Level: Free shore access This spot have a free shore access: you can go snorkeling there freely and without having to book a tour or pay an entrance fee. Resort nearby
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Last updated on May 2, 2021
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.
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.
Enter the water from the beach.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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Snorkeling spots are part of a wild environment and their aspect can be significantly altered by weather, seasons, sea conditions, human impact and climate events (storms, hurricanes, seawater-warming episodes…). The consequences can be an alteration of the seabed (coral bleaching, coral destruction, and invasive seagrass), a poor underwater visibility, or a decrease of the sea life present in the area. Snorkeling Report makes every effort to ensure that all the information displayed on this website is accurate and up-to-date, but no guarantee is given that the underwater visibility and seabed aspect will be exactly as described on this page the day you will snorkel the spot. If you recently snorkeled this area and noticed some changes compared to the information contained on this page, please contact us.
The data contained in this website is for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. It is intended to provide snorkelers with the information that will enable them to engage in safe and enjoyable snorkeling, and it is not meant as a substitute for swim level, physical condition, experience, or local knowledge. Remember that all marine activities, including snorkeling, are potentially dangerous, and that you enter the water at your own risk. You must take an individual weather, sea conditions and hazards assessment before entering the water. If snorkeling conditions are degraded, postpone your snorkeling or select an alternate site. Know and obey local laws and regulations, including regulated areas, protected species, wildlife interaction and dive flag laws.
