Tours in Westpunt, Curaçao

Westpunt is where Curaçao ends in the west: a fishing village with sea turtles at Playa Piskado, a cliff jump at Playa Forti, coral cliffs above Playa Kalki and the sea breathing up through the rock at Watamula. Here is what the island's western tip holds, which tours go there on foot, by 4×4, jet ski or boat, and how to plan your day.

Where the road runs out

Drive west from Willemstad and keep going, and sooner or later the island runs out. At Westpunt the fishing boats lie pulled up on the sand, pelicans sit on the rocks, and the coral cliffs drop into water so clear you can follow the fish from above. Early in the morning, hikers set off along the cliff tops toward Watamula, and the first snorkelers wade in at Playa Piskado to look for sea turtles. By late afternoon, the sun goes down over the open sea.

This page is about the tip itself: Westpunt village, its beaches and the coast around the cape. For the wider west, with Christoffel National Park, Shete Boka National Park and the beaches further south, see our guide to Banda Abou and the west.

Where Westpunt is

Westpunt, Dutch for "West Point", is the westernmost village on Curaçao, at the far end of Banda Abou. Two coasts meet here. The leeward coast, sheltered from the trade winds, has small coves with calm, clear water. Around the cape, the north shore takes the full force of the sea. You can walk from one to the other in a morning.

• Playa Piskado and Playa Forti lie on the bay at Westpunt village.
• Playa Kalki sits below the coral cliffs closer to the tip, with a stairway down to the sand.
• Watamula is the rocky plateau at the cape, where the sea comes up through the rock.
• Grote Knip and Kleine Knip are a short drive south, back along the coast.
• The Blue Room, a sea cave in the cliffs of the west coast, is entered from the water.

The beaches at the tip

Playa Piskado

Playa Piskado, also called Playa Grandi, is a working fishing beach. The name comes from piskadó, Papiamentu for fisherman. Local fishermen bring in their boats and clean their catch here, and that is why green sea turtles come so close to the shore. Many visitors simply swim out with a mask and snorkel and find turtles close to the beach. They are wild animals, so a sighting is never guaranteed, and the rules are simple: don't touch them, don't chase them and give them space. Keep clear of the fishing boats and the pier, and take your time on the rocky entry.

Playa Forti

Playa Forti is the other beach on the bay, with coarse sand and pebbles below a cliff. A restaurant stands on the cliff top, on the remains of an old fort, and the cliff below it is a well-known spot for jumping into the sea. If you jump, look at the water first, go only when the sea is calm, and never jump alone. In the late afternoon the bay looks out toward the sunset, which makes it a good place to end a day in the west.

Playa Kalki

Playa Kalki lies under the coral cliffs near the tip, with a stairway down to a small beach and clear water in front of it. It is popular with divers and snorkelers. You can reach it by car, but parking there can be limited, so come early. It is also the starting point listed for Ingrid's Westpunt hike.

Playa Guepi

From the cliff path beyond Playa Kalki you look down on Playa Guepi, a hidden beach below the rocks. On Ingrid's hike you see it from above, on the way to Watamula.

The coast around the cape

The Tomasito cave

The coral cliffs at Westpunt are full of grottoes, shafts and steps cut by nature into the rock. The first stop on Ingrid's round from Playa Kalki is the Tomasito cave, which she describes as a mysterious cave with unique formations and an impressive atmosphere.

Watamula

Watamula is known as the breath of Curaçao. Waves rush in under the rock plateau at the cape and force the sea up through a hole in the rock, foaming and spraying. How strong it is depends on the swell, so some days it roars and other days it barely stirs. Stay well back from the hole and the edge of the plateau. The rock is sharp and uneven, and the sea below is rough.

The Blue Room

The Blue Room is a sea cave in the limestone cliffs of the west coast. Daylight enters through the water at the mouth of the cave, so the water inside glows a bright blue. Tours reach it by boat or by jet ski. On Powerboat Caribbean's trip, some days you swim about a meter (3 ft) underwater to get in, and the crew guides everyone. Real World Adventures time their boat for the afternoon, when the light makes the water glow.

Tours in and around Westpunt

Hike to the Tomasito cave and Watamula

Ingrid's Westpunt hike is a round of about 7 km in about three hours: from Playa Kalki to the Tomasito cave, along the coral cliffs above Playa Guepi to Watamula, and back to the start. You meet her at Westpunt at 6:45 in the morning, before the heat, and she confirms the meeting place with your date. She rates the walk moderate and keeps an easy pace of about 3 km an hour, with stops to talk, rest and take photos, in a group of at most 12. Once she confirms there is room, you pay USD 10 a person online to book and her own price, USD 20 or EUR 15 a person, to her on the day. She also walks privately with just your group. For more walks like this, see hiking tours across the island.

Snorkeling with the turtles at Playa Piskado

Three tours stop at Playa Piskado, each in its own way.

• By 4×4: Yellow Adventures' Snorkel & Beach Adventure runs daily from 9 AM to 3 PM, with pickup at most major hotels. It starts at the caves of Shete Boka, snorkels at Playa Piskado with mask, snorkel and fins included, and spends the afternoon at Cas Abao. It costs USD 109 per person, is for ages 6 and older, and you must be able to swim and be comfortable in open water.
• By open-air bus: Living Life Curaçao's West Coast Bus Tour adds the Flamingo Sanctuary, Shete Boka, Grote Knip and Playa Porto Marie. It runs on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 10:00 AM for about 4.5 hours, with free pickup, soft drinks, water and snorkel gear. Adults pay USD 75 and children USD 45, and the admissions at Shete Boka (USD 5) and Porto Marie (USD 3) are extra.
• By speedboat: Powerboat Caribbean's west coast day on their RIB comes in from the sea. You swim with the turtles while the crew prepares a barbecue lunch, then go on to the Blue Room and a last snorkel near Kokomo Beach. Boarding starts at 9:45 AM at Surfspot Curaçao in Spanish Water, with later stops at Mood Beach, Sandals (hotel guests only), Marichi Pier and the Marriott, and check-out is at 3:45 PM. It costs USD 185 per adult and USD 155 per child (6 to 11), with unlimited drinks.

By jet ski from Playa Santa Cruz

Broski Tours ride from Playa Santa Cruz, further south on the west coast, up toward the tip. On the one-hour Epic Hour you pass up to eight beaches and hotspots, Playa Piskado among them, and stop at Grote Knip for a swim and a free drink, for USD 145 per jet ski. The two-hour Double Thrill to the Blue Room goes further: more than ten spots, a snorkel at Playa Piskado, Grote Knip, Playa Kalki and the Blue Room, with a snack and a cold drink on the way, for USD 275 per jet ski. On both, an extra rider costs USD 25, drivers must be at least 16, and passengers from 6 years old ride with an adult. No driver's license is needed. You make your own way to Playa Santa Cruz, as there is no hotel pickup. Compare all our jet ski rides on Curaçao.

Jeep and boat to the Blue Room

Real World Adventures' Jeep + Boat Blue Room Experience starts off-road along the rugged west coast in their Jeep Wrangler, then switches to a boat for about two hours, straight into the Blue Room and on to two calm snorkel spots. Pickup is at 10:00 where you stay and drop-off around 16:00, because the boat goes out in the afternoon. The Jeep is private for 1 to 7 guests, and a few other guests may share the boat. It is USD 209 per person for tours through 30 November 2026, then USD 251. You reserve for free, with no deposit, and pay your guide on the day.

Getting there

• By car: Westpunt is at the end of the main road west from Willemstad. Allow roughly 45 minutes to an hour from the city, depending on where you start. The road passes Christoffel National Park and Shete Boka National Park on the way, so a stop at either fits easily into the drive.
• Parking: space at Playa Kalki can be limited, so arrive early.
• With pickup: Yellow Adventures pick up at most major hotels, Living Life Curaçao's pickup is free, and Real World Adventures collect you where you stay.
• From the water: Powerboat Caribbean's speedboat boards in Spanish Water and at stops along the south coast. Broski Tours' jet skis leave from Playa Santa Cruz, and you make your own way there.

Practical tips

• Start early: Ingrid meets at 6:45 for a reason. The cliff tops and the plateau at Watamula have no shade, and the midday sun is strong.
• Water: bring at least a full liter each for the hike, and more for a whole beach day. Facilities and shade vary from beach to beach.
• Shoes: shoes with good grip for the cliffs, never flip-flops, and water shoes for the rocky entries at Playa Piskado and Playa Forti.
• Long trousers: Ingrid suggests them on the hike if you would rather not get scratched by cactus and scrub.
• Reef-safe sunscreen: Powerboat Caribbean ask for it, and not as a spray, because spray damages the boat's seats.
• Edges and blowholes: at Watamula and along the cliff path, keep well back from the edge and the hole in the rock.
• Cash for the day: Ingrid is paid on the day in USD or EUR, and on the bus tour you pay the park and beach admissions yourself.
• Leave no trace: take your litter with you from the coves and the cliffs.

More of the west

Westpunt pairs well with the rest of Banda Abou. On the way back, Grote Knip and Kleine Knip are a short drive south, and Christoffel National Park rises just inland, with the highest point on the island. To see the park from high on the hills, look at our Jeep tours into the hills, among them Yellow Adventures' National Park Jeep Safari with the Orchid Route. Staying near Willemstad? The tip is a full day out, so plan it as one rather than squeezing it into an afternoon.