We were halfway through the trip, bouncing between beaches, and I kept saying the same thing every time we got in—this water is unreal.
Not just blue, but actually clear enough to see everything to the bottom. If you’re planning around Curaçao beaches with the clearest water, this is exactly how they compared for me.
Before we get into the clearest water beaches if you are trying to map out the best ones, start with my guide to Best Beaches in Curaçao (with Map + Tips) so you can piece together a route that makes sense.
We were floating out at Cas Abao, not even that far from shore, and I remember stopping mid-swim because I could still see straight to the bottom. It stayed calm the whole time, even when we moved out deeper, which made it easy to just relax without constantly adjusting. It was hard not to keep getting back in the water even though we had got chairs to relax onshore (glad I had my quick-dry beach towel because I was in and out of the water all day).
If your goal is perfect clear blue water and a calm beach, this is the one I’d pick.
We walked down to Playa Kenepa Grandi and I noticed the color before anything else. It starts bright turquoise near the shore and fades into a deeper blue as you look out, and it almost looks fake at first.
The water is still clear, but this one stands out for how turquoise it looks more than anything else. I kept stopping to stare at it like I hadn’t seen water before (which… silly, but accurate).
If you want the beach that feels the most dramatic in person, this is it. For a full breakdown of this spot, you can check out my Grote Knip Curaçao Beach Guide (What to Know Before You Go).
We pulled into Director’s Bay and it felt quieter right away—fewer people, less movement in the water. Once we got in, the clarity made sense because nothing was getting stirred up.
It doesn’t have that exact same bright color as Grote Knip, but you can see everything clearly, especially if you’re snorkeling. I was fully in my element here—less people, clear water, I’m good.
If you want something more low-key that still delivers on clarity, this is where I’d go. You can see exactly what to expect in my Directors Bay Curaçao Snorkeling Guide + Tips.
We spent part of the day at Playa Porto Mari with snorkel gear on, and the visibility held up the whole time. The water here has more of a green blue tone, but it’s still clear enough that you’re not missing anything underwater.
It’s also easy to get in and out, which sounds obvious until you’re dealing with a rocky entry somewhere else and immediately regretting your life choices.
This is where I felt like I actually earned my lunch after swimming around for a while—extra carbs were not a debate.
We stopped at Playa Lagun later in the day, and the water still looked good, just not quite as still.
There was a little more movement, which made it feel less clear compared to the others. It’s still a solid snorkeling spot, just not the one I’d pick if I was ranking strictly by clarity. This is where I felt like I actually earned my lunch after swimming around for a while—extra carbs were not a debate.
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We got to Playa Piskado knowing the turtles were the reason to be there, and you can see them clearly once you’re in.
The water itself is still clear, but this is where I noticed the difference once more people showed up. The sand gets kicked up fast, which turns it from crystal clear to slightly cloudy pretty quickly by the shore.
It’s still worth it for the turtles, just don’t expect it to stay perfectly clear the whole time.
We were driving between beaches all week, getting in and out of the water constantly, and I kept noticing how clear everything was regardless of where we stopped.
The differences mostly came down to how calm the water was and how many people were in it. More people meant more sand getting stirred up, which sounds minor until you’re trying to see anything underwater and suddenly can’t.
If you’re planning to hit multiple beaches, renting a car here makes it easier and gives you flexibility to catch better conditions earlier in the day.
We got in the water earlier in the day most of the time, and that helped a lot with visibility. Once it got later, the lighting shifted and it wasn’t quite as sharp.
Add in wind or a busier beach, and it changes pretty fast—nothing dramatic, just enough to notice if you’ve already seen it at its best.
If you’re planning your trip around conditions, my Best Time to Visit Curaçao (Weather, Crowds & Prices) breaks this down in a way that actually helps you time things out.
We were going to these beaches specifically for clear water, and every single one delivered—but a few were noticeably better.
So yes, everyone’s a winner here, but these are my actual “awards”:
Clearest Deep Water: Cas Abao
Clearest Blue Water: Grote Knip
Clearest Snorkeling Water: Director’s Bay
Clear water here is kind of the whole point… you could say it’s a pretty shore thing.
If you’re figuring out where to stay so you’re close to these beaches, look here for the best prices.
Columbus hotel roundup because “just find something downtown” isn’t a strategy✈️
I stayed across the price spectrum on this one so I could actually compare notes. Hotel LeVeque is the splurge Art Deco lobby, marble bathrooms, and a restaurant (The Keep) worth visiting even if you don’t book a room. If you want to walk everywhere, Le Méridien puts you right in the Short North with murals and shops outside your door. And if budget’s the priority, Aloft gets you clean and modern near Ohio State without the markup.
Want a full escape from the city instead? Hocking Hills lodges and Gervasi Vineyard are both an easy drive out and worth the detour.
Not every hotel on this list is for every trip... that’s kind of the point. Full breakdown by neighborhood and budget, link in bio 🍂
Thousands of motorcycles, decades of history, and one very hot infield. 🏍️
I went into Mid-Ohio Vintage Motorcycle Days expecting a bike show. What I got was closer to a small town that pops up once a year camps stretched across the hills, swap meet tables piled with parts I couldn’t name, and bikes older than some of the people admiring them parked next to restorations that looked showroom-fresh.
Fair warning: this is not a quick stop. Give yourself the whole day, wear real shoes, and don’t skip the racing watching pre-war machines and modern superbikes share the same track is worth the sunburn.
Ohio keeps surprising me. Full recap on the blog link in bio. 🔗
$165 a person and no menu, you just show up and let them decide what happens to you for the next few hours.🥂
That’s Agni. Tasting menu called Midwest Nostalgia, built around childhood food references you’ll recognize by name and not recognize at all once they hit the table. There’s a version of a McDonald’s Happy Meal in there. The fry alone takes three days to make.
Not a quick dinner. Not for someone who wants to know exactly what’s coming. But if you like handing over control for a few hours and being a little surprised at every course, this is one of the most creative meals we’ve had in Columbus. Full review, cost breakdown, and reservation tips, link in bio.
Cincinnati photo dump— Streetcars, skyline views from across the river, a hotel that’s also a 24-hour art museum, chili you’ll either love or argue about, and a food tour that made me understand the city in one afternoon. We packed neighborhoods, murals, one splurge dinner, and an underground cocktail lounge into a few days and still didn’t run out of things to do.
It’s walkable, it’s affordable compared to most city breaks, and it doesn’t get the hype it deserves.
Everything’s linked in bio where we stayed, what we ate, and exactly how to plan your own trip 🍂
A hotel that’s also a free 24-hour contemporary art museum penguins included. We booked a Corner Suite at 21c and it was massive: separate bedroom, living room, dining area, 699 square feet to spread out in. The bathroom alone had a double vanity and custom Rookwood Pottery tile that made getting ready weirdly entertaining.
The location is downtown, two minutes from Fountain Square, walkable to Boca for dinner, and close enough to hop the free streetcar into Over-the-Rhine. If OTR is where most of your plans are, you might want to stay closer to that neighborhood instead downtown worked for us, but we spent more time in OTR than we expected to.
And yes, there’s a recycled-plastic penguin sculpture that will absolutely scare you the first time you open your door and forget it’s there. Link in bio for the full review rooms, parking, walkability, and everything else before you book 🎨
Follow @travelwithwendyplummer for Beautiful Beach Destinations, City Guides, Foodie Spots, and Luxury Hotel Recommendations.
