Curacao Trip Report:
Hello everyone! My wife and I just returned last weekend (June 20th, 2009) from a week in Curacao. Not a whole lot of different dive sites to report on since we only dove one all week,
Pierbaai Reef down to Car Pile.
Diving
My wife and I had 12 dives each up to this point and had never dived without a DM. So this was a great chance for us to get out on our own.
We dove with Mark and Suzy from
The Dive Bus. I cannot say enough good stuff about Suzy and Mark. Amazing people and extremely helpful. We loved the House Reef (Pierbaai) so much we just dove it all week. It was what we REALLY got into diving for. Taking our own time and enjoying long bottom times. Saw lot's of great critters.
Looking back, we probably would have dove a few more places, but we really got out of the trip what we wanted. And it was up to us and our pace, which was GREAT! Again, Mark and Suzy from
The Dive Bus made us feel right at home. They answered any questions we had and really made us feel like their shop was our own private diving center. Make sure you eat next door at Surf & Turf also, the Chicken Sate is amazing!
I discovered last year on a trip to Kauai I have a tendency to get sea sick during surface intervals on boat dives. It is my understanding, that almost any dive site around Curacao is accessible from shore. If not most, a huge number! (similar to Bonaire). So finding
The Dive Bus was great because they'll take you by bus (actually it's a nice big van... but really, The Dive Van just doesn't sound as good) to tons of sites around the island. They'll even allow you to follow them in your own car. They really do a great job of helping you with whatever you want to do. My wife and I have really been wanting to start diving on our own rather than pay a DM every time or all the expense that comes with boat dives. Granted they (DM's) show you some neat stuff, but we prefer to take our own time and a lot of times just sit and watch a small coral head. When you're with a group on a boat dive it's hard to do that. Mark and Suzy at
The Dive Bus really helped us feel safe with venturing out on our own. Giving us tips and suggestions. It was just what we needed.
Lodging
We stayed at
Kontiki Dive and Beach Resort. Would we stay there again? NO.
Firstly, I'm not sure why it's called a Dive resort, besides the fact that there's an Ocean Encounters satellite shop a few steps away. I guess we expected it to cater a little more to divers, with maybe someplace to hang wetsuits to dry for starters. We used the handles on the windows in the bathroom which did work. And there's really no place to put your clothes so we just went out of our suitcase all week. There are hangers and a few shelves, but that's it (3 shelves above the small fridge and safe and one shelve above the area to hang clothes). No place to sit in the room other than the bed (and single chair at small desk), or bring in the chairs off the balcony. Although, we've never stayed at an exclusive dive resort so maybe this is normal. Just seemed like they would anticipate basic needs of divers like someplace to hang wet suits.
I was unable to find any decent reviews in English of Kontiki online so I knew we were taking a chance. It is still under construction somewhat but that really didn't matter since we were on the opposite side of resort from the construction with an ocean view.
This place was just not for us. If you want quiet and peaceful, this is not the place. Which seems like a contradiction since they advertise as Eco-Friendly and green and their in-room Guest Manual has a loud music policy. I had read a few reviews that talked about the loud music from the disco club or whatever next door on the weekends, but during our week stay, 5 out of the 7 nights were just frustrating to put it nicely. If I remember correctly, the only night there was no music playing (either at the disco club or the Cababa Beach Restaurant just below the resort) was Tuesday and Thursday nights. Granted our room was right above the Cabana Beach club, but the base from the speakers there and next door made it impossible to not hear or feel the sound. They're both popular night spots for locals.
I realize this is a dive board and not hotel review or trip advisor, but since Kontiki advertises as a "Dive" resort just thought I'd give our opinion.
We requested an ocean view room, which is basically their room "closest" to the ocean...which you can see. However, between the resort and the ocean is Cabana Beach Club. A fairly nice restaurant and bar. They had live music from what I remember, Sat(or Sun), Wednesday, and Friday. The guy playing piano and singing was great, we really enjoyed him, the first time. But our room was directly behind the restaurant (which when sitting on the balcony you get the nice sound of air conditioner fans and compressors on the back side of the restaurant) so the music from the Cabana carried right into our room. And then the base from the club next door that rattled our windows until 3 or 4 a.m on Saturday and Sunday. Earplugs and/or iPod and head under pillow didn't work.
The Kontiki staff was really nice however. We called up one night to see if they could have the Cabana Club turn their music down, they said they would. 15 minutes later it got louder. No kidding. I'm not saying it was Kontiki's fault. It really seems like they have little control since it is a separate business. The problem is they're two different businesses and we realize they really have separate business models so we understood. Finally that night my wife and I went down and listened for a while on the beach and before returning to our room, my wife just went up and asked the DJ to turn the music down. Which he did.
If you like to party, this place is great! We don't so it wasn't for us.
Next to the last night we walked all the way down the boardwalk next to the beach and found Hemingway Beach Bar and Restaurant at Lions Dive & Beach Resort. Great restaurant and really reasonable prices. I had the most expensive entree the Ribeye (ala carte fries) and my wife had a pasta, and side salad, with desert and a virgin colada all for less then $70 with 18% tip. The next night our bill was under $62 for both. For the atmosphere and food quality that's a great price! The crowd at Lions Dive seemed a lot more our pace. We'll stay there if we return. Lion's Dive seemed a lot nicer than the impression I got from my web research. Great (and more private) beach and obviously geared more towards divers.
Conclusion
Diving:
The Dive Bus, two thumbs up and really want to return to dive with them.
Lodging: Kontiki Dive and Beach Resort, Bad if you like peace and quiet, good if you like to party. Next time we're definitely at Lion's Dive.
