Curacao is a Dutch Caribbean island country located approximately 40 miles north of the Venezuelan coast. It is a constituent country of the Kingdom of Netherlands.
It’s a small but beautiful country, popular for its breathtaking beaches and expansive coral reefs, rich with marine life. It is also home to many famous people including Peter Hartman, former CEO of KLM; Ruenna Mercella, a model, beauty queen and actress; Izaline Calister, singer/songwriter; to mention a few.
Curacao is a tourist haven because of its exquisite Dutch colonial architecture, delightful history museums and bustling commercial capital. It’s a small piece of Europe on the edge of the Caribbean. It has hidden beaches nestled in coves, amazing onshore diving and snorkelling, and a wild windward coast.
How many beaches are there in Curacao?
Here are the beaches in Curaçao you need to visit
Santa Barbara Beach
This beautiful beach and golf resort provides a natural oasis where you can relax and unwind in the glow and shining warmth of the Caribbean sun.
This white-sand beach occupies a long stretch of 450 meters (1,500 ft), and its warm, glassy blue protected lagoon is ideal for swimming, riding a kayak, scuba diving or snorkelling. You can also lounge on the beach front and enjoy an entertaining view of passing yachts and sailboats.
Visitors can also relax in the resort’s spa or beside one of the three swimming pools. The sports facilities here include an 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, mountain biking and hiking. This beach resort also boasts of some really popular Oceanside restaurants including Shore
Playa Porto Mari
This a lovely sandy bay located on the west coast of Curacao in the private estate of Plantages “Porto Mari”. It has white coral sand, calm and clear water, and its unique “double” reef is accessible even from the shore, providing visitors with a fascinating dive and snorkel site. It is a real paradise for water lovers.
Playa Porto Mari is open to visitors every day and the beachside restaurant and bar has a large terrace that always offers a variety of delicious meals and tropical drinks. There are also showers and toilets on site for visitors. It is a very suitable beach for children as well.
Kenepa (Knip)
Also known as Playa Kenepa (Klein Knip), this is one of Curacao’s most popular beaches. This cozy beach is a perfect place to relax and offers fun activities like cliff jumping.
It has a snack bar that is open every weekend and many locals enjoying camping here during school holidays. The larger side of this beach called Playa abou (or Grote Knip) has a large snack bar and has several shade pergolas which are set back from the water.
You can swim or sunbathe in Kenepa beach in one of Curacao’s most beautiful surroundings. Well trained swimmers can reach the reef from the beach, although it is quite a long swim.
The beach has many impressive views that provide the perfect Instagram photo op. No entrance fee is required, though the beach has limited amenities.
Cas Abao
Located in a fairly remote part of the country on the north-west coast (about 30 minutes from Klein Knip), Cas Abao is a must-see for beach lovers. This picture-perfect beach is said to be the most pristine beach in Curacao with its white sand, clear turquoise water, colorful tropical fish, beautiful coral reefs and waving palm trees. It’s a great place for water-sports and also very ideal for family hangouts.
For an affordable fee, you can drive in and rent a chaise lounge to relax in while you’re there. It has a bar, restaurant and even a masseuse. This beach is truly idyllic.
Klein Curacao
Klein Curacao is the Curacao’s whitest and longest beach, and it is an uninhabited island located eight miles off the south-east coast. This flat, wind-swept island has a spectacular reef, full of colorful sea life, making it a favorite among snorkelers, divers and sunbathers. Charter boats and dive operators take passengers out to the oversized volcanic rock for cookouts, beach parties and diving. While there is little shade here, the water is crystal clear and the shore is covered with soft white sand.
Some of the sailboat charters and dive operators offer trips that feature snorkelling, a barbeque lunch or picnic, and other refreshments. If you decide to take a trip on a tour boat, you will see Klein Curacao’s landmark lighthouse and a shipwreck that was lodged on the beach several years ago. You can also take a stroll along the beach, collect sea shells or just lie on a beach chair to enjoy the warm sunlight.
Jan Thiel Beach
This four-star resort is located centrally on the Jan Thiel Bay and has all the necessary requirements for the perfect holiday getaway. It features beautiful apartments and villas, a stunning swimming pool and a tropical flower garden.
This charming palm beach has an open bay which is great for snorkeling and it also has a dive center. It has a small waterpark as well as a semi-enclosed wading children-friendly area for younger visitors.
There is also a restaurant here that serves snacks, sandwiches and drinks on the beach.
Jan Thiel is, by all means, a real family beach. Other facilities available include; a bar, restrooms and showers.
The white, sandy beach with its clear blue water provides a remarkable backdrop for all things entertainment, sports, shopping and culinary options all in a dazzling and safe environment.
The beaches in Curacao don’t just offer you a picturesque surrounding to have fun, but they also provide a perfect mix of serenity and sporting activities that is sure to make any holiday a memorable one.
Kaila Yu is a top blogger based in Los Angeles. She also writes for self named blog Kaila Yu and was the former lead singer of an all-girl rock band! Many of the stamps that she earned on her passports were earned while touring the band. She has a combined social media following of 580,000 and growing and has been regularly featured in print and media publications around the world: including The Rolling Stone, FHM, MTV, Buzzfeed, The Huffington Post and more. She is not at all afraid to speak her opinion whether it be a popular one or not
