Playa Manzalina
Playa Manzalina at the San Juan Plantation
Playa Manzalina is a beach with coral rubble instead of sand. Along the western side you will find a sandy beach and there is also a small cave.
This dive site is between Playa Shon Mosa and Playa Chiki and that means that the underwater world is a mixture of both. The drop-off is also here near the shore.
From shore you cross a stretch of sand till you reach the point where the slope increases till about 30 – 40 degrees. Going Westward in the direction of Playa Chiki shows you the variation in height of the coral that I find so typical of Playa Chiki. Also here an abundance of sponges and healthy coral.
Probably because these San Juan sites are less visited than the other publicly accessible dive sites along this coast the coral and sponges are larger.
San Juan Plantation Beaches
The main draw of the San Juan area are the beautiful and undeveloped beaches that exist on the fringes of the plantations coastline. Although many sources only refer to three beaches, there are in fact four in total. From west to east these include a small cove called Playa San Juan Chikitu, then the known beaches of Manzalina, Shon Mosa, and Largu.
Dive Site Recommendations
- Dive Type: Shore / Boat
- Snorkel Site: Yes
- Experience Level: Open Water (Min)
- Depth: 0 -120ft (0 – 36m)
Special Notes
Due to recreational & commercial boat traffic, an inflated surface marker buoy is mandatory when shore diving. Consult a recommended Curaçao Dive Operator for additional details & recommendations.
Curacao Shore Diving Guide
