites, they leave about 9:00 am and usually, depending upon the site, you're back around 1:30 pm.

Check out www.thedivebus.com

 

[diversteve]

My group made arrangements once to dive Mushroom Forest. On the ride there the DM talked us into going to a better site farther away (not trying to shorten the trip IOW) because he felt it was pretty fishless compared to other sites - all the flat surfaces made it easier for predators.

I haven't been to Klein. My buddy's wife is a former Curacao guide though and when we asked her about it she said some of the other sites off Curacao were as good or better without the boat ride.

Bas ^ is BAS HARTS DIVING CURACAO if you're looking for a guide.

+1 for Porto Mari also. It's a good double reef dive, Porto Mari Sports on-site - there's also a snack shop. It's a popular locals beach, I believe Curacao Tourism patrols the parking lot. Anecdotally it's the only site where we were asked if someone could buddy up with us.

Kids things: Sunscape is a former Beaches (Breezes?) Kid's resort. So assuming they kept it all when they took over that should be a good option. Last winter's Surge was there so maybe review that forum for more info about the resort etc.

1/2 a mile or so down the beach is the Curacao Sea Aquarium and a few miles NE is the Ostrich Farm. Here's a few other things: Family days out

 

[CuracaoJ]

Hello everybody,
Im heading to Curacao in July with my non-diving family. I don't want to be gone all day on Dive trips every day but am ok with doing a couple of shore dives a day and maybe one day doing a full on 2 tank boat trip. The kids are 7,8,10. Also I have no buddy so will have to instabuddy. I am almost done deciding on Sunscape resort so the kids have things to do. Wanted to ask you guys for opinions on:
1. Safer beaches with amenities and with on site dive shops so the kids can play on the beach and have snacks etc , where I could buddy up (through the onsite dive shop) and can be gone for 45-60 mins without worrying the kids and wife are gonna be unsafe
2. Activities to do with kids /family that they will enjoy
3. Any thoughts on sunscape as a resort (I haven't pulled the trigger on it)
4. The house dive shop is ocean encounters, any thoughts on them
5. Ocean encounters has one all day dive trip to the mushroom forest and one all day dive trip to klein curaçao, any recommendations as to which one i should go on, i think snorkelers can go on the mushroom forest one i think
I know these were a lot of questions and appreciate you guys for having the patience to read through all this

Safer Beaches would include the already mentioned Cas Abou and Porto Marie, both with good shops and good dives (I like PM a little bit more). Also Kokomo Beach, a decent dive with a car pile and a pontoon wreck, good services etc...Playa Kalki out west is a great dive and a great shop, and then there is also Blue Bay and Lagoon. All those places would meet your criteria of having on site dives and amenities for the wife and kids.

Activities, check CTB (Curacao Tourism Board) website, but a few worth honorable mention would be the seaquarium, and maybe a quad tour out east to the caves and north shore. The Ostrich farm might also be enjoyed by the wee ones.

I'm a fan of OE as an operator. As for the trip I would do Klein, not because of Klein, which is highly overrated in my opinion, but because the other dive is on the far east of the island, and is, I think, the best diving on Curacao. That area is one of only a handful in the entire region where the coral reef is actually growing.

 

[Mariner11]

1. Porto mari and Cas Aboa...... Not sure about buddying up through the diveshop. They have guided dives and try to make money.
2. Not sure with kids..... No experience yet, mine is only 1.5 years
3. Never had a customer from sunscape that didnt like it.
4. No comment
5. Mushroom forest and Klein are over-rated dives imo.

Thanks for the info , is it ok if I PM you for more info or to make arrangements for diving when down in Curaçao

 

[Mariner11]

+1 on Porto Marie and Cas Abou. What's not to like about white sand beaches, no wave entries, and a fresh water shower when you're done?

Maybe get yourself a pony and solo dive?

I'm not

My group made arrangements once to dive Mushroom Forest. On the ride there the DM talked us into going to a better site farther away (not trying to shorten the trip IOW) because he felt it was pretty fishless compared to other sites - all the flat surfaces made it easier for predators.

I haven't been to Klein. My buddy's wife is a former Curacao guide though and when we asked her about it she said some of the other sites off Curacao were as good or better without the boat ride.

Bas ^ is BAS HARTS DIVING CURACAO if you're looking for a guide.

+1 for Porto Mari also. It's a good double reef dive, Porto Mari Sports on-site - there's also a snack shop. It's a popular locals beach, I believe Curacao Tourism patrols the parking lot. Anecdotally it's the only site where we were asked if someone could buddy up with us.

Kids things: Sunscape is a former Beaches (Breezes?) Kid's resort. So assuming they kept it all when they took over that should be a good option. Last winter's Surge was there so maybe review that forum for more info about the resort etc.

1/2 a mile or so down the beach is the Curacao Sea Aquarium and a few miles NE is the Ostrich Farm. Here's a few other things: Family days out

thanks for taking the time for the detailed reply , this is all excellent information , go scuba board

 

[Bas Harts]

Thanks for the info , is it ok if I PM you for more info or to make arrangements for diving when down in Curaçao

Of course or send an email to info@bashartsdiving.com