The Best Beaches in Curaçao: Our Top Picks (with Entrance Fees)
Curaçao has more than thirty beaches, and no two are alike: small wild coves tucked into the cliffs, private beaches with sunbeds and a restaurant, reefs to explore by snorkeling or diving…
Here’s our pick of the best beaches in Curaçao, with what to do there, the entrance fee if there is one, and what you need to know before you go.
Before you go: good to know about Curaçao's beaches
- West coast or east coast? The most beautiful beaches are on the west and southwest coasts, sheltered from the wind. The wave-battered north coast is spectacular, but not for swimming.
- Public or paid beaches: many beaches are free, but some of the developed ones charge an entrance fee (per person or per car) and/or for sunbeds.
- Pebbles and coral: at many coves, you’ll walk into the water over stones or bits of coral. Water shoes are highly recommended.
- Watch out for manchineel trees: this tree, found near some beaches, is toxic (sap and fruit). Don’t shelter under it when it rains, and don’t touch its small green fruit.
- Leave nothing in the car: break-ins do happen in cars parked near beaches. Keep the trunk empty and nothing in sight.
💡 The entrance fees below were checked in 2026. They change regularly, so bring some cash.
1. Grote Knip (Playa Kenepa Grandi)
THE Curaçao postcard: a white-sand cove lapped by turquoise water, with a lookout above where everyone snaps the same photo. The beach is public and free, with a small snack bar and restrooms. Get there early on weekends – it’s the locals’ favorite beach.
📍 West coast, near Westpunt · 💰 Free · 🤿 Decent snorkeling along the sides
2. Kleine Knip (Playa Kenepa Chiki)
Grote Knip’s little sister, just a few minutes away. More intimate and wilder, with equally incredible water. There are a few palapas, but also some manchineel trees – spot them before you settle in.
📍 West coast · 💰 Free · 🤿 Good snorkeling
3. Playa Lagun
A small cove wedged between two cliffs, with fishing boats pulled up on the sand. It’s one of the best snorkeling spots on the island: you’ll very often see sea turtles and plenty of fish right along the edges. Small snack bar and dive shop on site.
📍 West coast, Lagun village · 💰 Free · 🤿 Excellent snorkeling
4. Cas Abao
A fully equipped beach with white sand, sunbeds, a restaurant, bar, showers and a dive shop. Perfect for a comfortable family beach day. The access road is partly unpaved.
📍 West coast · 💰 Entrance fee per car (around $6–7 depending on the day in 2026), sunbeds extra · 🤿 Good snorkeling
5. Playa Porto Mari
A large beach with facilities, known for its double reef: it’s one of the best places on the island to try diving, among coral restoration structures. Bar, restaurant, dive shop and sunbeds. It can get very busy.
📍 West coast · 💰 About $3 per person in 2026, sunbeds extra · 🤿 Ideal for a first dive
6. Playa Kalki (Alice in Wonderland)
A small beach at the foot of the cliff, at the far west end of the island. Its nickname comes from its amazing coral formations, just off the shore: one of the best snorkeling spots in Curaçao, where you’ll sometimes see turtles or eagle rays.
📍 Westpunt · 💰 Free · 🤿 Excellent snorkeling
🐢 What about Playa Piskado, right next door? We don’t recommend it: turtles are lured there, and sometimes hand-fed, with fish scraps, which makes them dependent and sick. To see them in the wild, read our turtle guide.
7. Tugboat Beach (Caracasbaai)
A small pebble beach on the southeast side, famous for the coral-covered wreck of a tugboat lying in shallow water, and for the submerged pillars of the nearby pier. From the surface you can only make it out: it’s on a dive that you really get to explore it, and it’s one of the best sites on the island for a first dive from the shore.
📍 Caracasbaai · 🤿 Ideal for a first dive · 👉 diving in Curaçao
8. Mambo Beach and Jan Thiel
A different vibe altogether: these are beach-club beaches, with bars, restaurants, shops and music, close to Willemstad. Ideal for a sunset cocktail, less so for nature.
📍 South coast · 💰 Mambo: around $4.50 per person; Jan Thiel: around $3 (free late in the day) in 2026
9. Bonus: Klein Curaçao
The most spectacular beach isn’t actually on Curaçao… it’s on its tiny uninhabited neighbor. Endless white sand and crystal-clear water: an unforgettable day, reachable only by boat.
👉 Read our guide Klein Curaçao: how to get there or go straight to our favorite Klein Curaçao trip.
No car? No problem
Most of these beaches are on the west coast, 45 minutes to an hour from Willemstad, and buses are few and far between. If you’re not renting a car, the private “Beach Discovery” tour from our friends at Gone Caribe, with a local guide, is a great option.
👉 Also worth reading: where to swim with sea turtles in Curaçao.
🗺️ The interactive map of Curaçao
Beaches, restaurants, museums, viewpoints… Our friends at The Little Green Boat have pinned their best spots on a free map, perfect to keep on your phone during your stay.
