My wife, 11 year old daughter and I will be in curaçao for spring break. We are booked with the Atlantis apartments. Any experience with Atlantis divers or the Dive Bus? Any suggestions for other dive ops? I am the only diver so I need some ideas for good topside activities for the afternoons. We will rent a car for some or all of our time there. What about the Klein Curaçao trip, is it worth doing? What about any must hit dive sites and snorkel sites for the no divers?Thanks for your help.
Curacao advice
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CT Sean
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I've only dived with the once but I thought the Dive bus was a good op.
"Must dives" would be out on the west end - Playa Kalki (aka Alice in Wonderland) is a shore dive and Watamula is a boat dive with Go West, who is a great dive op right on the edge of Playa Kalki. If possible plan your trip to the west end on Friday, Saturday or Sunday and eat at Sol Food.
"Must dives" would be out on the west end - Playa Kalki (aka Alice in Wonderland) is a shore dive and Watamula is a boat dive with Go West, who is a great dive op right on the edge of Playa Kalki. If possible plan your trip to the west end on Friday, Saturday or Sunday and eat at Sol Food.
irie1029
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+1 CT Sean on diving "Go West" as well as Sol... and there is plenty at West End to fill a day top side for daughter and wife. I dove with Dive Bus in the past and they are good choice. My current fave for last several years is Hans at CURious2DIVE Have a blast!
SandyDiverCur
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Sol food on the west side is a great recommendation for you and your family for dinner. Sunshine and David are the owners and they make sure you have a really fun night! Keep in mind they are only open on the weekends. Another great restaurant to try is Karakter - it's at the old habitat hotel location and if you are eating or drinking there you have access to their beach, which is a great family beach.
The Dive Bus has a great reputation and you can't go wrong there. Also, one of the operators rapidly becoming my favorite is Bas Harts Diving. They really go out of their way to make sure you have an amazing experience. I know they would work with you on planning dives where your family could enjoy a great beach day and they include pick up and drop off.
I really like their website too
BasHartsDiving.com
I hope you have a wonderful and relaxing trip!
The Dive Bus has a great reputation and you can't go wrong there. Also, one of the operators rapidly becoming my favorite is Bas Harts Diving. They really go out of their way to make sure you have an amazing experience. I know they would work with you on planning dives where your family could enjoy a great beach day and they include pick up and drop off.
I really like their website too
BasHartsDiving.comI hope you have a wonderful and relaxing trip!
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The Tugboat is both a signature dive and snorkel site. It's 15' deep. The wall to the south is a good dive but can have some current. Under the pier is also good if no ship is tied up/working the area.
Varsenbaai was a pretty good dive. Also a locals beach. Big pontoon boat in 80', we also found seahorses there and turtles along the beach feeding in 6'. A few years ago the operator said they're always there. Check with Trunk Divers on site.
Porto Mari is a nice locals beach. Can be hard to find parking on weekends. And an excellent double reef dive. Should be a decent snorkel to the south. Probably be fairly easy to find a buddy there also - we were asked. Check with Porto Mari Watersports for rentals etc.
They snorkel among the rocks on either side of Playa Lagun. There's turtles out there but probably deeper. Nice beach area also.
5mins. north Playa Jeremi's north side was named one of the top Caribbean snorkels by Frommers a few years ago. No facilities there at all. Both are also good dive sites - get tanks for either at Discover Diving in Lagun. Plan on 30+ mins. drive from Atlantis.
The shopping district downtown is world famous - try to catch that on a day when less/no cruise ships are in. There's a farmers/fish market that sets up right along the waterfront on the Punda (east) side. And the world famous swinging bridge, walk over it to Rif Fort - lots of shops/restaurants etc. there as well. Also the cruise port is just north on that side. Somewhere there's a cruise arrival schedule online for Curacao. Punda was really crowded the day we were there when two ships were in.
Ribs Factory in Salinja had good food. If you're gamblers, there's at least a dozen casinos - most larger hotels have one. The biggest/nicest is probably at the Renaissance - someone told me it's like one you'd find in Reno. Mambo Beach Club for non-kid entertainment. Blues Bar at the Avila Hotel waterfront has live jazz/blues some nights. I think it's near Atlantis.
For kid related things, the Seaquarium is worth a look. And the Ostrich Farm. For big kids with big budgets - http://www.substation-curacao.com/
Varsenbaai was a pretty good dive. Also a locals beach. Big pontoon boat in 80', we also found seahorses there and turtles along the beach feeding in 6'. A few years ago the operator said they're always there. Check with Trunk Divers on site.
Porto Mari is a nice locals beach. Can be hard to find parking on weekends. And an excellent double reef dive. Should be a decent snorkel to the south. Probably be fairly easy to find a buddy there also - we were asked. Check with Porto Mari Watersports for rentals etc.
They snorkel among the rocks on either side of Playa Lagun. There's turtles out there but probably deeper. Nice beach area also.
5mins. north Playa Jeremi's north side was named one of the top Caribbean snorkels by Frommers a few years ago. No facilities there at all. Both are also good dive sites - get tanks for either at Discover Diving in Lagun. Plan on 30+ mins. drive from Atlantis.
The shopping district downtown is world famous - try to catch that on a day when less/no cruise ships are in. There's a farmers/fish market that sets up right along the waterfront on the Punda (east) side. And the world famous swinging bridge, walk over it to Rif Fort - lots of shops/restaurants etc. there as well. Also the cruise port is just north on that side. Somewhere there's a cruise arrival schedule online for Curacao. Punda was really crowded the day we were there when two ships were in.
Ribs Factory in Salinja had good food. If you're gamblers, there's at least a dozen casinos - most larger hotels have one. The biggest/nicest is probably at the Renaissance - someone told me it's like one you'd find in Reno. Mambo Beach Club for non-kid entertainment. Blues Bar at the Avila Hotel waterfront has live jazz/blues some nights. I think it's near Atlantis.
For kid related things, the Seaquarium is worth a look. And the Ostrich Farm. For big kids with big budgets - http://www.substation-curacao.com/
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