Destination: Curacao
Price Varies p.p.p.n
Ocean Encounters Quick Pitch
Ocean Encounters is Curacao’s premier 5-star dive resort, offering both SSI & PADI courses for every level; from beginner to dive professional.
Ocean Encounters Highlights
- Dolphin Dive: For divers and non-divers
- Special Trips: Mushroom Forest / Klein Curacao
- Learn To Dive: Discover scuba diving!
- Lionfish Scuba Dive Experience
- Coral Restoration Curacao
- Animal Encounters: No dive certification needed
- Boat Diving: Experience The Best Dive Sites
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Locations
Ocean Encounters has facilities at Lions Dive & Beach Resort, Sunscape All-Inclusive and at Animal Encounters at the Sea Aquarium Park.
Dive Overview
Curacao has a mixture of all sorts of diving, so whatever your preference you'll find it here! It has a fringe reef surrounding the island. With calm waters and great visibility, you can see the healthy corals, macro life, and abundance of marine life.
Accommodations
Types of Rooms, Amenities and Photos
Ocean Encounters Accommodation Overview
Ocean Encounters has 6 partner hotels, with facilities at Lions Dive Resort and Sunscape All-Inclusive.
Lions Dive
Lions Dive & Beach Resort is a perfect launch point for discovering some of the Caribbean’s best reefs. This 4-star resort is located on an idyllic, palm-studded private beach overlooking Curaçao’s clear waters and the fringing reef of our underwater park. Ocean Encounters' main offices and marina are located at Lions Dive & Beach Resort, next to the Sea Aquarium Park. Hemingway Bar is just short steps from the boats, only a 5-minute walk to Sea Aquarium Beach and Boulevard Mall.
Sunscape Curacao Resort
Sunscape Curacao Resort Spa & Casino is an all-inclusive vacation resort located on a private beach. The house reef is fantastic, with restored Elkhorn and Staghorn coral locations and part of the Curacao Underwater Park. Swim, snorkel, or simply enjoy in the crystal clear tropical waters. Relax under the Caribbean sun. You may also visit the Curacao Sea Aquarium a short boat drive away.
Dolphin Suites
Dolphin Suites is the first hotel in the Caribbean that is specifically designed to accommodate every type of guest, especially guests with special needs. You will find a brand new hotel as beautiful as Miami Design and Boutique Hotels, yet at the same time fully wheelchair accessible. Dolphin Suites has a tastefully created pool and is located within walking distance from one of the most beautiful beaches of Curaçao, Sea Aquarium Beach. This hotel is surrounded by numerous restaurants and is just a 5-minute walk to the Boulevard Mall.
Avila Beach Hotel
The hotel has 2 private beaches separated by an elevated boardwalk leading up to Blues Bar & Restaurant. With an infinity pool, a spa, 2 restaurants (Belle Terrace and Blues Restaurant) and several bars on site this hotel create a great atmosphere for its guests. Avila Beach Hotel is the sister resort of the Lions Dive & Beach Resort and pickup service is available for guests diving or snorkeling with Ocean Encounters. The Avila Beach Resort is just a 5-minute drive from Ocean Encounters' main location.
Floris Suite Hotel
This hotel is an adult-only hotel that offers the comfort of a first-class hotel with relaxing tranquility. Impressively designed, this all-suite and loft boutique hotel is ideal for any couple seeking a romantic getaway or a business traveler who needs space and good internet. Floris Suite is an active member of the International gay and lesbian travel association. With an on-site restaurant, pool, bar, spa, fitness center, and just a 5-minute walk from Moomba Beach Club and Pirate Bay Beach Club, there is something to do for everyone. The Floris Suite Hotel is located at a 5-minute drive from Willemstad (shuttle service available) and about 15-20 minutes from Ocean Encounters. For guests booking a multi-day course or dive package, Ocean Encounters provides transportation to their main location at Lions Dive & Beach Resort.
Dive Information
Boat Diving
Jump on board for the best diving in Curaçao. We offer 2-tank boat trips every day to Curacao’s best dive sites. Our weekly schedule consists of 14 different dive sites so when diving a multi-day package you will see different sites every day. In the afternoon we offer a 1-tank snorkel and dive trip to some beautiful locations enjoyed by divers and non-divers alike. Special trips are going out every week as well, which include lunch and some of the best diving that Curacao has to offer. These trips come back to port between 3:30 PM and 4:00 PM. Check out the Mushroom Forest, East Point / Klein Curaçao and Dolphin Dive trip to make sure you will get to see the best.
Open Water Dolphin Dive
A unique open-water diving experience provided exclusively in Curaçao by Ocean Encounters Diving and Dolphin Academy. After our dive and dolphin interaction briefing, you will gear up and take a short boat ride to Shipwreck Point. Once underwater, you will meet dolphin(s) and their trainer for an amazing experience on a beautiful reef. On this dive, you will get up close and personal with these amazing animals and maybe even pet them. Bring your camera they love the attention! This trip includes entrance to the Sea Aquarium Park on the day of your dive or a later day. This trip is also offered to non-certified divers as a lagoon dive.
Shore Diving
Both facilities at Lions Dive & Beach Resort and Sunscape All-Inclusive have a beautiful house reef in front of the dive shop. Guests who are planning to dive from shore around the island can easily access the facility at Lions Dive to pick up and drop off tanks.
Lionfish Scuba Dive Experience
In September 2012, Ocean Encounters started the Lionfish Scuba Dive Experience program to educate divers about and control the population of the invasive Lionfish in our dive sites. We have gone out with our divers every Wednesday ever since, to remove as many Lionfish as possible from our reefs. The program has been and continues being a great success for divers and the underwater environment. The LSD experience includes a short introductory presentation about the Lionfish invasion and shooting practices. Followed by a boat dive, where guests get the chance to shoot and of course, Lionfish sashimi on board.
Curaçao Dive Sites
- Eel Valley
- On the east side of Santa Barbara Resort, and just underneath its golf course, we find this amazing dive site.
- Booby Trap
- Perfect place to work on some sponge identification: all types of sponges cover the slope.
- Double Reef
- West of Santa Ana Bay, this double reef has its shallows covered with small brain corals and loads of sun anemones.
- Shipwreck Point
- This is like diving inside an aquarium! Next to our dive shop, sits one of the healthiest reefs around Curacao.
- Beacon Point
- Currents make this site an intermediate to advanced dive. You will see the largest pillar coral formation in the Caribbean at this dive.
- Klein Curacao
- A very special trip for divers only. They say that in Klein Curacao underwater everything is bigger and there is more of it.
- Cornelius Bay
- Elkhorn Coral can be spotted during this dive on the plateau. Seahorses are found around the many gorgonians along the wall.
- Mushroom Forest
- One of the most famous dive sites in Curacao. Over time hard coral formations have grown in such a way that they resemble mushrooms, hence the name.
- Superior Producer
- Sport Diver Magazine rates the Superior Producer as one of the Caribbean’s best wreck dives. This cargo freighter sunk in December of 1977 and is now sitting upright at a depth of 100ft/30m.
- Newport
- This beautiful and pristine Curacao dive site is only accessed by Ocean Encounters. A beautiful slope with great star coral, brain coral, and soft gorgonians.
- Smokeys
- How to describe this wonderful Curacao dive? It is pristine with large dense corals, great visibility and simply beautiful.
- Blue Bay Gardens
- A true underwater garden. Box crabs in the sand, octopus, and baby clusters of brain and star corals. On the slope gorgonians, large brain and star corals. Lots of cleaning stations.
- Snake Bay
- If you want to be in the middle of a fish traffic jam, this is the dive site for you. Huge Jacks chasing bait balls, Caribbean Chromies, Creole Wrasses, Southern Rays, and Turtles.
- East Point
- A pristine and unspoiled reef at the very East of Curacao. Only to be reached by boat trip, this site is part of our Special Boat Trip to Klein Curacao.
- Barracuda Point
- A favorite Curacao dive, covered in dense coral formations, gorgonians and boulder corals. Turtles are spotted often on this dive site, as well as jacks and barracudas.
- Small Wall
- The name says it all, it is a wall and it is small. Overhangs and little nooks house schools of soldierfish, grunts, and damsels protecting their gardens and eggs.
- Director's Bay
- Perfectly suited for divers and snorkelers. This dive site landmark is an old decaying shark fence now covered in corals and sponges.
- Lost Anchor
- A favorite Curacao Dive Site, bright and colorful. A beautiful lush wall covered in gorgonians and sea fans. Dense coral growth hides an anchor chain that keeps on going forever.
- Jan Thiel
- A typical Curacao diving spot starting at a sandy plateau going down on a sloping reef. The best treat at the end of the dive will be the curious school of squid looking directly into your eyes.
- Sandy's Plateau
- Gorgonians and hard corals, and everything in between. An excellent dive site to spot lobsters under the overhangs and crabs hiding in the large barrel sponges.
- Rolling Stone
- Next to Hole 17 and 5 at Blue Bay Golf Course. These are 2 fun dive sites to search and collect golf balls during your safety stop.
- Saba
- The small tugboat that sits in the shallows is called Saba, and it’s only at 5 meters/15 ft.
- Divers Leap
- At this dive site, you may have the possibility to do a great drift dive, flying while enjoying the reef scene in front of you.
- Tugboat
- This famous tugboat wrecked just a few yards offshore in a protected bay. Perfect site for divers as well as snorkelers.
Packages & Rates
Ocean Encounters Packages, Details and Rates
Rates & Availability
For information on rates, availability and to book, drop us an email at info@bluewaterdivetravel.com or call us today at 310-915-6677. We will gladly help you plan your dream vacation!
Other Information
Practical Information
- Time Zone: UTC-4
- Local Currency: Netherlands Antillean guilder
- Languages Spoken: Dutch, Papiamentu & English
- Electricity: 127 / 220 V
Got Questions? Ready to Book?
Call us today at +1-310-915-6677 or email us info@bluewaterdivetravel.com
And let us book your dream vacation!
Underwater Gallery
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