The largest and most populous of the Lesser Antilles islands, Curacao has a land area of 444 square kilometers and a population of under 200,000 people. Surrounded by coral reefs that can often be accessed from shore, with its best dive sites located on the calm southern side of the island, Curacao features a number of bays and inlets. In addition to the natural reefs that form what is called the "blue edge," Curacao features a number of artificial reefs and several wrecks, all teeming with tropical marine life. Let's take a look at just a few favorites.
Tug Boat
Whether you dive or snorkel at this site, you'll love the clear water and colorful hard and soft corals that cover the wreck and the surrounding walls. While the wreck of the tugboat, which has been here for over a quarter of a century, is located at a depth of just 5 meters, you can easily head for deeper water, where moray eels, scorpionfish, and lobsters hide in crevices and small canyons. This is one of the most popular dive sites Curacao has to offer - and for good reason!
SS Oranje Nassau and Saba
This pair of wrecks include the SS Oranje Nassau, which was built in 1884. This old steamship was owned by the Royal West India Company, and was lost after running aground during a 1906 storm. Covered with a brilliant blanket of corals and home to a myriad of species, this wreck is simply spectacular. The Saba wreck, located about 1 kilometer away, is a dive boat that was deployed to act as an artificial reef. Both sites are easily accessed from the Seaquarium area.
Oswaldo's DropOff and Car Pile
As the name of this popular Curacao dive site suggests, there is a heap of old cars and trucks underwater her, sitting right on top of a wall named after a diver called Oswaldo who first had the idea of diving here. Festooned in corals and sponges, and crawling with macro life, this is a great place for photography. Topside, there are showers, public restrooms, and a fully equipped dive center.
Lover's Beach, Vaersenbaai and the Car Wrecks
While we know today that disposing of old cars by shoving them into the sea isn't the most responsible idea, people used to get rid of junk this way all the time. Like the car pile, the car wrecks site is full of vehicles dating back to the 1940's, and topside, at Lover's Beach, which is a popular place for couples to visit, there are restrooms, showers, and even a snack bar. You can dive anywhere at Vaersenbaai, which is secure since the local police recreation club is located on shore - all in all, this is a fun place to spend a relaxing day and snap some funny photos of your dive buddy driving underwater!
Double Reef and Superior Producer
Located just a short distance from the water plant in Otrabanda, near the Holiday Beach Hotel, this site is easy to access from shore. Be careful on entry and wear booties as the rocks are sharp! Double Reef features splendid coral and is home to plenty of fish, and the nearby Superior Producer wreck, which is sitting upright with her hull at 30 meters and her wheelhouse accessible at 24 meters, shelters big groupers and plenty of other creatures. A colorful site with plenty of coral and sponge coverage, the area is a good place to encounter barracuda and other large fish.
Airplane Wreck
There are not many places you can dive an airplane wreck from shore! Here, just off Santa Martha, there is a breakwater. Look beyond the breakwater for the marker buoy, which identifies the position of an old sunken plane. Covered in colorful anemones, sponges, and corals, this plane offers shelter to tropical fish in every color of the rainbow.
When you visit Curacao, you'll be astonished not only by the beautiful Dutch-influenced architecture, the marvelous local cuisine, and of course, by the easily accessible dive sites, but by the rich history of the island. Be sure to spend at least a little time enjoying the many topside attractions, and don't be surprised if you find yourself considering a second trip to this lovely island nation.