Playa Lagun: The Sea Turtle Beach

Tucked between steep, rocky cliffs on Curaçao’s western coast, Playa Lagun is a small and sheltered bay that punches far above its weight. The beach itself is modest—maybe 50 metres of coarse sand—but it’s what’s in the water that draws people from across the island. This is the most reliable spot in Curaçao to see sea turtles while snorkeling, and on a good day you can encounter multiple green turtles cruising along the cliff walls just metres from shore.

The bay faces west, which means it’s naturally protected from the trade winds that batter the more exposed south coast. The water is almost always calm here—a gentle, glass-like surface that makes it ideal for snorkeling even if you’re not the strongest swimmer.

The turtles at Playa Lagun are green sea turtles (and occasionally hawksbill turtles) that feed on the algae and sea grass growing along the rocky walls of the bay. They’re accustomed to snorkelers and are generally unbothered by your presence, as long as you keep a respectful distance and don’t chase or touch them.

For the best chance of a sighting, snorkel along the cliff walls on either side of the bay rather than out in the centre. The turtles tend to hang out in 2 to 5 metres of water, feeding on the rocks. Morning is prime time—the water is calmest and the light penetrates well. But honestly, sightings happen throughout the day here.

Beyond turtles, the reef life at Playa Lagun includes moray eels tucked into crevices, schools of blue chromis, and the occasional octopus. The underwater topography—rocky walls dropping off into blue—is dramatic and rewarding even without the turtles.

Playa Lagun is a no-frills beach. There’s a small beach bar (Bahia) right at the water’s edge serving drinks, simple food, and cold beer—a perfect spot to refuel between snorkeling sessions. The beach has no lounger rentals, though there are some concrete areas where you can set up a towel.

The sand is coarser and more gravelly than what you’ll find at Cas Abao or the Knip beaches, and the beach is narrow. This isn’t a place for sprawling out with a book all day—it’s a snorkeling destination first and a lounging beach second. Most visitors spend an hour or two in the water and then move on.

Playa Lagun is near the village of Lagun on the western coast, about 40 minutes from Willemstad. There’s a small parking area right by the beach, but spaces are limited. On busy days you may need to park along the road above and walk down.

The beach is sandwiched between the Knip beaches to the north and Playa Jeremi to the south, making it easy to hit multiple west-coast beaches in a day. After your turtle encounter, consider driving five minutes north to Kleine Knip for an afternoon swim, or south to Playa Porto Marie for its famous double reef.