Mushroom Forest near Santa Cruz
Mushroom Forest, located inside the Santa Cruz Plantation, is one of the most famous dive sites in Curaçao.
Over time, hard coral formations have grown in such a way that they resemble mushrooms, hence the name. Underneath each one of these coral formations an abundance of marine life awaits to be looked at, admired, and photographed.
Mushroom Forest can be disorienting and throw you off, so a compass can come in very handy. High cliffs that rise out of the water protect the area, making it an ideal spot for intermediate divers who are not yet experienced enough to handle really rough currents, as well as beginners who are gaining more experience.
Diver Tip: Discover Black Sand Beach, also known as Boca Santu Pretu & Playa Chikitu, is located west of Mushroom Forest. There you can explore the 120 foot shipwreck of the Catherine while snorkeling or scuba diving.
Discover the Blue Room, next to Mushroom Forest
Along the cliff side is a large cave called The Blue Room, where you will often spot schools of fingerlings, and from time-to-time a nurse shark can be found sleeping under the ledge.
Visibility averages 26m (85 ft), wave action is calm and sometimes the current can be strong; the depth is from 12m (40 ft) to 18m (60 ft). Numerous species of fish and coral can be observed here; flower corals, giant brain corals, anemones, sea turtles, porcupine fish, smooth trunkfish, yellow tail snappers, parrot fish, groupers, spotted drums, spotted moray eels, green moray eels, lobsters, and conchs. Don’t miss it! You will love it!
Dive Site Recommendations
- Dive Type: Boat
- Snorkel Site: No
- Experience Level: Drift / Advanced (Min)
- Depth: 40 -120ft (12-36m)
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.
Location of Mushroom Forest
Top 10 Reasons to Dive Curaçao
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.
