Discover the Double Reef of Porto Mari
At Playa Porto Mari, there is a unique house reef that is considered one of the most beautiful dive sites in Curaçao. You walk into the water from the beach and soon swim above a varied reef with different depths, structures, and a rich underwater life.
The reef stretches far along the coast and offers plenty of space underwater to dive in peace. In practice, divers here roughly distinguish three parts of the house reef, each with its own character.
The Valley (east side)
To the left of the bay lies The Valley, where a wide sandy valley runs between two reef structures towards Daaibooibaai. The front reef starts just behind the reef balls at about 6 meters depth and gradually slopes down to around 15–20 meters. Behind it lies the second reef with a plateau around 15–20 meters, after which the reef slopes further down to depths of 30–40 meters before gradually descending further into the pelagic blue of the open ocean.
Porto Mari’s Coral Gardens (central and western reef zone)
Directly in front of the beach and slightly to the right, Porto Mari’s Coral Gardens begins. Here, dense coral formations grow and you often find many reef fish. The depth varies from about 2–3 meters in the shallow part to around 30 meters further out on the reef.
Playa Hunku (west side)
Even further to the right, the reef eventually merges into the dive site Playa Hunku. This location is exclusively accessible from the shore via the Porto Mari plantation and forms a natural transition to the reef structures that continue towards Cas Abao.
It’s no wonder that dive schools from all over the island regularly bring their guests here to dive at Porto Mari.
For us, this is simply home. That means everything happens in one place: calmly setting up at the picnic tables, fitting your equipment on site, and then heading straight into the water. No lugging tanks and everything you need within easy reach.
What makes diving at Porto Mari so attractive:
Double house reef – Two reef structures with gradually sloping zones, suitable for every level and ideal to explore at your own pace.
Rich underwater life – A great chance of seeing eagle rays, turtles, seahorses, frogfish, and schools of reef fish, among others. Take a look!
Great conditions – Clear water, usually little current, and warm temperatures that stay around 26–29°C all year round.
Lots of variety – From shallow, relaxed exploration dives to longer trips along the reef with new details to discover each time.
Accessible from the beach – No boat needed: you just step into the water and are above the reef within minutes.
An involved team – Experienced instructors and divemasters who have turned their passion into their profession and enjoy getting into the water every day. Get to know us.
