Today I woke up so excited about setting sail to Klein Curaçao onboard the fabulous Rastamaran with Irie Tours.
Klein Curacao “Little Curacao”, is a 1,7km square tropical paradise situated less than an hour south-east off the coast of Curacao in the Caribbean. Uninhabited on any full time basis aside from day trippers, fisherman and turtles, this island is certainly worth the trip should you be in search of a white fluffy sandy beach embraced by turquoise, clear, calm water rich with sea life.
My adventure begins on the dock of Pirates Nest at Spanish Waters just as the catamaran came cruising to the pier right on schedule with their custom built 54 ft catamaran named the Rastamaran. Along with group of fun-seekers, I climb aboard and the ambience is immediately set for the beautiful day ahead of us. Our Captain and the upbeat crew greet us with smiles. After a brief charismatic intro, we cruised out into open water and headed for our destination.
With the breeze on our side, the sails are drawn up and the wind carries us towards Klein Curaçao. Halfway there, we’re met by a pod of wild dolphins that follow the boat impressing us with their curiousity and acrobatics! This alone was worth the trip! Before we could recover from the beauty of that spectacular encounter, we spotted the island in the distance. Within twenty minutes we anchored in crystal clear turquoise water with a line of white sandy beach in front of us. Snorkelers could hardly wait to enter the water while others took the ten second zodiac shuttle to the beach.
Klein Curaçao consists of a beautiful old lighthouse, an eerie delapitated wreck on the rougher side of the island called Maria Blanca, some fishermans huts, a few palapas and palm trees offering shelter from the sun. A climb up into the lighthouse over the creaky boards offers a stunning panoramic view of the island.
Its not long before the Irie Tour crew prepare a delicious buffet lunch and an open bar to offer back spent calories from exploring and swimming. Whether you just want to relax, snorkel, or explore, this little paradise is well worth the day trip! I cannot imagine a more beautiful ride back with the wind in the sails!