Dive Travel Curacao

Latest NEWS from DIVE NEWS CURAÇAO – Coronavirus on Curacao – Government Announcements

The Coronavirus on Curacao (COVID-19) is dynamic situation that is on all of our minds. The health and safety of you, your family and your friends is of paramount concern. With that in mind, please check back as we will do our best to keep you informed about the latest developments regarding travel and tourism on Curaçao.

The Curaçao Tourist Board is working in close collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health, Environment and Nature, the Ministry of Economic Development, the Curaçao Civil Aviation Authority and government agencies to guarantee a safe reopening. Guidelines have also been created and implemented in the tourism industry to avoid the spread of COVID-19.

It is important that you stay informed and adhere to basic hygiene and physical distancing measures that are in place for the locals as much as they are for you.

Largest of the ABC (including Aruba and Bonaire) Islands, Curaçao is home to some of the most bio-diverse reefs in the Caribbean.  The sheltered southern coast is rich in coral, and suitable for divers of all levels, with little in the way of adverse conditions at any of the popular dive sites.  Divers and snorkelers never seem to be able to stop talking about the beauty of scuba diving Curacao.  Let us assure you this is with good reason.

Its one thing to know and appreciate the wonders we have available on our beautiful Caribbean island, both above and below the waterline, but to be recognized by Forbes on their “10 Must-Dive Destinations for 2019” is quite an honor especially amongst other World Class Diving Destinations such as Fiji, Easter Island and Yap to name a few!

We like to think there is no place in the world offering such great shore dives, boat dives or opportunities to enjoy the beauty of sea’s nature while snorkeling.​  But honestly, as you could imagine, we are a little biased.  So, we have compiled the Top 10 Reasons to Dive Curacao from an international list of travel writers, bloggers and media outlets to help us out and provide you with a fantastic overview of our beautiful island, located in the heart of the Dutch Caribbean.

At the heart of Dive Curaçao and now, Dive Travel Curaçao, is an unwavering commitment to provide exceptional value, high quality and personalized service to ensure that you, as our client, can have the opportunity for the best Curaçao experience, above and below the waterline”, says Bryan Horne, the Managing Director.   To further underline this commitment he says; “our coral reefs are a vital component of our island’s tourism product, therefore we are also proud to announce that 1% of Dive Travel Curaçao’s net annual proceeds will be donated to Coral Restoration Curaçao so they can re-invest it in restoring corals for the future of Curaçao.”

The Coral Restoration Curaçao program is an initiative of Ocean Encounters and supported by our community, sponsors, volunteers and the sustainable tourism stakeholders of Curaçao. The main objectives of this program are the restoration of our shallow water reef system, educating the community and protecting and preserving Curaçao’s natural ecosystems.

The island nation of Curaçao is home to some of the Caribbean’s best dive sites and thriving coral reefs that represent a window into the past when Caribbean reefs were healthy and vibrant everywhere.

Though this little Dutch Caribbean island is best known for its colourful colonial waterfront in Willemstad, too few know about the rainbow of vibrant coral and marine life under its waters.  That is why Dive Curacao developed this Curacao Dive Guide and Interactive map that allows you to easily plan your next Curacao diving adventure!

You can travel to Curaçao by air with direct flights from North America (Toronto, Montreal, Newwark, JFK, Charlotte and Miami), Central America (Panama), South America, the Caribbean, and Europe (Schiphol and Frankfurt) or by sea on a cruise or yacht.

Before arriving on the island, be sure to fill out your Digital Immigration (DI) Card and know what you can bring with you through customs.

Because the weather is rarely an issue, many people plan their vacation in Curaçao around what there is to do on the island. The Curaçao Carnival period (February and March) is always immensely popular with all kinds of different parties and of course the many parades during the last 10 days of Carnival. In April we have events like the Curaçao International Film Festival Rotterdam and King’s Day, and there’s always something to do during the summer holidays. In late August through early September, the Curaçao North Sea Jazz Festival is a great festival to visit. December to early January is also a special time to be in Curaçao, with a bevy of parties and time-honored events like the pagaras and fireworks shows during the last week of the year, New Year’s Eve parties, the Unox New Year’s Splash, and of course Fuik Day.

Curaçao, as a part of the Leeward Antilles, is geographically located outside the Hurricane Belt. As on other islands, strong winds may pass, but rarely pose a threat. Of course, even though Curaçao is outside the hurricane belt, one can never guarantee perfect weather.

The Caribbean Hurricane Season runs from June 1 to November 30. For Curaçao this generally means that there is less wind than normal during this period, which makes it feel warmer than during the rest of the year.

The water has an average temperature of 27°C (81°F), which makes it ideal to cool off without getting too chilly!

Curaçao, located at 12° north of the Equator, has a warm, sunny climate year-round. The average temperature is about 27°C (81°F) with noon temperatures generally over 30°C (86°F). Trade winds blow constantly from the east, providing a welcome cooling effect.

International weather websites commonly show a chance of rain in Curaçao, due to clouds being directly over the island, but much of this rain (average yearly rainfall is 22cm) never reaches the ground.

While sometimes your hotel / resort or its neighbors may offer sufficient options for your vacation (see your hotel detail page on this site for facilities and distances), if you plan to really get around and explore the Island, renting a car at one of the many car rental agencies is the best option. This allows you to travel freely and on your own schedule so you won’t miss out on anything Curaçao has to offer. Most of Curaçao is accessible within a 30-45 minute drive, regardless of where you start. This may vary in peak traffic hours.

The currency used in Curaçao is the Antillean Guilder (ANG), also called the Florin. The Antillean Guilder’s exchange rate is fixed to the US Dollar at a price of 1 USD = 1.80 ANG. When exchanging money at a bank the exchange rate is 1.78 or 1.82 ANG, depending on if you’re buying or selling.

You can use US Dollars everywhere in Curaçao. In stores and restaurants and such the exchange rate used is usually 1 USD = 1.75 ANG for ease of calculation.