Playa Piskado

At the foot of Westpunt — one of Curaçao's oldest and most rural villages — lies Playa Piskado, a small working fishing beach that has become one of the Caribbean's most remarkable wildlife hotspots. Known locally as Playa Grandi or 'Turtle Bay', the name Piskadó means 'fisherman's beach' in Papiamentu, and for generations of fishermen this bay has been the place where boats are launched, nets are mended, and the daily catch is cleaned at the water's edge.

It is precisely this daily routine that created the magic. When fishermen clean their catch on the pier and toss the scraps into the shallows, green sea turtles — an endangered species protected by international law — glide in to feed. Over the years a resident population has settled here, and on any given day you can see five or more turtles surfacing to breathe just metres from where you float. Juveniles with shells barely wider than a dinner plate share the bay with mature adults over a metre across. With luck you may spot all three turtle species found in Curaçao's waters: the green turtle, the hawksbill, and the loggerhead. Beneath the surface the reef is dominated by healthy hard corals, home to butterflyfish, parrotfish, and sergeant majors, while the underwater statue of King Neptune — placed here in 1997 — adds a surreal touch to an already extraordinary snorkel site.

Seafari Adventures takes a responsible approach to turtle snorkelling. Our guides brief every guest on proper etiquette: no touching, no chasing, and a respectful distance at all times. By arriving by boat rather than from the often-crowded shoreline, we help reduce pressure on this fragile ecosystem while giving you a calmer, more personal encounter. It is nature at its most unscripted — and the memory of a wild turtle gliding past your mask stays with you long after you have dried off.