Willemstad · CW

Playa Porto Mari

Playa Porto Mari is one of Curaçao's most loved beaches, a wide stretch of soft sand and glassy, crystal-blue water set on the old Porto Mari plantation near the village of Sint Willibrordus on the island's west coast. It has it all for a perfect beach day: a laid-back bar and restaurant facing the sea, plenty of room to spread a towel, and an easy, family-friendly atmosphere that draws both islanders and visitors. The real star is underwater. Porto Mari is famous for its rare "double reef"—two parallel coral structures just off the shore that dive schools rate among the very best sites on the island. You can simply wade into the calm sea and find yourself drifting over the reef with a mask and snorkel, in 26–29°C water almost year-round, with good odds of turtles, rays, seahorses and clouds of reef fish. Run on solar power and framed by a conservation-first attitude—and a few free-roaming "beach pigs" that have become the beach's quirky signature—Porto Mari feels less like a commercial resort and more like a well-kept natural hideaway you can comfortably spend an entire day in.