Curacao for kids

[keesmon]

Hi ABC divers,
I've been to Bonaire 4 times, and Curacao twice, always with dive buddies.
This coming summer (2015) I'm taking my wife, who's a diver, and my 9 and 7 year old boys to a week in Bonaire and a week in Curacao.
In Bonaire we are renting an oceanfront villa with another group of divers, so that there are 5 divers, and 2 kids, allowing everyone time to dive, while someone is back at the villa watching the kids.
I'm planning on taking the family to Curacao for the second week, since there is more to do there for the boys and the kids clubs have really dried up in Bonaire.
My question is what kid clubs are out there, allowing my wife and I to do a few days of morning boat dives while in Curacao?
I'd also be interested in any baseball camps if anyone has information on that?
We would prefer to be in an apartment for the week. As the trips expenses are piling up, we don't need to be in luxurious quarters.
Location on the island is not that important, as long as we are near a dive shop.
We are planning on diving our butts off in Bonaire, and just take the 6-8 boat dives in Curacao as a bonus.
Thanks in advance for your insight.

---------- Post added September 22nd, 2014 at 01:01 PM ----------

Sorry, just realized that this is the Bonaire forum. Didn't it used to be the ABC forum?
Moderator, can you please move to the Lesser Antiles forum?

 

[diversteve]

Sunscape - the AI resort south of town - used to be a Breezes kid friendly resort. Apparently it still is: Explorer's Club for Kids

The Explorer’s Club for Kids (ages 3-12) offers the following supervised activities daily from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. so mom and dad can have some alone time and peace of mind:

Ocean Encounters has a shop on-site and their boat picks up if they don't have one already staged there. Our location at Sunscape Curacao Resort | Ocean Encounters Diving Curacao
Or I'm pretty sure the Dive Bus can pick you up there for guided shore dives - they're practically across the street. Welcome to the Dive Bus

You can also shore dive off the beach at Sunscape.

Take the kids to the Sea Aquarium and the Ostrich Farm when you're not diving. Both are fairly close by.

 

[keesmon]

Thanks Steve, as always.
Anyone have anything else that is not AI?
I know enough about Curacao that I think it would be a waste to be part of a meal plan there.
I like the beach bars / restaurants for lunch, and don't mind cooking for the family at all, so leaning towards apts.
I can get a babysitter and stay at Moreno, or Livingstone, but hoping to have something more structured and fun for the kids.
Snorkeling class, something like that?
Anyone else have any resources?

 

[diversteve]

try Curaçao , a unique Caribbean island paradise. Their accommodations are broken down by type. And you can get some idea of other activities available for the kids also. Realistically I think it's the Sea Aquarium, a beach or the Ostrich Farm.

Certainly the farther east or west you move from town the less there is to do. Probably your best option is Livingstone or another property in that area - Jan Thiel is the family area of Curacao.

If you find something west of town, check the photos. There's not much out there and a lot of what is is on cliffs high over the water. Usually it's a couple minute walk/drive to a public beach nearby. Porto Mari is a real family/locals beach in that area. No close accommodations though - probably the nearest would be at Coral Estates a few minutes drive south.

Also once you leave the airport going west there are literally no food stores. Most people who stay in the Lagun/Wetpunt resort areas buy groceries in town before they drive out. Centrum Market is 2mi. south of the Airport Rotary - closest full-size food store.

I've been thinking about your needs while writing this and I really can't come up with any better options. Maybe Lions Dive - they have some suites with minimal kitchens. Decent beach, you can buy meals plans by type as wanted and there's 1/2 dozen restaurants within walking distance - a couple are beachfront. Ocean Encounters main shop is 50 yds. away and the Sea Aquarium is across the boat channel. If you find a night-sitter Mambo Beach Club is for adults.

Little league baseball is popular there - they send teams to Williamsport regularly for our LLWS. They won it about 10 years ago. So there might be something you could find.