Curaçao is home to many beautiful beaches. Banda Bou boasts many beautiful beaches that are well-known to tourists, but over in Banda Riba and Piscadera there are four beaches that stand out with a unique kind of charm all their own. These are Playa Marie Pampoen, Directeursbaai (Director’s Bay), Caracasbaai and Parasasa beach.

Playa Marie Pampoen
Sometimes referred to locally as Pir, this beach is situated right next to the Sunscape hotel at Marie Pampoen. Many tourists go there for diving as it has one of Curaçao’s top diving spots, which is the Car Pile. The name says it all: this is a spot where many cars got dumped in the 1960s to create an artificial reef. Click on the link below to have a look at it:

This beach is also popular for swimming lessons  and fishing (the fishermen often sell their fresh catch by the shore) and is home to two popular seafood restaurants.

Directeursbaai
This is the most secluded of the four beaches and it lends its name to the era when the island’s oil refinery was owned by the Dutch Royal Shell. This was namely a spot which only the Dutch Shell directors frequented. It is located just past the Quarantine building on top of the hill nearby Baya. The roads leading to it are poorly maintained and there aren’t even signs pointing to its location (use Google Maps). But when you get there, you will definitely be charmed by what you see.

Caracasbaai
This beach is located in one of Curaçao’s biggest and deepest bays. It is very popular for barbecues, birthday parties, volleyball games, a starting point for jogging or walking excursions, group workouts, or just plain lounging under the palapas or on beach chairs. It is located between two restaurants that serve up delicious local food: the Golden Sea Horse and Pop’s Place.

There are usually big tankers anchored nearby but this somehow adds to the charm of the location. It is situated near the Fort Beekenburg, which was built in 1703 to protect the entrance to the Spanish Water. It served its purpose well, during colonial times it kept the British and pirates away many times.

Parasasa Beach
Much like the Caracasbaai, this beach is also very popular for barbecuing, birthday parties, or just plain lounging under its many palapas. During many festivals its parking lot becomes the setting for concert stages.

The Parasasa beach is located right next to the Marriott hotel which is currently being remodeled. Once this work assignment concludes this beach will be even more beautiful.

We went over four beaches in Curaçao that are very beautiful and where there is a unique atmosphere. Visit them and experience how dushi our island is.