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Playa Lagun is a narrow cove enclosed by rocky cliffs, located on the west end of Curacao. It is known to be the best snorkeling spot on the island to swim with green sea turtles, although the turtles visit the bay randomly. You will have the best chances of spotting them in the morning.

Snorkeling at Playa Lagun, Curacao

How to get to Playa Lagun snorkeling spot?

Lagun is a fishing village nestled of the west coast of Curacao, some 5 kilometers south to Westpunt and 38km north to Willemstad. Rental car is the best way to reach the beach, but a public bus service is also available. It will drop you off just a few meters from Playa Lagun.

Playa Lagun snorkeling map, Curacao

Entering the water at Playa Lagun for snorkeling

Enter the water from the beach.

Playa Lagun snorkeling exploration

The area to explore covers the whole 30-meters wide cove. More experienced snorkelers can drift along the cliffs outside the cove, but the depth is important (↕18ft/6m) and this area is exposed to the open sea.

Shoal of sardines at Playa Lagun, Curacao
Huge shoals of sardines are found in the cove.

This spot is made up of a gentle sandy slope, peppered with small rocks and coral bommies. The depth ranges between 3ft/1m along the beach and 18ft/6m at the mouth of the cove. The rocky edges of the bay, on both right and left sides, offer the best fish sightings.

Green moray eels can be seen protruding from some of the small crevices, and snappers, wrasse, parrotfish, and butterflyfish are common along the cliffs, overgrown with hard corals and sea fans.

Snorkeling at Playa Lagun, Curacao
Playa Lagun cove.

Massive schools of thousands of sardines find shelter in the cove at certain times of the year. Bar jacks and trevallies are frequently seen chasing in the schools, making it a perfect subject for underwater photography.

In the central part of the cove, you can expect to spot green sea turtles. They are generally resting on the seabed (↕10-15ft/3-5m), enjoying the shelter of the bay. Some days, 2 or 3 turtles are present in Playa Lagun, and some other days, you will not spot any. Avoid the weekends (when the beach is busy with locals and tourists) if you want to get the best chances to see them.

Restaurants and accommodation nearby

There are several accommodations available in Playa Lagun. The Lagun Blou Resort, the Lagoon Ocean Resort and the Bahia Apartments & Diving are overlooking the bay. You will find in Westpunt, some 3mi/5km north of Lagun, a wide choice of restaurants.

 

  • Level required Beginner
  • Maximum depth18ft/6m
  • Water entranceEasy, from a sandy beach
  • LifeguardNo
  • Visitor numbersLow to medium
  • Access costsFree
  • Restaurants nearbyYes

MAP Spot

These snorkeling spots are accessible to beginners and kids. You will enter the water gradually from a beach, or in a less than 3ft. deep area. The sea is generally calm, shallow, with almost no waves or currents. These spots are usually located in marked and/or monitored swimming areas. It is not necessary to swim long distances to discover the sea life.

This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.