Curacao Recommendations

[LStewart]

Also, on Allwest, did you check availability directly with them or on a booking site? Last time I checked, Allwest was not putting all their rooms on booking websites such as booking.com. If you were looking at Allwest for a group of up to twelve, take a look at Nos Krusero. I quick look sat-sat in Feb showed multiple rooms available in different configurations. It would be extremely convenient location wise to dive with Go-West for the week.

Hi, actually I contacted All West and never heard back from them. I contacted Go West and they said All West didn't have any available rooms. It's looking like Nos K. Is going to be our best option. Does it have ocean views?

 

[LStewart]

I hope @tkaelin sees this soon. Months ago I was researching western Curacao diving online after enjoying the east coast out of Sunscapes Curacao last January. From the notes I was working on, this is my reconstructed understanding of a compare and contrast between All West Apartments and Nos Krusero. If you were interested in All West but they lack availability, would Nos Krusero serve your purposes?

Apologies if I got any of this wrong. Trying to dig out the differences in details between places I haven't eye balled in person can be tough.

"Go West has a gear room at All West Apartments, but it’s about a 2-minute drive to the main Go West dive shop, where you boat their boat for boat dives. That dive shop is at another property, Nos Krusero, and Go West offers dive/stay packages at both All West and Nos Krusero with similar pricing, and both sites have a praised shore diving site. So, how to choose? TKaelin stayed at both and thought Nos Krusero was less expensive, but specials might change that. Nos Krusero has a pool area; All West Apartments does not.

Nos Krusero packages by Go West don’t include a rental vehicle; I was told by a Go West representative the trucks and cars at All West Apartments are all reserved for their guests. I was told Nos Krusero is across the street from (about 1-minute walk) the dive shop (where you can store your dive gear), which has both air and nitrox tanks. TKaelin noted his apartment was basic and mosquitos problematic despite screens; he liked the sweeping views of the ocean and hills of Christoffel Park, and said their 3rd floor apartment has a great porch and view, and the location and price were unbeatable.
The onsite shore dive is Playa Kalki (a.k.a. Alice in Wonderland). TKaelin preferred it to Playa Piscado (more interesting reef, shorter swim out, less boat traffic), and said diving it was very easy without small boat traffic, and with a line from dock-to-reef, navigation was a snap. Tkaelin noted Go West has a nice setup with tanks, benches, shade, showers, lockers, storage and a retail store, coffee for their divers and a small beach bar serving food starting around noon. Unlike at All West tanks are not available 24/7 – Go West hours are 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. (as is your tank & gear access); you can get your gear and some tanks out during business hours if you plan to dive outside them."

It looks like Nos K. is gonna be a good option but it didn't look like it was as close to the water asn All West. I may well be wrong. So, if I understand you correctly, I won't have access to tanks and gear outside of GW's business hours? Not handy for night dives and early mornings. How do people prep for morning boat dives assuming they leave at 8-8:30ish? Thanks for all the info!

 

[LStewart]

The "other" GoWest shop property is Lodge Kura Hulanda but it's quite a bit more upscale than AllWest. They do have some larger villas with kitchens, maybe your group could share 2-3.

Not in town with an onsite boat op is going to be tougher, I think Goby Divers is still at the Veneto and they may have some larger accommodations - IDK the quality of their shore dive but there is one. Goby has a smaller boat - IDK the capacity.

It's in Piscadera Bay north of the cruise congestion but quieter since they go south to town. But you'd have quick access to the north side of the harbor once they're gone. Also the only Denny's we ever found is there,,lol

Lions Dive east of town (seems south) could be another option. The main Ocean Encounters shop and most of their boats are 50' away, they have some larger accommodations as well. Average shore dive but some of your group might also like the Dolphin dive - but it's $200 plus. If some of your group wanted to split off and go shore diving, the Dive Bus picks up there afaik. Right across from the Sea Aquarium and Mambo Beach Blvd. is within walking. About 10 mins to downtown from there.

There's shops to the west at Blue Bay, Varsenbaai, Porto Mari, Cas Aou, the old Habitat resort site (now condos) and 2 at Playa Lagun but I don't think any of them have a boat. All good shore dives though.

Contact Caribbean Sea Sports also, they were at the Marriott and the Hilton in Piscadera Bay (next to each other) until the Marriot closed for remodeling. Now it's re-opened and the Hilton just closed so maybe they moved back. 2 nice boats - one's a jet drive - and they used to do a shore dive around 6pm nightly but the reef there is a decent swim out. Marriott should be nice, it was b4 they closed. Nice pool, beach, casino, a couple restaurants plus there's about 1/2 dozen more in the area - several you can walk to.

Note I'm not talking about the Marriott Renaissance, that's closer to town and adjacent to the cruise port - no shore dive or beach. CSS used to shuttle divers from there.

hth, I haven't been there in a while.

Yes, I looked at that one and it is a bit pricier. Thanks!

 

[GrafCanuck]

Hi, actually I contacted All West and never heard back from them. I contacted Go West and they said All West didn't have any available rooms. It's looking like Nos K. Is going to be our best option. Does it have ocean views?

Have stayed at Nos K a few times over the past couple of years. The apartments on the second floor and third floors have wonderful views of the Caribbean with sunsets. Ground floor not so much. The Nos K owner is into making your stay enjoyable. Note that this part of the island (aka Westpunt) is very quiet with only a few restaurants and no nearby supermarkets. Shore diving is excellent in the area and Go West is a solid dive shop. We've stayed at Blue Bay and the Sea Aquarium as well. Both were closer to town, restaurants and supermarkets. Diving was better at Blue Bay than the Sea Aquarium but I'd still say that Westpunt diving is better overall.

 

[LStewart]

We’ve taken groups to Curaçao a number of times and have enjoyed personal trips there over the years, as well. We’ve stayed at Kura Hulanda and All West Apts, but recently we enjoyed Oasis Coral Reef Estates.
The shore diving at their house reef is excellent.
It’s an easy drive to Playa Kalki and Playa Piscado for additional excellent shore dives.
It’s about 20 minutes away from the airport or the supermarket.

Oasis Coral Reef has a great pool, 2 excellent restaurants, a fun bar, a great bread/coffee shop, beautiful views, clean, modern and comfortable rooms, organized and convenient dive op. Dive packages are offered, but I would recommend staying away from too many boat dives with the onsite op, unless the group is pretty much all new divers. Our very experienced group found that we enjoyed diving with Go West

Go West Diving still offers the best boat diving on the island with Watamula and other nearby sites. It is easy enough to drive over to their shop and enjoy a 2 tank dive with them.
Feel free to PM me for more info and ideas for shore diving days, or anything else

Oasis Coral Reef Estates looks like a possible option as well. Thanks!

 

[tkaelin]

Does it have ocean views?

NK is across the street and not waterfront. The main building is three stories and the two - one bdrm deluxe rooms on the third floor have great views of the ocean and park. As you move down the views become less. We only stayed once and on the third floor and the views were great. The balconies/sitting areas are big enough that others in your group staying at NK with rooms with less or no views could join those on the third floor for happy hour/sunset etc to take in the views. People next to us did that a couple evenings. If you had both 3rd floor rooms I think there was a porch divider or gate you could remove so your group could enjoy the entire third floor balcony space. I am pretty sure ground floor and the container studio units do not have much of a view if any of the water.

 

[tkaelin]

AS for diving we'd be looking at 1 or 2 tank morning dives and probably shore diving in the afternoons. Some/most? days may only be shore dives.

If your diving plan was boat diving every morning and you wanted to be out in or near Westpunt than GW is your only option for boat diving and NK would be a good option as it is right across the street and I think you need to be down by the dock by 8:00 each morning for the boats.

If primarily shore diving with maybe a couple boat dives during the week then while NK is still a good option, if you want waterfront, there are a number of other options. Marazul is just down the road and people here on SB who have stayed there speak favorably of it. It has shore diving on site from the posts. We have not stayed there. We stayed at a Lagun Blou last Jan and are staying there again this Jan for part of our stay. It is waterfront, beautiful grounds, quiet, small with shore diving on site. Lagun is right next door which is a small beach, restaurant, shore dive site entry and a good dive shop. Lagun is about 15 minutes from NS/GW and would not recommend staying at LB if all or most of your diving is going to be at GW's house reef. Lagun shore diving is very good and it puts you closer to beaches and shore diving at Cas Abou (to your east towards town) and Playas Jeremi, knippe, Grandi and Kalki (to your west).

We are splitting our week between LB and NS. The resort grounds and views being waterfront plus excellent shore diving there and nearby is a plus for us staying at LB. We also enjoy staying at NS and being right across the street from GW/Playa Kalki. We can dive PK all day for a couple days and not tire of it.

Hope this helps.

 

[LStewart]

NK is across the street and not waterfront. The main building is three stories and the two - one bdrm deluxe rooms on the third floor have great views of the ocean and park. As you move down the views become less. We only stayed once and on the third floor and the views were great. The balconies/sitting areas are big enough that others in your group staying at NK with rooms with less or no views could join those on the third floor for happy hour/sunset etc to take in the views. People next to us did that a couple evenings. If you had both 3rd floor rooms I think there was a porch divider or gate you could remove so your group could enjoy the entire third floor balcony space. I am pretty sure ground floor and the container studio units do not have much of a view if any of the water.

Great info! Thanks!

 

[tkaelin]

Dug out a couple pics from the third floor room porch. Pretty sleepy and quiet in Westpunt. The big excitement besides the sunrise and sunset was a herd of goats going down the street.

 

[GrafCanuck]

A few photos of our 2017 trip including an Nk front photo. The dock and hut are at Go West. Received my O/W at GW in 2016. Excellent shore diving and nearby boat diving.