Playa Lagun - Curaçao Southeast
Playa Lagun, for us, is one of those Curaçao sites that just clicks. It’s tucked away, a smaller bay, and that’s part of its charm. The entry is simple, a short walk from the car right onto the sand, making it perfect for a relaxed shore dive. We usually drop in early, before the crowds, and head right along the wall to the left. The reef here starts shallow, about 5 metres, then slopes gently down to around 15 metres. You’ll spot plenty of French grunts and doctorfish congregating in the shallows. Our favourite part? The overhangs and ledges where you’ll often find a mottled conger moray peeking out or a drum hiding in the shadows. We’ve seen sharpnose pufferfish darting about and even a Caribbean reef shark cruising in the deeper water a couple of times. Keep an eye out for the yellowline gobies on the sand flats; they’re tiny but everywhere if you look closely. It’s a great spot for macro life too, though it’s the overall chill vibe and easy access that really sells it for us. Visibility often hits a good 20 metres on a calm day, and the lack of strong current makes it a really pleasant drift if you just let it take you. This is a solid pick for anyone looking for an unhurried dive with a reliable mix of common Caribbean reef life.
- Location
- Curaçao Southeast, Curaçao, Caribbean
- Coordinates
- 12.318134, -69.150880
Marine Protected Area: Shete Boka Park
Best Time to Dive in Curaçao Southeast
The warmest water temperatures in Curaçao Southeast occur in October, averaging 29.7°C. The coolest conditions are in February at 26.6°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 27.0°C
- February: 26.6°C
- March: 26.8°C
- April: 27.0°C
- May: 27.6°C
- June: 28.0°C
- July: 28.2°C
- August: 29.0°C
- September: 29.5°C
- October: 29.7°C
- November: 29.0°C
- December: 28.1°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Curaçao Southeast
- Airplane Wreck (Santa Martha) (cave)
- Airplane Wreck (Santa Martha) (wreck)
- Airplane Wreck (Sunset Waters) (wreck)
- Alice in Wonderland (reef)
- Alice in Wonderland (reef)
- Barbara Beach (reef)
- Barbara Beach (wreck)
- Barracuda Point (reef)
- Barracuda Point (reef)
- Beacon Point (wall)
- Beacon Point - 15-40m (reef)
- Blue Bay Garden (reef)
- Blue Bay Garden (reef)
- Blue Bay the Wall (reef)
- Blue Bay the Wall (wall)
Nearest Dive Centres to Playa Lagun
- All About Scuba Curacao - SSI
- Atlantis Diving
- Blue Bay Dive and Watersports - PADI
- BLVD Divers - PADI
- Central Dive Curacao - SSI
- Coral Divers Curacao - PADI
Marine Life in Curaçao Southeast
Home to 322 recorded species including 259 reef fish, 24 hard corals, 7 other, 6 crabs & lobsters, 5 seagrass & algae, 5 sea snails & nudibranchs.
Notable Species
- Lettuce Coral (Agaricia agaricites) - Hard Corals
- Great star coral (Montastraea cavernosa) - Hard Corals
- Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
- Boulder Brain Coral (Colpophyllia natans) - Hard Corals
- Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
- Blushing Star Coral (Stephanocoenia intersepta) - Hard Corals
- Mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) - Hard Corals
- Massive Starlet Coral (Siderastrea siderea) - Hard Corals
- Smooth Flower Coral (Eusmilia fastigiata) - Hard Corals
- Maze Coral (Meandrina meandrites) - Hard Corals
- loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
- Butterfly (Chaetodon capistratus) - Reef Fish
- Blue Doctor (Acanthurus coeruleus) - Reef Fish
- Bastard soldierfish (Myripristis jacobus) - Reef Fish
- Dark Green Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) - Reef Fish
- Sammy Johnson (Scarus taeniopterus) - Reef Fish
- Lamarck's sheet coral (Agaricia lamarcki) - Hard Corals
- Sea lettuce (Ulva lactuca) - Seagrass & Algae
- French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum) - Reef Fish
- Spinythroat Scorpionfish (Pontinus nematophthalmus) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Playa Lagun
Based on average water temperature of 28.0°C, currents 22 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 28°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories