Travel Reference
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can view a variety of colorful fish along the reef, beginning in about 20 feet
of water.
West of Willemstad
Mushroom Forest , which is considered one of the top dives in the world,
has an abundance of mushroom-shaped mountainous star corals that
form a colorful forest. The corals look like mushrooms because their bases
have eroded and formed narrow stalks topped by caps. Nearby, there's a
shallow cave with a wide entrance. Schools of silversides swim beside
divers, and a flashlight will illuminate brilliant colonies of orange cup cor-
als. This is best as a boat dive because jagged cliffs at San Nicolas make
entering the water difficult. Bring a compass to avoid becoming disori-
ented in the forest.
Sponge Forest , also off San Nicolas, is a good boat dive in calm water that
features large sponges in about 50-60 feet of water. Stony corals and
gorgonians are visible to snorkelers in more shallow water, and there's an
abundance of French and queen angelfish, damselfish, and sergeant
majors. Also, be on the lookout for cute pufferfish.
Porto Marie , near San Willibrordus, west of the capital, has two reefs
running side-by-side, with a valley between them. Nurse sharks, giant
groupers, spotted eagle rays, and turtles live in the valley, along with pairs
of cornet fish. If you enter from the beach, you'll pay $2 per person admis-
sion fee. The entrance to the water has some coral, so wear your dive boots.
Swim toward the mooring buoy in the center of the bay, where the water
depth is about 30 feet. From here the reef slopes to the sandy valley at
about 50 feet. The second reef is in 60 feet of water. Corals are healthy and
along the reef you'll spot yellowtail snapper, triggerfish, parrotfish, and
brown chromis.
Wet Suit City , or Harry's Hole, is off the beach at Santa Marta Bay near
the Sunset Waters Beach Resort. As the name implies, it's best to wear a
wet suit because of the profuse amount of fire coral. Juvenile brown
chromis live among the fire coral, while eels and scorpionfish favor the
sandy areas. A strong current at the drop-off makes this an intermediate
dive, but novice divers and snorkelers enjoy the sights in shallow water
near shore.
The Central Shore,
from Bullen Bay to Jan Thiel
Bullen Bay , near the lighthouse southeast of the oil terminal, has pro-
tected shallow water close in. A steep drop-off begins in deeper water,
where the current gets stronger. Look for crabs, lobster, peacock flounders,
lizardfish, and goatfish.
Playa Largu , at Piscadera Bay, is a great boat dive that's suitable for
snorkelers. A steep wall begins in fairly shallow water and descends to
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