One of the best dive destinations of the south Caribbean is Curacao. Scuba divers of all levels can enjoy the warm waters around the island. A large diversity of sea life, including sea turtles. rays and a lot of macro life, live below the waves. The island is surrounded by crystal clear water and the visibility can be up to a stunning 30 meters/100 feet. The weather on Curacao barely changes, which means you can visit the island whole year round for diving! Now you have plenty of reasons to come to Curacao for diving, but what are the best boat dives on Curacao?
Curacao has more than 80 dive sites. Mostly located in the south part of the island, from quiet and natural west point to the beautiful and deserted east coast.
Dive Division understand that you sometimes get lost in all the dive sites Curacao has to offer. But no need to worry!
We know exactly where you need to go, because our five PADI 5 star dive Centers, Blue Bay Dive, Coral Divers, BLVD Divers, Groove Diving, and Jan Thiel Diving are spread across the island.
We dive on all the greatest and most beautiful dive sites of the island! We can help you find the perfect dive site for you. Here you can read about what we think are our seven best boat dives! Or check out our five best shore dives of Curacao.
Lighthouse
This dive site is located in front of Coral Estate, right next to one of our dive centers, Coral Divers. Do not expect to see a big lighthouse on the coast because the lighthouse burned down a long time ago and only some remains are left. Due to the location most of the time there is a current. This makes this dive site ideal for a good drift dive. The steep slope is overgrown with beautiful corals with all kinds of sea life. When you drift by the slope you will enjoy the beauty of it. Do not forget to look into the blue, sometimes between the many hunting barracudas an eagle ray may pass by.
Kathy’s Paradise
Kathy’s Paradise is not far from ‘Fuikbaai’. Still being on the surface, just take a look under water and you can see it is a true wonderland down there! The reef often starts shallow at around 5 meters/15 feet. With a short descent, you get to the reef and follow your way with the current. For diving on ‘Kathy’s’ it is not needed to go very deep, because between 5-15 meters/15-45 feet it is already perfect.
Mushroom Forest and the Blue Room
It is the most famous dive site on Curacao. The name Mushroom Forest comes from the coral that has grown over time in a ”mushroom” shaped formation. You can easily dive between the coral structures to search for all the cool sea creatures.
In combination with a big variety of sea life like tuna, sea turtles and even a nurse shark, Mushroom Forest is one of the most unique dive sites of the Caribbean. To make it even better, you end the dive in the Blue Room.
This unique cave is the perfect place to end your dive and spot a group of glassy eye sweepers. When your safety stop is done you can surface inside of the cave so you can see why it is called the Blue Room.
Did you know that you can snorkel into the Blue Room as well? Join one of the boat trips from Coral Divers or hop on the Blue C catamaran with the whole family. Everybody, divers or Non-divers, can see the beauty of the Blue Room.
Black Coral Garden
The Black Coral Garden is located in the ‘Soto’ area of Curacao. This dive site is a slope where the beautiful and rare black coral grows. That is where the name Black Coral Garden comes from. The skeletons of the corals are black, but the polyps have varying colors such as red, white, green, or yellow. The slope is rocky and under the rocks, many lobsters and Lionfish take shelter.
Do you spot a group of fish close to the reef? Check it out, probably some cleaner shrimps are helping the fish get rid of any parasites.
Boca Uniko
Beautiful clear turquoise water with steep cliffs towering behind create the atmosphere at this sheltered spot only accessible by boat. It is only reachable by boat because of the steep cliffs stretching for at least a quarter of a mile on either side and there is no beach.
Big healthy sponges and hard corals can be found here surrounded by plenty of fish including spotted drums, blennies, gobies, and parrotfish. Keep an eye out for sea turtles and have a look into all the anemones for little shrimps. Also keep looking around for big schools of blue surgeonfish.
Book your boat dive with Blue Bay Dive to go to Boca Uniko.
Seldom Reef
Seldom Reef is located at the ‘Bullenbaai’ and is one of the most beautiful dive sites of Curacao. The name already tells you that we come there ‘Seldom’. It is a drift dive and we can only dive there when the sea is calm. That is why not many people dive there. Because of the remote location the coral reef is in great health. The reef is loaded with large elephant ears, sea fans, sponges and under the hangovers from the rocks it is a good place to search for nurse sharks. The dive site is a mix between a wall dive and a sandy slope. That makes this dive site very interesting. Book your boat dive with Coral Divers to go to Seldom Reef.
Hole 6 (Kaap Mal Meeuw)
The healthy wall of corals combined with schools of reef fish make ‘Kaap Mal Meeuw’ an excellent dive site.
There is a big variety of healthy corals. Admire the beautiful old Elkhorn and Staghorn corals as well as the great star corals and sea fans. The great diversity of sea life like squids, octopuses, and eels make this dive site a treat for your eyes.
Do not be surprised to find some golf balls on this dive site. It is located next to a golf course. Pick them up and maybe you can sell them back to the golfers. 😉
You still do not know where you want to dive? Click here for more information about our PADI 5 star dive centers.
Book a boat- or shore dive at one of our dive centers and let one of our dive professionals show you all the amazing sea life Curacao has to offer below the waves!
What are your favorite boat dives on Curacao? Let us know!
[…] Mushroom Forrest, Hole 6, The Lighthouse and Seldom Reef. Want to know our favorite, read it at Curacao’s Best Boat Dive Sites on the South. When it is referred to diving at the north shore, this is usually at the most north-east point of […]