Curacao is home to almost 40 beaches all with gorgeous turquoise waters and their own distinct charm. Discover which ones fit your idea of a perfect beach day with the in depth review below.
Playa Lagun
Access: Free beach, free but small parking lot (possible street)
Snorkeling: Best we experienced and because the bay is small you don’t have to swim far
Wildlife: Lots of fish, turtles commonly seen in the middle of the bay, and iguanas looking for snacks at the restaurant
Beach: Very small and intimate, rocky so water shoes recommended, water gets deep fast and is good for diving
Services/Activities: Chair rentals, dive shop, and cliff top restaurants
Vibe: Intimate, relaxed, less touristy, European feeling
I chose Playa Lagun as the beach to spend my birthday on, and it ended up being my favorite. It doesn’t feel like much when you first pull up but give it a few minutes and you will see the charm. We went to do a short snorkel and have lunch at the cliff side restaurant before heading to another beach but I wish we had spent all day here. The snorkeling was the best we experienced and because the cove is small, you do not have to swim far. We started on the right side by the cliffs which were in the sun in the morning. Then we swam crossing the opening of the cove and came back in on the left side which was harder to see because it was in the shade. The water is very deep which can feel a little intimidating but it is why the snorkeling is so good.
The cliffs frame the cove beautifully making it a fantastic photo spot. We walked up the steep concrete steps to the restaurant for lunch where we were joined by a hungry iguana who loved my leftover watermelon. I won’t say the food was the best I’ve ever had but I enjoyed my pina colada, fried goat cheese salad, and some of my husband’s fries. (I wouldn’t recommend the burger.) I loved soaking up the views and taking a million photos of the crystal clear water making the fishing boat below appear to be floating in the air.
I recommend bringing snorkels, towels, drinks, water, snacks, water shoes, and maybe a game to play or a book while lounging on the beach.
Grote Knip
Access: Free beach, free large parking lot
Snorkeling: Excellent snorkeling along the rocks on both sides of the bay
Wildlife: Lots of fish and turtles, resident pig, stray dogs
Beach: Medium sized in length, rocky so water shoes recommended
Services/Activities: Chair and umbrella rentals, snack bar by the beach, food trucks near the parking lot, 18-20 foot and 40 foot cliff jumps
Vibe: Adventurous, beautiful natural setting, and touristy
Grote Knip was my husband’s favorite beach in Curacao and I loved it as well. Pulling into the large free parking lot, you will see several food trucks where you can grab lunch. You walk past an overlook that has a great view of the beach and is a popular photo spot. On the left of the overlook is access to a 18-20 foot cliff jump which I proudly did! It was my first cliff jump ever and after making sure I was standing in the correct spot, I felt safe to jump. On the other side of the beach there is a 40 foot cliff jump which is a little more challenging to access. I didn’t even go look at it but saw quite a few people who jumped.
Next you walk down some stairs and the snack shack will be on your right along with some bathroom facilities. Make your way to a chair and set up for the day because there is plenty of shade from umbrellas and trees. There is an adorable resident pig who looks for snacks so don’t leave food unattended. I even saw him try to get into people’s bags so lock up the snacks! The best part is when he gets hot, he will take a quick dip in the ocean. Take photos but don’t touch him. (He doesn’t like it!) There were also some stray dogs that looked like a family hanging in the shade looking for treats.
We stopped at a grocery store on the way and brought our own snacks and drinks but we couldn’t resist the smoothie truck which I highly recommend. We read, played games, and watched people jump from the two cliffs all day. The snorkeling near the cliffs was great and we even saw a turtle towards the middle of the bay.
I recommend bringing snorkels, towels, drinks, water, snacks, water shoes, and some courage to do the cliff jumps.
Kokomo Beach
Access: Free beach, free large parking lot
Snorkeling: Good snorkeling along the rocks on both sides and right under the pier and around the base of the floating platform
Wildlife: Lots of fish and a few iguanas
Beach: Small in size, large rocks so water shoes recommended
Services/Activities: Chair rentals, bar on the beach with chair service, large restaurant on the water, massages available, floating platform, swing over the water for photos, dive center
Vibe: Great for photos, lively, trendy
Kokomo is one of the closer beaches to downtown making it very popular. There is a large free parking lot with a security guard checking for outside food and drinks when you enter but we were allowed to bring water. Snap a cute photo on one of the few swings at the entrance. The beach is on the smaller side but with plenty of chairs and shade surrounding a cute little bar. They have servers that will come take your order along with your chair rental payment.
The left side has a lovely, serene restaurant hanging over the water with a great selection of food. The far right is a small building where you can get a massage but we didn’t see anyone there. We grabbed two chairs right by the bar under some of the shade created by the trees and various canopies they have hung up. We enjoyed a pina colada before cooling off in the beautiful clear water. You can walk in from the beach which is pretty rocky or go down the stairs at the end of the short pier. If you use the stairs be VERY CAREFUL as the last few stairs are covered in a slippery algae and I busted by butt pretty bad. My husband enjoyed climbing up on the wooden floating platform and diving off many times. I took my snorkel out and found there were hundreds of fish under the pier and along the rope holding the platform in place.
We did take photos on the famous Kokomo swing over the water which was not too hard to climb onto but had quite the line. Everyone wants to take their picture on it, so jump on it when you get the opportunity. I recommend taking your photos before noon because the sun starts to set behind you and makes the photos dark.
This beach has a less outdoorsy feel and more of a trendy fun vibe. It is much easier and quicker to get from the parking lot to the restaurant to the water than some of the larger beaches. If you want a more upscale feel with nicer services, this is the beach for you.
Playa Porto Marie
Access: Paid beach, free large parking lot
Snorkeling: Excellent snorkeling along the rocks on both sides of the bay including a double reef
Wildlife: Lots of fish, iguanas, sting rays, eels, octopus, and turtles
Beach: Long white sand beach, rocky upon beach entrance so water shoes recommended
Services/Activities: Chair rentals, umbrellas and trees for shade, restaurant and bar by the beach, floating platform, and dive shop
Vibe: Picturesque, luxurious, fun, and touristy
After pulling into the large free parking lot, keep an eye out for the pigs that hang out nearby in the mud on the way into the beach entrance. There is also a tower in the parking lot you can climb to get some beautiful photos of the entire beach. A very cute swimwear shop and artist vender sits near the entrance.
After paying the per person entrance fee, make your way past the restaurant and bar and look for a seat. The beach is long and narrow so every seat has a great view but it can be busy due to tourists arriving on buses from cruise ships. We got there a little late and had to sit all the way at the end of the right side of the beach.
We brought our own drinks and could have brought food but luckily the restaurant is great. They have three green egg smokers and have daily BBQ specials. My husband had a pulled chicken sandwich and I had the chicken satay with noodles and peanut sauce. Both were fantastic and it was the best beachside meal we had on the trip topped off with a few beers on special. It was nice to sit at the bar and eat and for a little change of scenery and not balance food on the lounge chair.
Truly one of the most beautiful beaches in Curacao with a lovely natural rock setting with a jetty out in the middle. One of the things that struck me is how far out the light turquoise water goes as it was more shallow for longer than others. The rocky cliff shoreline is pretty expansive on both sides creating a lot of areas for snorkeling. I recommend starting by the jetty and swimming out and to the left because the reef goes that direction.
We highly recommend spending a day at Playa Porto Marie to enjoy the restaurant, snorkeling, and the view from the lounge chairs. It was truly a perfect day in Curacao.
Mambo Beach
Access: Paid beach, free large parking lot
Snorkeling: No snorkeling
Wildlife: Maybe a few fish by the rocks and some birds
Beach: Medium sized and enclosed so safe from currents
Services/Activities: Chairs with umbrellas, thatch huts, or cabana rentals, multiple beach clubs, rocks to jump off, lots of shops
Vibe: Trendy, vibrant, and active
Mambo Beach is unlike most of the other beaches in Curacao. It has beautiful white sands, crystal clear water, and turquoise ocean views like the others but is nestled behind a large outdoor shopping mall and dotted with vibrant beach clubs playing music and serving fruity cocktails. The rocks further out create a water break so there are no currents creating a very secluded and safe feeling. The downside is there is a lot less ocean life but you will see some fish by the rocky water break. If you like people watching, relaxing by a gorgeous lagoon, and enjoy having waiters bring drinks and delicious food to your lounge chair, this is the beach for you.
After parking in the large lot, find your way through the shopping mall to the beach and this is where it could get overwhelming. You will see lots of different beach club options offering different lounge chairs, cabanas, and thatch huts with food offerings and bars. My personal favorite is Bonita Beach Club because their food is really good, the chairs with side tables are comfortable, the restaurant is very chic, and it is right in the middle by the cute wooden Mambo Beach sign. We ate a poke bowl and some of the best nachos I’ve ever had for lunch, not to mention several bottles of wine.
Mambo Beach has a serious party vibe but also is family friendly so you will see it all. There are people blasting music, drinking beers while taking instagram photos and others swimming along the break jumping off the large rocks. There really is a little for everyone here and creates a vibrant atmosphere that is different than most of the other beaches in Curacao.
Cas Abao Beach
Access: Free beach, per car charge for the large parking lot
Snorkeling: Excellent snorkeling along the rocks on both sides of the bay
Wildlife: Lots of fish, turtles
Beach: Large sized, rocky so water shoes recommended
Services/Activities: Chair rentals, huts for shade, snack bar by the beach, kayak and paddle board rentals, dive center, massages on the beach
Vibe: Picturesque, expansive white sand beach, and touristy
Cas Abao Beach is a gorgeous white sand beach and is one of the largest in Curacao. The road to the beach is a little bumpy but not for long and it’s well worth it. There are lots of chairs but with that comes lots of tourists, and I have seen them hold space for cruise ship tours which can be annoying. We were able to grab chairs in the shade of one of their huts and set up for the afternoon.
The beach is gorgeous and we spent a lot of time in the water and snorkeling. The best snorkeling is along both sides of the cove near the rocks with the best probably the left side where there is a reef near the rocks. We had a wonderful time swimming and enjoying the crystal clear water in the sun.
The snack shack seemed to have long lines and there was no chair service making us glad we brought our own food and drinks. We also read and played a dice game in our chairs.
Koko’s Beach Club & Jan Thiel Beach
Access: Jan Thiel beach nearby for a charge, free large parking lot
Snorkeling: Not the best
Wildlife: Fish
Beach: None unless you walk over to Jan Thiel
Services/Activities: Chair rentals, bar and restaurant on the beach with chair service, floating platform in the water
Vibe: Great for photos, upscale, trendy
Koko’s is a beach club near Jan Thiel beach. Pull into the parking lot and there is a person who will take your money if you want to swim at Jan Thiel beach. Otherwise, continue on to Koko’s free parking on the far, far right. Drive until you can’t drive anymore.
Walking in you will pass the bar and you can find a chair either near the back where it feels like you are on your own private island or by the water’s edge where you can watch the waves crash. I love Koko’s because it is not jam-packed with chairs and feels like a more high end private experience. Waiters service the chairs and they have a nice food selection. The chairs are also the nicest we experienced the whole time with side tables for your drinks and shade provided by palm trees and canopies strung between the trees.
The only downside is there is no beach at Koko’s but you can get in the water via the VERY rocky beach on the right or do what we did and walk along the boardwalk to the left, going around the edge of a restaurant to the steps that lead into the water. This is one of the easier beach entrances so water shoes are not necessary. There is also a platform floating in the water you can lay on or jump off for some added fun.
We stayed until sunset and Koko’s has a wonderful unobstructed view which was fantastic. The restaurants and area around Jan Thiel seemed to be getting ready for some rowdy nightlife. We didn’t stick around because we tend to get up early and hang at the beach all day and take it easy at night.
If you want a beautiful, trendy looking beach with plenty of space, less people, a view of the water, and fantastic service, this is the beach for you. Bring a game or book and enjoy the peace and quiet.
Playa Piskado
Access: Free beach, free TINY parking lot
Snorkeling: You just come here for the turtles
Wildlife: Turtles, turtles, and more turtles
Beach: Tiny in size, small rocks so water shoes recommended
Services/Activities: Chair rentals, snack shack, vendors selling souvenirs, dive center
Vibe: Touristy, tiny, and a working fisherman’s beach
First off, this is not a beach I recommend you spend the day at for several reasons. First of all, it is TINY with room for only a handful of chairs and a small snack shack that we did not check out so I can’t vouch for the food. It is a working beach for fisherman which is why it attracts the turtles so it can smell fishy but it didn’t bother me. What did bother me is the amount of tourists standing around one poor turtle and trapping him in so they could look. They were not even snorkeling but standing around him in the shallow end looking down and I saw a couple people touch the turtle. I almost left right then because I didn’t want to contribute to this turtle’s stress. Instead I swam a little further out from the pier and saw 4 turtles! No one else but my husband and I swam out and it wasn’t that far from the pier so I recommend doing that instead of hovering near the shore.
We parked on the road because the tiny parking lot was full and so was the road leading to the beach but we didn’t have to walk that far. We didn’t pay for a chair but left the few belongings we brought on the large rock on the beach. We hid our personal belongings in the car and didn’t bring much to the beach with us because we planned to swim for about an hour and then move on to another beach.
This beach is very touristy and can be frustrating so if you see a turtle at one of the other beaches, you may want to skip this one. I love swimming with turtles at a respectful distance so I would still return to this beach.
Whichever beach you choose, you are guaranteed to have a gorgeous day exploring. Enjoy!