Curacao trip report

[mapman]

We taxi down the runway, and all we see are cactus and scrub. We really didn’t know the place is a desert! Out the airplane door we are greeted by a 20 knot sea breeze that we will come to love in a few days(nice and cool and no bugs none).
A short taxi ride and we are at Lions Dive Inn, very nice place really lush and tropical and the rooms were just right for us, nothing fancy but clean and comfortable and one heck of a view. (room #2309) The balcony overlooks the lagoon and the Caribbean Sea. Not bad at all! The staff could have been a little more helpful, but we were tired after traveling all day so we call it even and unpack. Wow what a view!
The Dive shop is run by the charming and very capable Ans (pronounced Anz) she really took care of us and she and Robert and Robbie (aka Juan and Paco) made our dive trips even more enjoyable. Thanks guys! All the boat dives were at least an hour long, which made up for the shore dives which were available but due to some problem with the Seaquarium manager were just to much hassle (along with the rough surf) besides after two one hour boat dives we were pretty tired.
We did some really good dives and the corals were healthy and the small fish and critters were plentiful. No large fish though, which I found rather odd. Overall I thought the diving was excellent.
Just a little west of the resort is Kon Tiki beach, very clean and safe ( we walked to a restaurant by the same name every evening without any fear or incident.
T he Kon Tiki is highly recommend and the cabins are very romantic (it was our anniversary) be sure and make reservations as they are pretty popular also economical ( we ate and had a couple Polar or Brights for about $20-25. Lunch is even less.
The locals are some of the friendliest people we’ve met any where in the Caribbean. Always willing to help with directions or advice like take the bus for a buck each or a taxi for twenty. That’s advice you can use.
Overall, a really nice comfortable laid back dive vacation that I would recommend to anyone looking for a nice safe easy dive vacation.
We taxi down the runway, and all we see are cactus and scrub. We really didn’t know the place is a desert! Out the airplane door we are greeted by a 20 knot sea breeze that we will come to love in a few days(nice and cool and no bugs none).
A short taxi ride and we are at Lions Dive Inn, very nice place really lush and tropical and the rooms were just right for us, nothing fancy but clean and comfortable and one heck of a view. (room #2309) The balcony overlooks the lagoon and the Caribbean Sea. Not bad at all! The staff could have been a little more helpful, but we were tired after traveling all day so we call it even and unpack. Wow what a view!
The Dive shop is run by the charming and very capable Ans (pronounced Anz) she really took care of us and she and Robert and Robbie (aka Juan and Paco) made our dive trips even more enjoyable. Thanks guys! All the boat dives were at least an hour long, which made up for the shore dives which were available but due to some problem with the Seaquarium manager were just to much hassle (along with the rough surf) besides after two one hour boat dives we were pretty tired.
We did some really good dives and the corals were healthy and the small fish and critters were plentiful. No large fish though, which I found rather odd. Overall I thought the diving was excellent.
Just a little west of the resort is Kon Tiki beach, very clean and safe ( we walked to a restaurant by the same name every evening without any fear or incident.
T he Kon Tiki is highly recommend and the cabins are very romantic (it was our anniversary) be sure and make reservations as they are pretty popular also economical ( we ate and had a couple Polar or Brights for about $20-25. Lunch is even less.
The locals are some of the friendliest people we’ve met any where in the Caribbean. Always willing to help with directions or advice like take the bus for a buck each or a taxi for twenty. That’s advice you can use.
Overall, a really nice comfortable laid back dive vacation that I would recommend to anyone .
Curacao pics

 

[scubamax]

Mapman,

Thanks for the report. One year ago we stayed at the timeshares right across the
lagoon from Lions Dive and did shore dive from the aquarium. We also did Kon Tiki and my wife liked it so much we went back at least 3 times in the week. Your photos bring back nice memories!

The only thing we did not like was that somewhere on the beach in the evenings, (not sure if it was at Lions Dive or nearby) for 4 nights out of 7 there was LOUD music being played on the beach. Not the we minded a little party music, and we thought heck, it would be done with by midnight. But it was not....usually lasted sometime untile 2 AM and one night past 4 AM. Needless to say lost a lot of sleep staying in that area.

We commented to the timeshare people, and they said that it was just the local tradition, etc.

Did you have any similar late night noise to keep you awake and spoil an otherwise nice little spot?

Thanks

ScubaMax

 

[MaresMan1]

Mapman,

Thanks for the report and pictures. Looks like it was a great time. Makes me long for the warm tropical waters. We will definately have to get down that way soon.

Thanks again.

Enjoy the ride
:mean:

 

[mapman]

Scuba Max, I know what you mean about the restaraunt, My wife had the calimari the first night and drug me back every night after more.
There were some bands down the beach, but they didn't seem to bother us at night.
How was the house reef ? We didn't ever get over there for some reason or another.
We are making plans to go again next year, but will probably try Habitat. Mainly for the calmer water and to see the other side.

 

[scubamax]

Mapman,

The house reef was a nice dive. We left the dock and did a surface swim out for about 35 feet or so and then when you descend you are roughly at the ridge line of the sea floor.

The coral was in pretty good shape, and saw a lot of grouper, eels, Sgt. Majors (I think). No big sea animals, however, but a really nice experince. The sea surface there is not really choppy, but there is a bit of swirrling about at the surface, but nothing to lose control over, and after you go under the water is fairly calm with a sllight current flowing eastward. We went down to 30 feet. Visibility was good, probably 50 feet or so that day.

Sorry you did not make it to the reef dive, but then that gives you all the more reason to look forward to going back. We drove by Habitat and it looked like a nice place, and probably more calm waters, but no Kon Tiki

It is good to hear that the music did not keep you up all night. I hope to go back to Curacao again in a few years.

ScubaMax

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

Thanks for the trip report. Love that view from the room!