10 Best Beaches For Snorkeling in Curacao (With Map)

Looking for the best beaches in Curacao for snorkeling? Then you are not alone!

One of the biggest upsides of Curacao beaches regarding snorkeling is that the reefs are super easily accessible from the shore, which makes it a great island for both snorkeling professionals and beginners.

Most of Curacao’s best snorkeling spots are located on the west side of the island, which is nicely protected from the trade winds.

Since there are so many different beaches for snorkeling in Curacao, it can be quite a challenge to find the best ones in a limited time. I have stayed on the island for many months and snorkeled in every single spot there is.

Therefore, I have created this list of the best beaches for snorkeling in Curacao to help you out! We’ll discover all the prime spots to see coral reefs, sea turtles, and other marine life in Curaçao.

Let’s dive in! (pun intended)

Best Beaches for Snorkeling in Curacao – at a Glance

If you just want a quick overview of where to go snorkeling in Curacao, look no further.

For more detailed information about the reefs, the beaches, and the marine life, look below.

Here are my 10 favorite beaches for snorkeling in Curacao:

• Playa Lagun – Best Snorkeling Beach for Sea Turtles
• Klein Beach – Best Curacao Beach for Marine Life
• Tugboat Beach – To See a tugboat wreck
• Cas Abao Beach – Best Curacao Snorkel Beach for Beginners
• Playa Forti – Amazing Marine Life and Sea Turtles
• Blue Room Cave – Best Adventure Snorkeling
• Grote and Kleine Knip – Great Beginner Snorkeling
• Playa Kalki – Great Secluded Snorkeling Beach
• Playa Porto Mari – Famous Double Reef Beach
• Daaibooibay – Famous Cliffside Snorkeling

Curacao Snorkeling Map – Best Snorkeling Beaches

I have created a small Curacao snorkeling map to help guide you to all my favorite beaches for snorkeling in Curacao:

1. Playa Lagun

Beginner-friendly snorkeling directly from the beach, high chance for sea turtles

This special place is a small, non-touristic beach on the west of the island. Playa Lagun is very famous among snorkelers and divers because the marine life there is simply stunning.

In Playa Lagun, I had my very first time snorkeling with sea turtles, and it was simply amazing.

Playa Lagun is a small bay that is enclosed by cliffs on both sides, which makes it a very calm and protected space to snorkel, even for beginners.

Make sure to swim out on either one of the sides of the bay alongside the cliffs, you will already be able to see lots of fish and corals close by the shore. You can spot eels, parrotfish, pufferfish, and big schools of silver juvenile fish.

Lagun is also one of the rare places where you can regularly spot sea turtles. We have already seen them twice on this beach, and both times it was a great experience, especially since there are very few tourists to block your view.

Try to go in the morning since this is your best chance of spotting a turtle.

2. Klein Curacao

Stunning beach, that is only reachable by boat, beginner and advanced snorkel spots, and a chance of sea turtles

Klein Beach on Klein Curacao is, without a doubt,t the most stunning of Curacao’s beaches. The only way to reach the small island of Klein Curacao is with a boat trip to Klein Curacao.

Klein Curacao is one of the best spots for snorkeling in Curacao. There is a huge reef right there on the shore; you can regularly spot sea turtles, and the marine life is amazing.

Because the island is uninhabited, nature there is completely untouched. The island has crystal-clear waters, white sands, and great visibility. There are barely any waves, so it is great for a snorkeling trip.

In addition to the sea turtles, you have a chance at spotting the sergeant major as well as the bluehead wrasse.

Most of the tour operators offer snorkeling tours as well as free use of snorkeling gear. This is a great opportunity to learn from a professional.

Day trips will cost around 150 USD p.p. but is, in my opinion, well worth it.

3. Tugboat Beach

Shipwreck snorkel spot (for advanced snorkelers only)

As the name already suggests, snorkeling at Tugboat Beach will allow you to see a sunken shipwreck. This is one of the coolest snorkeling spots in Curacao.

Tugboat Beach is located close to Willemstad, in an area called Caracasbaai.

The shipwreck is just a couple of minutes of swimming away from the beach itself, so it can be easily reached without a tour. There is a small dive shop at the beach that sells gear as well as refreshments.

Apart from the shipwreck, you can discover a nice reef as well as a lot of beautiful fish. Make sure to watch out for boats that hover around there during their tours.

It is about a 10-minute swim from shore until you actually reach the shipwreck. I would not consider this a beginner-friendly snorkeling experience.

You might want to bring fins to help with the swimming.

4. Cas Abao Beach

Beginner-friendly, shallow-water snorkeling spots

This most beautiful place is a white sandy beach on the southwest coast of the island. Cas Abao is definitely one of my favorite beaches for snorkeling.

The water is super shallow around the cliffs on both sides of the bay, and it is easily accessible. This makes it an especially great snorkeling place for beginners.

On both sides of the shore, you can see colorful fish. Since the water quality is so good there, the underwater world is especially beautiful. The dive shop on the beach has you covered with all kinds of gear in case you need to grab something.

There is a small entrance fee to the beach since it is privately owned. This is one of my favorite beginner snorkeling beaches in Curacao. The fee is, therefore, well worth it.

5. Playa Forti

Stunning sand-pebble-beach offering beginner-friendly and advanced snorkeling spots

This magnificent beach is located in a beautiful bay close to Playa Piskado. Playa Forti is a mixed sand-pebble beach close to the village of Westpunt.

The beach is quite big, and the view is super picturesque. You can see the endless blue ocean with small fishing boats floating away.

On the nearby beach of Playa Piskado, the fishers dump all the fish leftovers after selling and cleaning them on the beach. This attracts plenty of sea turtles.

In my opinion, this is not a pretty way to spot them, so I would not recommend Playa Piskado. However, since Playa Forti is so close, you have a great chance of spotting them there as well.

Snorkeling around Playa Forti gives you a great chance to see different sponges underwater. Since this is not really a sandy swimming beach, the marine life there is wonderfully untouched.

This is definitely one of my favorite snorkeling spots in Curacao.

6. The Blue Room Cave

Underwater cove, advanced snorkel spot, hard to reach

The Blue Room Cave is a very famous snorkeling spot in Curacao.

It is an underwater cove where you can witness a special nature phenomenon, where the sun makes the water seem deep, dark blue.

You can reach the Blue Room by hiking from Santa Cruz, with a canoe, or with a guided tour.

From personal experience, I can tell you that Curacao hikes can be quite daunting because all kinds of cacti and plants block the way. You better invest in a snorkel tour.

This is also one of the prime dive sites, additional to Directors Bay and Alice in Wonderland. While it does attract lots of scuba divers, it is also great for a snorkeling adventure.

7. Grote and Kleine Knip

Beginner-friendly snorkel spots, frequented by locals

Grote Knip Beach is just like Kleine Knip (playa kenepa chiki) beach, located in the western part of the island. Both of them are very popular snorkeling spots among locals.

Both beaches are pretty close to each other and are operated by the same company. This makes it an ideal option for some beach hopping. You can pay for beach beds and umbrellas at one beach, but use it for both of them on the same day.

Both beaches are excellent snorkeling spots since both beaches are protected by cliffs on both sides. This makes for family- and beginner-friendly snorkeling.

Both beaches offer a great and diverse marine life; you can expect to see Elkhorn corals, schools of sweepers, and maybe even spot a barracuda.

8. Playa Kalki

Secluded beach, beginner beginner-friendly, chance of sea turtles

Playa Kalki is a small, secluded beach close to Westpunt. It is an amazing spot for snorkeling and diving. There is a diving school right up the stairs, so it is a very popular spot for divers.

There is a big coral reef that can sadly only be discovered with diving gear. However, there are still plenty of beautiful fish and some coral close to the surface that are ideal for snorkeling.

This is definitely one of the more quiet and hidden beaches for snorkeling in Curacao since it is not very touristy in that area.

9. Playa Porto Mari

Stunning beach with double-reed, advanced, and beginner-friendly snorkel spots

Playa Porto Mari is a very large, natural beach. The waters are very calm, which makes it a great place for swimming and snorkeling.

Playa Porto Mari is famous for its double reef. It can be seen from the surface, but I suggest diving to enjoy it properly.

There have been attempts in the past to restore some damaged coral reefs on this beach, so there are plenty of new coral formations on this beach. It is also privately owned, so there is a small entrance fee.

The beach offers many amenities and is one of the best snorkeling beaches in Curacao, so I definitely recommend going! As a small bonus, you might even spot one of the pigs that live on the beach taking a swim with you!

10. Daaibooibay

Last but not least, one of my favorite snorkeling beaches in Curacao is the Daaibooibay.

Daaibooibay is nestled in between two huge cliffs, which not only make for a stunning view but also great snorkeling spots. The water is crystal clear and light blue.

The left side of the bay is especially great for snorkeling. The water is quite shallow ,and you will see a whole lot of beautiful fish and corals there.

The beach is right next to Playa Porto Mari, so you can do some beach hopping and explore both of them in one day.

FAQ: Best Beaches for Snorkeling in Curacao