Playa Piskado
Playa Piskado in Westpunt
Neptune’s Kingdom, located at Playa Piskado (aka Playa Grandi), is an inspiring scuba diving or snorkeling experience in Curaçao because the of the metal sculpture of King Neptune.
As you approach the sculpture you can envision him watching over his underwater kingdom at the top of the drop-off. Truly, this is a must-do photo opp especially when the bait balls are in full force!
Robert Wyland quote sums up this dramatic and breath taking experience the best: “The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination and brings eternal joy to the soul. The world’s finest wilderness lies beneath the waves. Into the ocean went a world more fantastic than any imagination could inspire.”
Dive Site Recommendations
- Dive Type: Shore
- 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.
Located below All West Apartments and Diving in Westpunt, Curaçao – Playa Piskado (also known as Playa Grandi) is a working fishermen’s beach that is home to turtles, a statue of King Neptune and an interesting, vibrant reef.
Due to its proximity to the West point of the island, the reef is mostly hard corals and usually teeming with hundreds of types of fish. The regal King Neptune watches over his underwater kingdom at the top of the drop-off, and is a must-do photo opp.
For years the local fishermen have been cleaning and selling fish at this particular beach which is also a Fisherman’s Wharf. These daily activities resulted in a group of sea turtles feeding on the remains of the fish and becoming residents at the beach. If you’re lucky, you may see trigger fish and larger pelagics, more common on the wild North side, and pretty rare on the protected South side.
Nowadays, Playa Piskadó has become a popular spot for our island’s visitors and snorkeling ‘with’ the turtles is in high demand.
Turtle Feeding Caught on Film
TurtleCams show how tourists feed (and influence) turtles
The green turtle is an endangered species whose population has plummeted. The animals must continuously adapt to – amongst other – habitat loss and climate change. The increasing influence of tourists pose an extra threat to the species, Fee Smulders, PhD candidate Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management, discovered.
‘Our research shows the dangers of feeding wild sea animals’, Christianen states. ‘To mitigate the damage and protect the turtles, we must communicate the consequences of this feeding activity to tourists around the world.’ The researchers published their findings in the scientific journal Global Ecology and Conservation.
Curacao Dive Travel Guide
