If you’re looking for a quieter snorkeling spot in Curaçao that’s a little more off the radar, Director’s Bay Curaçao is a good one to know about.
It’s not the most famous beach on the island, but that’s kind of the point—and if you go in expecting something more low-key, it ends up being a really solid stop.
We pulled off onto a rough road just past Tugboat Beach, double-checked the map, and kept going even though it felt like we might be heading somewhere we weren’t supposed to be. There’s no clear sign pointing you in, but the road eventually opens up to a small parking area at the top of a cliff.
If you’re planning your trip overall, check out my Curaçao Travel Guide for First-Time Visitors so you can map this in with the rest of your days.
You park, grab your snorkel gear, and take the stairs down—and right away we spotted a couple of iguanas hanging out near the rocks, which felt like a solid welcome.
At the bottom, Director’s Bay Curaçao is smaller and a little uneven, with sand mixed with rock and crushed coral at the water’s edge. It’s not the easiest entry compared to other beaches on the island, so water shoes make a difference here.
Once you’re in, the water clears up pretty quickly, and it’s calm enough that getting started feels easy.
We got in mid-morning, and there were maybe two other couples there, which immediately made it feel different from places like Tugboat or Porto Mari. It was quiet, and there wasn’t much going on around us, which honestly made it feel completely different from the busier beaches.
The snorkeling is the reason to come. We swam out along the right side first and started seeing fish almost immediately—nothing overwhelming, but enough variety to keep it interesting the whole time.
The visibility was clear, the water stayed calm, and it felt easy the entire time, even if you’re not super experienced.
If you stay in long enough, you’ll start noticing more—small schools moving together, fish tucked into the rocks, and we even spotted squid, which I was not expecting but also fully appreciated.
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After a while, we went back in and then headed out in the other direction, which ended up being just as good.
That’s something I’d recommend doing here—don’t just pick one side and call it. There’s enough to see in both directions that it’s worth splitting your time instead of staying in one spot.
If you want a full breakdown of how this compares to other spots, learn more in my post about Best Snorkeling in Curaçao: Top Spots You Can’t Miss.
Compared to other places on the island, Director’s Bay Curaçao isn’t the most impressive snorkeling you’ll find.
Playa Lagun has more variety, and Tugboat has the shipwreck, which is hard to beat. But this feels quieter, less crowded, and more tucked away, which changes the whole experience.
We stayed for a couple of hours, went in and out of the water a few times, and by the time we left, it still hadn’t filled up.
There’s nothing here—no bathrooms, no food, no rentals—so bring everything you need with you. I always bring my own snorkel mask so I’m not relying on rentals, especially at places like this because there aren't any rentals.
Parking is easy at the top, and the stairs down are straightforward, but plan ahead since you won’t have anything once you’re down there.
If you’re driving around the island, renting a car makes it easier to reach spots like this without relying on taxis.
We stayed closer to Willemstad, which made it easy to get here and still be near restaurants at night.
If you’re figuring out where to base yourself, browse hotels here in Curaçao near Willemstad so you can balance beach time with food (which is always a priority for us).
It’s not a beach I’d pick if you want to sit out all day or have an easy, sandy entry, but if you want a more low-key snorkeling spot where you don’t feel surrounded by people, Director’s Bay Curaçao is a good one to work into your trip.
It ended up being more about how it feels while you’re there—calm, uncrowded, and just enough going on underwater to keep it interesting.
If you’re building out your beach days, see my full guide on Hidden Beaches in Curaçao Most Tourists Miss to find more spots like this.
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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