curacao knowhow

Banda Abou · the west road

You can see the bottom at four metres.

Twenty bays, the best of them forty minutes west of Willemstad. Here's the drive, the shade, and what each gate actually charges.

Drive the west coastOr start with the 13 free bays
The narrow cliff-walled cove of Playa Lagun with its small sand beach
Playa Lagun — park above the cliff, walk down the ramp.Photo: dronepicr · CC BY
Checked this monthJan Thiel Beach Cg6verified. Confirmed at the operator’s own site or checked in person. Last checked 24 Sept 2026.Playa Porto Mari Cg5verified. Confirmed at the operator’s own site or checked in person. Last checked 29 Jul 2026.Playa Cas Abao $6verified. Confirmed at the operator’s own site or checked in person. Last checked 29 Jul 2026.Cg→$ at 1.79

In the water

Best water for snorkelling

Reef within swimming distance of the sand. Bring your own gear — rental is hit and miss outside the beach clubs.

The clifftop overlook of Grote Knip: the white-sand crescent and vivid turquoise bayPrayitno · CC BY
West coast

Grote Knip

Also known as Kenepa Grandi, Playa Kenepa Grandi

Freereported. From a single dated source. Plausible, but not confirmed at the operator. Last checked 1 Jan 2026.
Free entryGood snorkellingFamily-friendlyBusy on cruise days
Kleine Knip, the small cove and its turquoise waterCharles Hoffman · CC BY-SA
West coast

Kleine Knip

Also known as Kenepa Chiki

Freereported. From a single dated source. Plausible, but not confirmed at the operator. Last checked 1 Jan 2026.
Free entryGood snorkellingFamily-friendly
Fort Beekenburg above Caracasbaai from the air, the bay and coastline behind itdronepicr · CC BY
East

Playa Caracasbaai

Freereported. From a single dated source. Plausible, but not confirmed at the operator. Last checked 28 Jul 2026.
Free entryGood snorkellingRestaurant

The full snorkelling ranking →

No gate, no fee

Free to walk onto

13 of the beaches here charge nothing at the gate. Several still charge for a lounger or the toilet, which is on each page.

The Boca Sami fishing village and pier on Sint Michielsbaai, boats moored in the bay
Central

Boca Sami

Also known as Boka Sami, Sint Michiel

Freereported. From a single dated source. Plausible, but not confirmed at the operator. Last checked 29 Jul 2026.
Free entry
Turquoise shallows and the rocky shoreline of Director's Bay with swimmersdronepicr · CC BY
East

Director's Bay

Freereported. From a single dated source. Plausible, but not confirmed at the operator. Last checked 29 Jul 2026.
Free entry
The clifftop overlook of Grote Knip: the white-sand crescent and vivid turquoise bayPrayitno · CC BY
West coast

Grote Knip

Also known as Kenepa Grandi, Playa Kenepa Grandi

Freereported. From a single dated source. Plausible, but not confirmed at the operator. Last checked 1 Jan 2026.
Free entryGood snorkellingFamily-friendlyBusy on cruise days

All 13 free beaches, in driving order → · Compare all 20 beaches →

Two hours offshore

Getting to Klein Curaçao

An uninhabited island two hours off the south-east coast, and a full day out. The vessel matters more than the price — a catamaran crossing and a speedboat crossing are genuinely different days.

Compare the 5 operators →

What currency does Curaçao use?

The Caribbean guilder (XCG, symbol Cg). It entered circulation on 31 March 2025 and replaced the Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG), which stopped being accepted as cash on 1 July 2025. The peg is unchanged: USD 1 = XCG 1.79. US dollars are widely accepted, though change usually comes back in guilders.

Driving, taxis, deposits and the rest →

Every price on this site carries the date we last checked it and a note on how confident we are. Where sources disagree, we show the range rather than pick one.How we verify →