From the Playa Santa Cruz parking lot, a trail heads south and pushes into the scrub for about fifteen minutes. The walk starts with a steep climb, sometimes aided by a rope, before descending toward a small cove lined with cliffs. That's where Playa Santu Pretu appears, literally "black beach" in Papiamentu, its dark volcanic sand standing out against the coral white found on the rest of the island.
There's no beach hut or chair rental here, only nature left untouched and a silence that few beaches in Curaçao still offer. The beach also marks the halfway point on the way to the Blue Room, that marine cave with turquoise-blue reflections that draws hikers and divers further south. Many stop here to catch their breath, dip their feet, or watch the reef that begins just a few meters from shore, before continuing on to the cave.
The sand, mixed with pebbles and dead coral, heats up fast under the sun and turns out to be uncomfortable barefoot, so water shoes are a good idea. Snorkeling fans often find the real appeal of the place here: a reef close to shore, still well preserved thanks to the difficult access that discourages most visitors. People rarely come here to sunbathe, they come for the feeling of having found a stretch of coast that Curaçao's postcard image forgot.
You'll need a car
Most of the best beaches are at least 45 minutes from Willemstad. Renting a car is not optional.
