A short hop from Bonaire, Curaçao's colorful, historic, cosmopolitan Dutch city of Willemstad offers something for the nondiver, so it's popular with diver/nondiver couples and as an extension to a Bonaire sojourn. . . . Good diving, international shopping for high-rollers, night life, hiking - bring boots - an orchid-filled forest, beautiful rural villages and country homes, windsurfing, half-naked Europeans, and horseback riding. . . . Amstel Brewery tours available. . . . Excellent Indonesian restaurants offer all-you-can-eat rijstafels (rice tables). . . . Marine Park southeast of the public aquarium ("Seaquarium") offers rough boat rides in exchange for the best wall dives on the island. . . . Outstanding beach diving from protected coves on the northwestern side of the island, which is usually calmest and has easy access by car. . . . Windward side nearly always too rough to dive. . . . Favorite boat dives include the towboat (tugboat) featured in posters, the wall at Piedra Pretu, and the wreck of the Superior Producer. . . . Favorite shore dives include Blauwbaii, Vaersenbaii, Playa Lagun, and Playa Kalki. . . . Expect water temperatures in the low 80 's most of the time. . .

Aqua Divers, April 1997, Stewart Kaslow, Maplewood, NJ. "Aqua Diving specializes in shore diving; went towards West Point. They provide excellent directions if you need them free, or a dive guide to lead you if you don't have a dive buddy. They are very accommodating and their prices are very reasonable. vis: 60­80 ft. water: 78­79 degrees. Many locations had sand entries, no rough water. Little current or surge. Large schools of fish, lobsters, crabs, green morays, turtles, nurse sharks. Don't miss the mermaid trip to Klein Bonaire on Sunday."

Caribbean Water Sports/Sonesta, August 1997, Ken Davis, Scotch Plains, NJ. "Reefs healthy, tremendous variety of hard and soft corals. Anemones, purple sponges, urchins - good walls. Large variety of tropicals but no pelagics, a few barracuda. Nice all-day trip to Klein Curacao with beautiful second shallow dive. Dives guided; divemaster used computer. Dive operation at Sonesta couldn't have been nicer. Divemaster Yves patient when I had a problem after not diving for awhile. One day no other diver signed up - rather then canceling, they took me in a van to 2 terrific beach dives. No soliciting of tips. vis: 50-70 ft. water 78-82 degrees. Sonesta beautiful - nice rooms, pool, beach with a sheltered area, good for snorkeling with kids. Kids Club program only fair - mostly inside activities. Food expensive but good. Special family plan makes this an excellent choice for a diver traveling with non diving spouse or kids."

Curaçao Seascape/Curaçao Caribbean Resort, August 1997, Jeff & Sherry Hotham, Phoenix, AZ. "Facilities need repair, hot water not working, employee attitudes poor. vis: 70-90 ft. water: 81 degrees. A lot of healthy fish, corals and sponges. Under pier at Curacao Caribbean Resort are several frogfish and seahorses. Dive operator there, Curacao Seascape good, with experienced captain and divemasters who gave computer divers more bottom time and pointed out interesting fish and creatures. Recommended good shore diving."

Habitat Curaçao, October 1996, David Kupersmith, East Northport, NY. "Water temperature 80 degrees. Resort was newly opened. My son and I and one other couple were the only guests for five days. Had pro 42 boat all to ourselves. Truly virgin diving. Reef in front of hotel for day or night dives was amazing. Depths as little as 25 feet to who knows. Marine life galore though no pelagics. Food good to excellent. Free shuttle to town which is quaint but too far to walk."

Habitat Curaçao, March 1997, Bill Jurney, Roseville, MN. "Water 80-82 degrees; vis 60-100 feet. Curacao as good as Bonaire diving. More driving but excellent shore on leeward shore; super diving from shore night and day in front of Habitat. Black and white crinoids, frogfish, octopus, moray, spotted eel, comb jellies, puffer fish. Not to miss - boat or shore dive to 'Mushroom Forest'. Good food and clean resort with great pool."

Habitat Curaçao, March 1997, Wayne & Marcie Bartley, Pueblo, CO. "Hotel and dive operation very good. vis: 60­90 ft. water: 77­79 degrees. Excellent shore dives at hotel. Divemasters friendly and knowledgeable, best dive boat we have been on! Easy to get to, stay at, dive and enjoy. Need a car to enjoy large island. Civilized destination for divers. Divers from many other countries added to the fun."

Habitat Curaçao, March 1997, Bill Jurney, Roseville, MN. "Easy shore diving. Nice plate coral. Found frogfish, incredible number of cleaning stations, lots morays. At night saw an octopus. Not many large fish. vis: 70­80 ft. water: 80 degrees. Maybe more interesting walls than Bonaire, certainly steeper."

Habitat Curaçao, May 1997, Van Jones, Punta Gorda, FL. "New resort. Deluxe mini suites have two queen beds, kitchenette, large patio. Restaurant excellent, small beach, large pool, excellent service. 42 ft. boat accommodates 20 divers, but we had only 4­10 on each dive. Boat dives are two tanks. 10­30 min. ride from resort. Excellent beach/ night dive in front of resort. Divemasters are helpful, but not intrusive. Free to dive own plan. No time or depth limits. 24 hour shore diving, unlimited tanks. Many beach dives available using rented (4 door truck available) vehicles. Resort is 15 miles from Wilhelmstadt, but resort runs shuttle bus three times daily, free. Water was 79 degrees, windy, but resort is on lee side of island."

Habitat Curaçao, July 1997, Heidi Litt Spitzer, Piermont, New York. "Dedicated hotel and dive operation on the "empty" west side of Curaço! Spectacular coral, wonderful (small) fish and sponges. South of the hurricane belt, so reefs are shallow. It's easy to spend over an hour underwater and still come up with 1000 lbs.! vis: 60-80 ft. water: 80 degrees. Dive restrictions: one hour time limit. Frogfish, seahorses, scorpionfish abound. Two hours underwater in the morning, an hour-plus afternoon shore dive and an hour night dive! Rooms are comfortable and clean; all have an ocean view. Food is fairly good, even a vegetarian can make do. Divemasters are "laid back", especially Cecil, who was originally at Coral Cliff, until that operation closed. Small tanks available for women and kids."

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