Trip Report Curacao Trip Report Lagun and Westpunt

[tkaelin]

The waterfront location, views, tanks on site, steps down to the water is a plus for AW. Their car rental upcharge is very competitive with what you pay at the airport car rentals.

Why would you go to expedia or orbitz and not directly to AW to book? I never use travel agents. I will use booking.com on occasion.

NK has a better price and short walk to Gowest/Playa Kalki for their shore and boat diving. We had a top floor deluxe one bdrm which had a great view of the ocean and mountains/hills which made up in part for not being waterfront.

On a tip, not sure. $20 should be more than enough and again if I booked with AW I would just make it a condition unless they fought it tooth and nail and even then I would just try to persuade the driver with a tip. Like I said it is not far out of the way. We can get to Centrum from the airport in 5 min and in and out of Centrum in 15-20 so it is not taking that much time from the driver.

On your decision dilemma we have stayed at both and liked both. Pluses and minuses with each.

 

[drrich2]

I'm also pretty settled on AW or NK although split in the middle.

IIRC, Allwest's Go West offering has air tanks, not nitrox, and Nos Krusero's has nitrox. Both house reef sites are reputable, from from what I've been told the boat traffic issue is a bit different. Is this all correct?

For the shore diver planning to take tanks off-site, does the amount of work/hassle differ in hauling tanks to/from where they're stored to your vehicle, based on whether you stay at Allwest or Nos Krusero?

I'm also pretty settled on AW or NK although split in the middle.

Hope you'll do a trip report with the details you find; I'd like to do what you're probably looking at late summer. If I survive our kid finding out I hope to go back to Curacao without her...

Following up an earlier point of discussion, I probably get into the 'Bonaire vs. Curacao' angle as much or more than anyone. The reason is because I think there's a big overlap in the demographic of customer they appeal to (e.g.: southern Caribbean, warm water all year, below the hurricane belt, lot of shore diving options, not known for much 'big stuff' but for good reefs), people who dive one will probably at some point consider the other, and Bonaire (along with Cozumel, Roatan and maybe Belize) seems to be one of the 'Big 3 or 4' Caribbean dive destinations (in my estimation, take that for what it's worth), so I figure many prospective Curacao divers will wonder how it compares.

Richard.

 

[tkaelin]

For the shore diver planning to take tanks off-site, does the amount of work/hassle differ in hauling tanks to/from where they're stored to your vehicle, based on whether you stay at Allwest or Nos Krusero?

Yes. At AW the tank gear room has a door facing the parking lot so easy in easy off getting tanks and gear from the gear room to car/truck. Can literally pull your car/truck up to the door. Easier than NK.

At NK you would likely take your car drive across the street to the GW parking area which could be very busy or full during the middle of the day and/or on a weekend. You than walk down to the beach maybe 20 steps walk over to the shop, walk over to the far side of the shop where the tanks are. If you are doing tanks with GW staying at NK you are also likely leaving some of your gear there also so you are slepping tanks and gear up around the shop area and up 20 or so steps to the parking area to your car. Not as easy as AW.

 

[ReefHound]

Why would you go to expedia or orbitz and not directly to AW to book? I never use travel agents. I will use booking.com on occasion.

Was looking at Orbitz to get rental car at airport but sounds like that is a net negative. Travel agents can sometimes get specials not posted on websites or offered booking direct. For example, compare 7 nts at AllWest full apt, truck rental, unlimited shore, airport transfers -
Maduro $737/pp Maduro Dive - Detailed Information
GoWest website $830 All West Apartment Packages - Go West Diving

First thing you might think is "what are they leaving out or going to add on?". I've used Maduro on two Roatan trips and to take a group of 14 to Bonaire and they have never had any gotchas in their advertised prices.

 

[ReefHound]

Hope you'll do a trip report with the details you find; I'd like to do what you're probably looking at late summer. If I survive our kid finding out I hope to go back to Curacao without her...
Richard.

Sorry, my timeframe is early fall. Not sure why I am in the trip planning mode at the moment when my next big trip is Red Sea in June.

Bon vs Cur, as damsel said Curacao is Bonaire plus more, so maybe we should qualify that and say there is an overlap in demographics for those interested in shore diving.

 

[ReefHound]

Yes. At AW the tank gear room has a door facing the parking lot so easy in easy off getting tanks and gear from the gear room to car/truck. Can literally pull your car/truck up to the door. Easier than NK.

At NK you would likely take your car drive across the street to the GW parking area which could be very busy or full during the middle of the day and/or on a weekend. You than walk down to the beach maybe 20 steps walk over to the shop, walk over to the far side of the shop where the tanks are. If you are doing tanks with GW staying at NK you are also likely leaving some of your gear there also so you are slepping tanks and gear up around the shop area and up 20 or so steps to the parking area to your car. Not as easy as AW.

Good info. I was thinking more about the lack of nitrox at AW. It's probably because they would have to leave an analyzer there, and those are pricy little tools that tend to go missing or otherwise get jacked up by divers. Do you know if they blend or use membrane for nitrox?

 

[tkaelin]

Do you know if they blend or use membrane for nitrox?

No idea.

 

[AdivingBel]

When I've done tank packages with GoWest they kept tanks at a tank room just off the parking area at the top of the steps. On days when they didn't have enough tanks in that room, I went down the steps to the office and let them know then they would have someone bring tanks up. I did my tank package with Dive'n last fall, so things might have changed.

 

[morecowbells]

I am on Scubaboard frequently but just came across your trip report today. Excellent information! My husband and I are hoping to return to Curacao in Feb. It has been a few years, and I really miss the island. I agree with you that the ease of storing gear and loading tanks at All West don't get any easier. It is also well ventilated which allows most of my gear to get relatively dry until next use. I was hoping they would start carrying nitrox by now. It is a major PITA schlepping tanks up and down those diabolical steps at Go West. For a while I thought Go West set up a kiosk in the parking lot where you could just load up and go. Is this still in practice anymore?

@AdivingBel , great to hear about tank rental and gear storage behind Marazul! I enjoyed staying in one of their units and reading by the pool after diving. The only drawback was the lack of storage. Good to see options expanding

 

[AdivingBel]

great to hear about tank rental and gear storage behind Marazul! I enjoyed staying in one of their units and reading by the pool after diving. The only drawback was the lack of storage. Good to see options expanding

Unfortunately they didn't bring back the gear and tank "trailer" (out building) that used to be in the parking lot at Marazul. We just happened to try out the dive shop (Dive'n) at El Rancho Sobrino right next door for our tank package this past fall. That's where we stumbled into the 24/7 gear & tank room. It worked out well. The folks that own the condo we rent have plans to build out the downstairs powder/laundry room into a gear storage/drying room with it's own outside access. It does seem options are expanding.