Ocean Encounters Diving/kura hulanda (sp?), Jun, 2010,by Mark Reckman, OH, US (![]() |
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Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best): |
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Accommodations | ![]() |
Food | ![]() |
Service and Attitude | ![]() |
Environmental Sensitivity | ![]() |
Dive Operation | ![]() |
Shore Diving | ![]() |
Snorkeling | N/A | ||
Overall Rating |
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Value for $$ | ![]() |
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Beginners | ![]() |
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Advanced | ![]() |
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Comments |
After nearly 10 trips to Bonaire and Aruba (Aruba is not great for divers), we decided to try Curacao. I did not expect the diving to be much different than Bonaire. I was wrong - and what a pleasant surpise. The diving at the west end of Curcao is much better than Bonaire - healthy, flourishing and largely unbothered. In fact, the coral and small/medium sized sea life was as good as Little Cayman and Cozumel. I especailly loved the coral - but there were also schools of fish on most dives. The underwater topography is not as interesting as Little Cayamn or Cozumel (Curacao's reefs slope gradually like Bonaire), but the sealife is as good as I have seen anywhere in the Caribean. Surprise, surprise. The island is not set up for shore diving as well as Bonaire - that is certain. But the house reef off of the resort is the best house reef I've seen - even better than the house reef at Deep Blue in Utila (because the high fish count is better). And there are not as many dives sites as Bonaire - just enough for a full week of diving. Also, there are not as many dive shops (althougth it was a plus to see so few boats on the water - we saw maybe two other boats working those same west end waters). The island itself is significantly more developed than Bonaire, with something like 8x the people (I think). The populaton is centered at the east end of the island, so make you plans accordingly. I liked the peace and quiet of the west end and there were not many divers. But, if you like shopping, resturants, resorts, markets and nightlife, the east end is for you. Curacao is much easier to get to than Bonaire, with flights from the US almost every day. I don't think I will get back to Bonaire anytime soon. |
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Websites | Ocean Encounters Diving | ||
Reporter and Travel |
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Dive Experience | 501-1000 dives | ||
Where else diving | All over the Caribean as well as the Great Lakes, Mirconesia and Galapagos | ||
Closest Airport | Getting There | ||
Dive Conditions |
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Weather | sunny, dry | Seas | calm, no currents |
Water Temp | 83-85°F / 28-29°C | Wetsuit Thickness | 2 |
Water Visibility | 60-80 Ft/ 18-24 M | ||
Dive Policy |
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Dive own profile | yes | ||
Enforced diving restrictions | No significant retrictions - dive your computer | ||
Liveaboard? | no | Nitrox Available? | yes |
What I Saw |
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Sharks | None | Mantas | 1 or 2 |
Dolphins | None | Whale Sharks | None |
Turtles | > 2 | Whales | None |
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best): |
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Corals | ![]() |
Tropical Fish | ![]() |
Small Critters | ![]() |
Large Fish | ![]() |
Large Pelagics | ![]() |
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Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best): |
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Subject Matter | ![]() |
Boat Facilities | ![]() |
Overall rating for UWP's | ![]() |
Shore Facilities | ![]() |
UW Photo Comments | Photo ops are great - but not much in topside photo resources at the west end. |
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