Where to go with a lot of kids/non-divers?

[Cyprian]

Curacao.com:

Attractions
Family Fun

Thanks, Steve. I've been to this link and even picked up a few travel brochures at a local dive show earlier in the year. I just want to make sure that it's "as advertised" and also hear of any of the better family activities from people who have been there.

Please share any of your family's better experiences?

Thanks again.

 

[diversteve]

No family experiences (we're a dive group) but I did win $400 at the Hilton casino...

We did go shopping downtown one day, crowded but entertaining. Fun outdoor market about a block from those brightly colored stores you see on the website.

Ribs Factory in Salinja was excellent if you stay in the resort areas nearby - they have a website.

If some in your group would like a nice beach while you dive, there are several that offer both with on-site facilites: One of the better ones is Porto Mari but Playa Lagun, Varsenbaai and the Tugboat are also options,

Porto Mari is a double reef, get tanks from the snack/dive shop there and it's also a somewhat busy locals/tourist beach. Lagun often has turtles inside the cove in about 20' or less, snorkelers can find stuff in the rocks on either side. Varsenbaai has several good dives at 80', seahorses at 40' near the mooring, turtles in the seagrass at 8' south of the beach and twice we saw about 100 squid under the dock. The operator said the turtles are always there.

One other mixed use site might be the old Sunset Waters location. It was demolished but had a small, kid friendly cove/breakwater leading out to the dive. And a lot of nice beach. Not sure if you can even get in there now. Bring everything you need.

The Tugboat is one of Curacao's signature dives, it's in 20' so snorkeling is possible. If there's no ship tied up at the pier it's both a good snorkel and a great dive.The best part of the dive is around the point to the south in 60-80' - there's a wall teeming with eels and other stuff. Not the best beach (there's pilings out in the water) but there's a dive school onsite and your friends can get ice cream and cold beer while waiting.

 

[DebbyDiver]

Disclaimer: I work for Cane Bay Dive Shop's store at Divi Carina Bay Resort. So, I may look prejudiced in this post but I'm only going to post facts.

Divi is EXTREMELY kid-friendly. It's a really nice, safe, clean place, nice beach, nice pool, it's great for non-divers.

For the divers, renting a car is a MUST, but I understand from our tourists that car rentals are not very expensive. Once you rent a car, you can drive anywhere. I always send people up to Cane Bay on the North Shore, great wall diving from the beach and they also provide boat dives.

The beach at Cane Bay is really awesome for the non-divers, too. It's a clean, safe beach and there are two restaurants right there, and people can either lie in the sun or under the shade of a tree. Easy snorkeling from the beach.

I'm a recent transplant to St. Croix and I love it here. I hope you and your family will visit!