THE ISLAND
Klein Curacao, meaning “Little Curaçao”, is a small uninhabited, tropical bounty island with a pristine white beach, crystal clear blue sea, a spectacular reef and colorful sea life.
The island is located about 15 miles from Curacao and is about 1.7 square kilometers in size.
No one knows exactly when it was discovered however a British mining engineer, John golden, discovered there was a rich amount of phosphate on the island, left behind by wild birds in 1871. The wild birds used Klein Curacao as a breeding ground. In 15 years, 90% of the phosphate was harvested and exported to Europe for cattle food and fertilizer. This lead to the island becoming barren and uninhabitable.
In the 17th & 18th century the island was used by the West Indian Company as a quarantine island for their slaves. Sick slaves were put on Klein Curacao before being brought to Curacao. The ones that died, are buried on Klein Curacao.
THE JOURNEY
Klein Curacao is about a 1.5 hour boat ride, one way, from Curacao. I chose the boat that included food in the price. We got picked up from our hotel at 6am and proceeded to pick up the other passengers from other hotels as we headed to the Marina in Santa Barbara. This was about a 40 minute drive since we were the first to be picked up.
If you want to have a scenic view of the coastline on the boat as you head towards Klein Curacao, sit on the left side of the boat. On the way back, sit on the right side of the boat.
When I got to the marina, the sun was rising. It was one of the most beautiful sunrises I have ever seen. It was definitely worth the early wake up.
The 1.5 hour boat ride can get very rocky and cold. If you get seasick easily this could either be an ok experience for you, if there’s calm water, or this could be your nightmare. Definitely bring your seasick remedies with you just in case. It will also be helpful to bring a sweatshirt or at the very least a long sleeve shirt. If you have a bag that zips that will help prevent anything from falling out from rough waves, crabs or lizards going in your bag.
Once you arrive at Klein Curacao, you have the option to jump from the boat into the water and swim ashore or you can wait for the dingy to bring you ashore. If you choose to jump in the water, your things will be put on the dingy and brought ashore. The swim is about 100 meters or less.
The dingy got packed with passengers and brought us to shore.
On the ride back to the Marina, we saw a sea bird diving for fish right next to the boat!
THE PINK LIGHTHOUSE
In the 19th century, strong winds from the Northeast and currents around the island, led to the building of a lighthouse. In 1849 the Prince Hendrik Lighthouse was built however in 1877 it was completely destroyed by a hurricane. The lighthouse was immediately rebuilt again that same year which is the pink lighthouse you see abandoned today.
In 2008, the lighthouse was equip with a solar powered LED-beacon to ensure safety to ships. The LED lights flash twice every 15 seconds.
Reconvations to fully restore the lighthouse began in 2017. The roof is repaired, the staircase repaired and the first floor has been replaced.
The lighthouse is a promenade attraction on Klein Curacao and can easily been seen from the beach. There is a path that is an easy walk from the beach. I would recommend sturdy walking shoes as the paths are uneven. Several tourists were taking photo shoots in front of the lighthouse. You are allowed to climb to the top of the lighthouse however it is a very tight spiral staircase, small steps and no hand rails so enter at your own risk.
THE SHIPWRECKS
There are two shipwrecks on the shore of Klein Curacao.
The most famous is the oil tanker “Maria Bianca Guidesman’ that washed ashore in the 1960s. The shipwreck is completely rusted and is slowly disappearing by the elements.
The most recent wreck, “Tchao”, is a French yacht that washed ashore in 2007. All 4 people aboard survived.
There is a looped path that connects the shipwrecks and the lighthouse. I suggest walking to the lighthouse and the shipwrecks as soon as you arrive on Klein Curacao because it gets hot…and fast. The loop took me about 1 hour and that was giving a lot of time for pictures and exploring.
THE GHOST LEGAND
The legend goes, that an English captain still wanders the island! They estimate he conquered the island and lived on it in the 19th century. He was buried on the island and local fisherman can tell you creepy stories about it!
THE BEACH & WATER
Klein Curacao’s beach and water is one of the most beautiful things I have ever scene. You can walk the shores on pristine white sand then take a dip in the crystal clear turquoise water. It was breathtaking and visiting this island is a MUST when you travel to Curacao.
SNORKELING & DIVING
The water is so crystal clear, it was breath taking. You can snorkel close to the shore but there aren’t many fish until they feed them. If you go further out there is a reef and that’s where all the groups of snorkelers were. Klein Curacao is a breeding and nesting ground for turtles.
FACILITIES
The boat that I chose to book with, included the private beach. This was the only facility on the island. There was a fresh water shower, flushing toilets, hammocks, picnic tables, palapas, beach chairs, snorkeling equipment, life jackets, a watch tower with incredible views, informational board, lots of shade, food and drinks.
GOOD TO KNOW
There are crabs and lizards everywhere especially by the facilities and the beach (not quite by the waters edge). This is why a zipped beach bag works best. For the most part they left us alone but just beware – there are a lot.
When it rains, these midge/mosquito/nat like bugs come with a vengeance. Water pools up behind the facility building so there’s stagnant water. Bring bug spray but to be honest, bug spray only really numbs your body and doesn’t really deter from the bugs. The guys that work on the island said nothing really helps to deter them. I’m thinking maybe lemon grass or some other herb may deter them – let me know in the comments if you try this!
Message me to book your trip to Klein Curacao!
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