Snorkeling Curacao - Caracasbaai's Hidden Treasure

by Susan Kleinhample
(Curacao)

I wanted to share this snorkeling Curacao tip. We live a short walk from Caracasbaai Beach, where the famous tugboat is located. We've snorkeled there many days and love it a lot, but just a short distance away we found a hidden gem.

Just below the cliffs at Jan Theil's Vista Royal neighborhood (on the opposite side of the bay from tugboat) is a wonderful coral garden. It's filled with huge pristine elkhorn coral and sea fans and many other types of coral. Plus tons of fish of all kinds, huge parrot fish, schools of black durgons, cowfish, Angelfish, barracuda, and many more!!

Plus it was the sight of our first turtle viewing. We first saw him in the plume, and then he swam out from there. He was about three feet long, and just beautiful! We are anxious to revisit the sight, but you can snorkel here only on very calm days because the current is really strong here and would easily wash you into the coral that extends right up to the beach/cliffs.