Sandy’s Plateau near Jan Thiel Beach
Sandy’s Plateau is a beautiful large shallow plateau located, just east of the inlet to the Jan Thiel salt pans, between the Saba Tugboat wreck and Jan Thiel Bay. This shallow plateau extends out to the drop-off where you will find coral covered wall with large Gorgonians, hard corals, and everything in between.
Sandy’s Plateau is an excellent dive site to spot Caribbean Spiny Lobsters under the overhangs and crabs hiding in the large barrel sponges.
Travelers Tip: Located just between Jan Thiel National Park and Mambo Beach, you’ll find ‘De Zoutpannen’ or the Jan Thiel Salt Pans. Here you can take a stroll through spectacular salt pans, tackle some rocky paths and gaze at the wondrous saltwater lakes. And the piece de resistance: if you are lucky, you’ll even manage to spot some flamingos on your adventure.
Dive Site Recommendations
- Dive Type: Boat
- Snorkel Site: No
- Experience Level: Open Water (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 Ocean Encounters for additional details & recommendations.
Location of Sandy’s Plateau
About the Jan Thiel Salt Pans
The salt pans of Jan Thiel are located on the east side of Curaçao and are named after the first owner, Jan Thielen. The salt pans were a valuable salt plantation around 1700’s.
Water from the Caribbean Sea was led to the salt pans of Jan Thiel. After some time, the seawater evaporated leaving the salt behind. The salt pans are no longer used and it has become a protected natural area.
This special nature reserve is popular among the Curaçaoans (locals). On Sundays the salt pans are often visited by cyclists and walkers. It is a beautiful area to unwind and to get ready for the new week.
The salt pans are also an attraction for the flamingos. Do you want close up of our beautiful pink flamingos? Then we certainly recommend you to visit the salt pans of Jan Thiel. Besides flamingos you can spot several other species of birds that end up on the salt pans.
The salt pans are surrounded by a lot of nature, which is suitable for a beautiful walk in the woods. There are several hiking routes to or from the salt pans. Park your car as close as possible at a safe location. Then you’re set for the adventure!
Click here to discover more about the Flamingo hiking trail in Curaçao: ‘De Zoutpannen’ that is just a few steps away from LionsDive Beach Resort!
