Is it no objection for you to drive a little further than most tourists do, but be able to discover a beautiful beach? If so, be sure to take a day trip to Playa Kalki. A beautiful beach where you can completely unwind.
Playa Kalki
That “slightly further drive” is not so bad, after all, it is Curacao where you can drive all around the island within 2 hours. However, Playa Kalki is located at the very northwestern tip of Curacao. From the Juliana Bridge in Willemstad, it is about a 45-minute to one-hour drive. and it makes little difference whether you go “top” or “bottom,” both are about the same length of drive. Driving via the north side, you will pass through Christoffel Park and Shete Boka National Park, among others. If you take the southern route you will pass the turnoffs to all those beautiful beaches along the south coast.
Advice is not to go to Playa Kalki too late: it is not a big beach and anyway parking spaces are limited. But once you lay there on a beach bed, it is tremendously enjoyable!
Playa Kalki: the atmosphere
This beautiful beach has a relaxed atmosphere, pebbles and fine sand alternate here. As soon as you walk down the steps, you enter the new little restaurant with a wooden deck on the beach. You can sit here, with rugs on the floor and chill lounge sofas full of cushions, a homey atmosphere has been created here. The food is unsurprising, but well prepared. The restaurant sits in the middle of the beach, so you can lie on either side of it. From the decking you look out over the entire bay. On the beach you can rent beach beds for 15 NAF each, lie under the trees in the shade and use the large palapas. If you want more luxury, there are also large cabanas that you can lie on. Do watch the trees because these are manzanilla trees and they are poisonous.
The Bachelor USA
To indicate that Playa Kalki really is seen as one of the most beautiful beaches of Curacao: Playa Kalki is regularly mentioned in lists of “most beautiful beaches of the Caribbean” and a few years ago Playa Kalki was the setting of an episode of The Bachelor U.S.A. In short, a beach you just can not miss.
Chilling out on a raft
You can easily walk into the sea and in the water are two large wooden rafts with chairs and even a table on them. You won’t see this on any other beach in Curaçao. On the left side of the beach is a small harbor bordered by a jetty with some boats, you can also take beautiful vacation snapshots here.
Bring your own cooler
Because the beach is located in a bay you have to go down two flights of stairs to get here, this makes Playa Kalki less accessible for people with mobility or wheelchair disabilities. What is nice is that you can bring your own cooler on the beach. So do you want a budget day? If so, you can. You can park for free at the beach, and like the beach, the parking is not that big. So it is advisable to get to Kalki early. That brings the advantage of a long day of enjoying this beautiful beach.
Massage on the beach
On the beach you have a massage shop where you can relax for a fee. The owner of the restaurant and massage tent is a very friendly man who makes you feel welcome right away. There are also showers and toilets at Playa Kalki that you can use for a fee (1 NAF)
Alice in Wonderland
Playa Kalki is a hugely popular dive spot nicknamed Alice in Wonderland; seahorses and turtles are regularly spotted here. You’ll also find lots of coral at Playa Kalki. There is a diving school as you walk down the first staircase. Here you can rent all your gear if you don’t have it with you yourself. But you don’t necessarily have to dive to see all sorts of things. You can also enjoy the underwater world when snorkeling at Playa Kalki. Not only do you find animals underwater. Small white sand crabs also walk on the beach.
Playa Kalki: a real getaway
Small but fine is the perfect description for Playa Kalki, here you can really unwind. Because it’s a bit further away and it’s a smaller beach, you’ll find mostly couples here and somewhat fewer families. It is a small paradise with azure blue sea and white sand. The atmosphere here completes it. Despite being a bit of a drive from Willemstad, it is well worth that effort.
Still prefer a different beach? You can, check out Curacao’s other beaches here.
