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.
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 🎨
Three neighborhoods, one streetcar, and more Cincinnati specialties than I could finish in one afternoon.
We hit a goetta breakfast sandwich, chocolate chip ice cream from a shop that’s been at it since 1870, a Liège waffle that earned its Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives spot, and Cincinnati chili the way it’s actually meant to be eaten... over a hot dog, buried in shredded cheddar.
$75 got us three and a half hours, a local guide, free streetcar rides, and a genuinely full stomach. Don’t eat breakfast before this one, the portions add up fast.
My third Secret Food Tour in my third city, and it’s still undefeated.
Link in bio for the full review cost, route, parking, and every stop we hit 🥟🌶️
13 creek crossings, a canyon that keeps closing in around you, and a hike I’d genuinely put back on my itinerary, West Fork Trail was the one.
We got to Call of the Canyon at 7:15am and the lot was barely a quarter full. By 12:30 it was 85% full, so if there’s one tip that matters most, it’s this: go early.
The maintained trail is 6.6 miles round trip, mostly flat, mostly shaded, but I kept my regular tennis shoes dry the whole way by hopping across the rocks at each crossing. It’s rated moderate, and honestly that’s about the distance, not the terrain.
Here’s what nobody tells you though ✨ the maintained trail isn’t the end. We changed into water shoes at the official endpoint and kept going another mile straight through the creek, canyon walls narrowing around us the whole time. That extra mile ended up being my favorite part of the entire hike.
5/5 for me. I’d bring the water shoes again in a heartbeat.
Link in bio for the full guide parking, timing, what to pack, and everything I wish I knew before I went 🥾
Two hours, zero regrets. The Pink Jeep Broken Arrow Tour is hands down one of the most fun things we did in Sedona.
Open-air Jeeps crawling over slickrock, backcountry views you can’t reach on your own, and the famous Road of No Return, steep, thrilling, and somehow completely safe the whole way down.
If you’re picking one paid activity in Sedona, make it this one.
You have to do @pinkjeeptours 🌵🚙 Link in bio for the full review.
Dinner beside Oak Creek at Cress, and yes, it’s a splurge, but I’d do it again in a heartbeat.🤍
Candlelit tables under the trees, the creek running right beside us, a menu that mixes Arizona ingredients with French technique. We ordered a little of everything: the squash and beet salad, milk rolls with three different butters, sweet potato gnocchi that somehow felt light instead of heavy. Then two desserts because we couldn’t decide. The Vanilla Crème Caramel with Manchego cheese completely stole the show, salty and sweet in a way that sounds strange until you taste it.
Plan on $100–250 for two depending on what you order, and this isn’t the spot for a quick casual dinner, it’s slow, intentional, and worth every minute. Book ahead and ask for a creekside table if you can.
If you’re looking for one unforgettable meal in Sedona, this is it. Link in bio for the full review 🍽️
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