Most of Curaçao's best beaches are on this side of the island. These are the ones we send people to, with what each is best for and what you'll find when you get there.
Before you go. Bring water shoes: many entries are rock or coral rubble. Use reef-safe sunscreen. Don't leave anything in the car.
On ship days the tour buses head for Cas Abou and Grote Knip. Klein Knip, Jeremi and Daaibooi stay quieter. Schedules change, so treat this as a guide.
Three beaches around the fishing village at the tip of the island.
Best for Snorkeling and shore diving
A small cove below the cliffs, and one of the best shore dive and snorkel sites on the island. The reef starts a short swim from the beach, with big coral formations that gave it its nickname.
Tip Steep stairs down and a rocky entry, so bring water shoes.
Best for The view, and dinner above it
Dark, coarse sand under a cliff, with two restaurants on top. Known for the 40-foot jump from the cliff by the restaurant. People are seriously hurt doing it every year, so think hard before you join in.
Tip Come late in the day and stay for sunset, on the sand or at a table upstairs. Rocky entry.
Best for Seeing sea turtles, almost guaranteed
A working fishermen's beach where sea turtles gather to feed on the scraps. You will almost certainly see turtles, right off the pier. It's busy and it isn't a natural setting, but it's the surest sighting on the island.
Tip Go between 7 and 9 AM, before the tour vans. Keep your distance and never touch the turtles.
The two postcard beaches, a few minutes apart on the coast road.
Best for The postcard view, and a full beach day
The most photographed beach on Curaçao: bright turquoise water between two cliffs, with a lookout above the parking lot. There's snorkeling along the rocks on the right side.
Tip Arrive before 10 AM on weekends. Sundays it fills up with local families.
Best for Shallow, easy snorkeling without the crowd
The smaller, quieter sister. Shallow and calm, with very healthy coral close in: purple sea fans and plenty of fish.
Tip Our pick when Grote Knip is packed.
Two narrow coves cut into the cliffs.
Best for Peace and quiet
A secluded cove with clear water, popular with local divers. Undeveloped and usually uncrowded, with snorkeling along the cliffs.
Tip Rocky at the waterline, so bring water shoes.
Best for A first snorkel, in calm water
A narrow, sheltered cove between tall cliffs, with fishing boats pulled up on the sand. The calm water makes it the best place for a first snorkel: follow the cliff walls for turtles, squid and schools of small fish.
Tip It's small and fills up, so get there before 10. Stays calm when it's windy elsewhere.
A locals' beach, and a handful of wild ones down a dirt road.
Best for Sand, shade and a local crowd
A wide, sandy bay that the tour buses skip. Weekdays you share it with the pelicans; weekends it's busier with families. You can rent a boat here, and it's the start of the walk to the black sand of Santu Pretu and the Blue Room cave.
Tip More sand and fewer rocks underfoot than most beaches out here.
Best for Having a beach to yourself
A string of small, undeveloped beaches on the grounds of Landhuis San Juan, between Soto and Cas Abou. You pay at the plantation house and follow rough dirt roads to the water. Coral pebbles more than sand, very little shade, and often nobody else there.
Tip For the adventurous. Check that the estate is open before you drive out, take it slowly on the dirt road, and don't count on phone signal.
The big three near the start of Bandabou, each down its own side road.
Best for A full day with everything on hand
Long, white and wide, with full facilities. It regularly shows up on lists of the best beaches in the Caribbean. The water is very clear and the entry is easy.
Tip Skip it on days a cruise ship is in port: the tour buses bring crowds here. Check the calendar at the top of this page. Swim to the north (left) side for the best snorkeling.
Best for The double reef
Known for its double reef, two parallel bands of coral with sand between them, and for the pigs that live by the parking lot. A long boardwalk and a big restaurant.
Tip Snorkel out over the first reef to the second.
Best for Turtles without the crowd
A traditional bay that's still mostly a local favorite. Follow the rocky cliffs on either side for the best snorkeling, and for sea turtles in a natural setting. A short trail on the left leads up the cliff for the view.
Tip It's small, so come early. Your best chance of turtles away from Piskadó.
No beaches match that filter.
Blue Tide is a top-floor two-bedroom in Punta Azul, a short walk from Playa Forti, with its own steps down to the reef. See what lives there in our reef guide.
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