Taxi to Tugboat Beach

I've looked everywhere and can't find this information. How much is a taxi to Tugboat beach? Are they easy to get? Will they come back at a specified time, or are there taxi's there for the return trip? How far away is it from the cruise terminal? Are there any facilities there? (food, drinks or bathroom?) We are on Jewel of the seas, here in Curacao on 11/22/16. Thanks for your help!

We are looking for the same information - haven't been able to find anything so far.

Not sure about the taxi fare, but its possible that the dive hut will be closed...especially if you are a bit outside of the busy winter season. We usually have a rental car and will go to many snorkel spots around the island....and most places are closed and unstaffed in the off-season before Xmas. We always assume that the beach hut will be closed....and its a nice thing if it happens to be open :). There will not be any taxis hanging around that area...but if the dive hut is staffed they would probably call you a taxi. Otherwise, you need to make sure you have arranged for a taxi to come back....and then pray that your driver keeps his/her word. Personally, we never fully trust a driver to come back (on most islands) because if they later get a good tour fare they might "forget" about their promise and not bother to ask a colleague to make a pickup.

Hank

Could you recommend a few of your favorite snorkel spots? Or possibly a link or other reference? We like to rent a car and explore a bit. Thanks.

I just Googled tugboat Beach Curaçao and found a website for it.

http://www.tropicalsnorkeling.com/snorkeling-tugboat.html

I was there in 2002 and it was a great dive spot. At that time there was good snorkeling around the pier too.

It's kind of remote so getting a cab back might be dicey. There are some other cool sites close by. There's an abandoned Quarantine House on top of the hill as well as the ruins of a fort.

http://www.island-experience.com/curacao-island-tour/walking-tour-peninsula-caracasbay

Could you recommend a few of your favorite snorkel spots? Or possibly a link or other reference? We like to rent a car and explore a bit. Thanks.

Actually, the most interesting fish were at Jeremy Beach (last December) which was kind of a shock since this is not generally considered a great snorkeling spot. That day we drove all the way out to the West End (more then 20 miles from the port) and worked our way through several of the beaches including Jeremy, Playa Lagun, Klein Knip, Grote Knip, etc. On several beaches we were the only interlopers :). On many of those West end beaches you can find some coral along the rocks at the edges of the beach and out towards the sea. Nothing to shout about, but the lack of people and some interesting fish made it worthwhile. We will soon be back for 2 days and have again reserved a rental car. Our thinking is to head back to the West beaches on the first day (when we have no worries about getting back to the ship) and explore the areas near Tugboat on the 2nd day.

Hank

Could you recommend a few of your favorite snorkel spots? Or possibly a link or other reference? We like to rent a car and explore a bit. Thanks.

Actually, the most interesting fish were at Jeremy Beach (last December) which was kind of a shock since this is not generally considered a great snorkeling spot. That day we drove all the way out to the West End (more then 20 miles from the port) and worked our way through several of the beaches including Jeremy, Playa Lagun, Klein Knip, Grote Knip, etc. On several beaches we were the only interlopers :). On many of those West end beaches you can find some coral along the rocks at the edges of the beach and out towards the sea. Nothing to shout about, but the lack of people and some interesting fish made it worthwhile. We will soon be back for 2 days and have again reserved a rental car. Our thinking is to head back to the West beaches on the first day (when we have no worries about getting back to the ship) and explore the areas near Tugboat on the 2nd day. One beach we want to try (for the first time) is called Playa Cas Abao which we could hit on our way to or from the west end.

Hank

Actually, the most interesting fish were at Jeremy Beach (last December) which was kind of a shock since this is not generally considered a great snorkeling spot. That day we drove all the way out to the West End (more then 20 miles from the port) and worked our way through several of the beaches including Jeremy, Playa Lagun, Klein Knip, Grote Knip, etc. On several beaches we were the only interlopers :). On many of those West end beaches you can find some coral along the rocks at the edges of the beach and out towards the sea. Nothing to shout about, but the lack of people and some interesting fish made it worthwhile. We will soon be back for 2 days and have again reserved a rental car. Our thinking is to head back to the West beaches on the first day (when we have no worries about getting back to the ship) and explore the areas near Tugboat on the 2nd day. One beach we want to try (for the first time) is called Playa Cas Abao which we could hit on our way to or from the west end.

 

Hank

Hank - after you have been to Jeremi, Knip, etc. you might be disappointed with Cas Abou. It was way more crowded than the other beaches, has an entrance fee ($5-10 I think) but does have full amenities. Don't get me wrong - we love Cas Abou but it is definitely a more "touristy" beach".

So here is an update based on our recent visit (2 weeks ago) for 2 days. The first day we picked up (at the Mega pier) our Avis rental car and drove out to the Western end of the island (more then 20 miles from the port) where we started beach hopping. We stopped at Jeremy (the beach was not in the best shape) and did some snorkeling which was disappointing when compared to previous visits. We then drove over to Knip (Kenapa) which is a more developed beach (with some facilities) where we rented chairs/umbrella and spent a few delightful hours. Snorkeling here was not great (you move along the rocks and coral on the right side) but we did spot some interesting fish. This beach does have a small cafe and rest rooms (you pay about 50 cents for the key) and is a decent beach for sunning and swimming.

Our 2nd day we drove east with the intent of doing some snorkeling at Tugboat (very hard to find this place). But when we realized the wind was a bit much, and the rough water (with white caps) would not be good for our snorkeling...we diverted to the highly developed Jan Thiel beach complex. This is a first class operation (with a small admission fee) with restaurants, chair rentals, beach, pool, etc. This place was pretty crowded (not a problem) with very few cruisers. Most of the customers were Europeans. Jan Thiel beach club is a very civilized place with a protected swimming area and some snorkeling.

Hank

Being adventurous, we actually took the local bus to the roundabout, then walked the rest of the way to Tugboat. On the way back we waited for the bus for awhile, then got a ride on a collective van. So, this is a backup plan if your taxi fails to return.

We were there on a windy day, but due to wind direction, the sea was pretty calm around the Tugboat. We did not go to the Quarantine House but did explore Fort Beeckenberg.

Update on this one, taxi is $40.00 each way. You must coordinate a pick up time with the driver. Worth every penny. Beautiful place to snorkel.

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