Beaches

West coast beaches in Curaçao: which one fits your mood

The west coast of Curaçao - Banda Abou to locals - lines up the island's best coves, each with its own character. Postcard looks, comfort, snorkeling or solitude: here's how to pick your beach depending on the day.

By Curaçao EscapeJune 19, 20265 min read

On the map, they all look alike: turquoise coves tucked into the leeward coast. On the ground, though, every beach in Banda Abou has its own personality. Here's a short guide to help you choose yours.

For the postcard shot: Grote Knip

This is the image you see everywhere, and for good reason: pale sand, cliffs, and an almost unreal gradient of blues. Its little sister Kleine Knip, a few minutes away, offers the same water with fewer crowds. Come early - the beach fills up fast in high season.

For comfort: Cas Abao and Porto Marie

Loungers, showers, a beach bar: Cas Abao is beach day without the logistics. Porto Marie plays the same game, with a real bonus for snorkelers - its double reef, reachable by swimming.

For mask and snorkel: Playa Lagun and Playa Piskado

Playa Lagun, a narrow cove wedged between two cliffs, packs fish along its walls. At Playa Piskado, near Westpunt, sea turtles steal the show, drawn in by the fishermen's boats.

For quiet: Playa Jeremi and Daaibooi

Playa Jeremi remains one of the wildest beaches on the coast, with no facilities at all. Daaibooi, free and shaded by its palapas, still belongs to local families - especially on weekdays, when the bay is nearly empty.

For the end of the day: Playa Forti and Playa Kalki

At Playa Forti, the cliff draws in the jumpers, and the terrace looks out over the sea toward the sunset. Playa Kalki, right at the island's tip in Westpunt, closes the day in style - mask on your forehead for one last swim.

All these beaches connect by car from Willemstad in 30 to 60 minutes along the west coast road. The best approach is to combine two or three in one day - our one-day itinerary through the wild west offers a ready-made version of that.

One last habit worth adopting: supermarkets get scarce past Tera Kora. Stock up on water and snacks at Centrum Piscadera on the way, our guide to grocery shopping in Curaçao covers the stores region by region.

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Beach

Kleine Knip

A two-minute drive from its big sister Grote Knip, on Curaçao's west coast, Kleine Knip has a more intimate feel. Playa Kenepa Chiki, as it's also known in Papiamentu, is a white sand cove framed by cliffs, with a few trees offering natural shade right on the sand, and free access year-round. Snorkeling here is excellent, especially along the rocky walls that frame the bay.

Beach

Playa Lagun

In Lagun, on the Banda Abou coast, a narrow cove slips between two tall cliffs down to a small fishing village. Colorful boats rest on the sand while snorkelers' fins stir the water just off the shore. This is where Playa Lagun Curaçao built its reputation as the island's best spot to easily spot sea turtles, no boat or special gear needed.

Beach

Playa Jeremi

Just past the fishing village of Lagun, in Banda Abou, a small cove opens up between two volcanic rock cliffs. Playa Jeremi Curaçao has no beach bar or sun lounger rentals, just clear sand, calm transparent water, and the quiet of Curaçao's tourist-free beaches. You reach it via a staircase carved into the rock, and it's often a local already enjoying the shade by the time you arrive.