Curaçao

Curaçao — the largest of the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao) — offers the same legendary Caribbean shore diving as Bonaire but with more island to explore above water and fewer divers below.

The leeward (west) coast runs for 60 kilometers and the reef hugs it nearly end to end. Drive-up shore dives like Playa Kalki, Alice in Wonderland, and Tugboat are all accessible by rental car, with the reef often starting just a few fin kicks from the beach.

The Mushroom Forest, on the northwest coast, is a spectacular shallow site where giant star corals have grown into mushroom-shaped formations creating canyons and overhangs. Just next door is the Blue Room — a swim-through cavern where light filters through a hole in the ceiling and turns the water electric blue.

The Superior Producer, a 60-meter wreck in 30 meters of water, and the Car Pile (an artificial reef built from dumped vehicles) add variety for wreck enthusiasts.

Curaçao's visibility runs 20–30 meters year-round and water temperature is 27–29°C. Curaçao Airport (CUR) has direct flights from Amsterdam and several US cities.