Playa Porto Mari

Playa Porto Mari – piglets on the beach

Playa Porto Mari beach is one of the most popular and sought-after beaches in Curaçao. As a result, it is more crowded than other beaches, but still not jammed. It’s especially famous for the piglets you can meet and, if you’re lucky, swim with. But that’s not the only reason why you should visit the beach. Like other Curaçao beaches, it offers beautiful white sand, all shades of blue and a nice underwater world.

Natural beauty of the beach

Playa Porto Mari is a spacious sandy beach that slopes gently into the azure sea. Its sand is quite fine, similar to Cas Abao Beach, Grote Knip or Klein Knip. Around the beach, greenery grows, and a few palm trees provide natural shade. Also, the vegetation separates the parking lot from the beach, so that when you swim in the sea, you won’t see any hotels or cars – just the sea, sand and greenery.

From the car park, you can already enjoy a beautiful view over the trees. While the beach beckons you to visit, it is the fuller part of the beach that you see. Beyond that, you will find solitude while the beach retains its beauty. In November, more than half of the sun loungers are still available.

Piggies are the attraction of Playa Porto Mari

Playa Porto Mari is famous for another exceptional attraction – the four pigs that roam freely here. These curious pigs are local icons and often wander among the sun loungers looking for a bite to eat. During the day, they usually hide behind the restaurant, but around lunchtime, when it gets too hot, they tend to head to the sea to swim in it and cool off.

However, if you come across them on a hot day like we did, you will only see them at the restaurant. They are not afraid of people and will come close, but when they find out you don’t have food, they quickly lose interest.

If you do decide to feed them, don’t give them food out of your hand – they can bite pretty hard, and you certainly don’t want to deal with whatever their vaccination card looks like.

Underwater world and twin reefs

One of the main reasons why Porto Mari is so popular among snorkelers and divers is the unique structure of the coral reefs. The beach is famous for its twin reefs that create natural coral gardens filled with colourful fish, seahorses and even stingrays.

If you decide to snorkel, we recommend moving to the right side of the beach, where the most beautiful sections of the reef are located. Thanks to the clear water and excellent visibility, you will be able to see a lot of fish even without diving.

Playa Porto Mari is organized

Since the beach is private, you have to pay an entrance fee of 3€ per person. An additional 3€ per sun lounger for the whole day. However, you will find everything you need for a full day of relaxation. There are plenty of sun loungers and umbrellas available, and there are showers and toilets too.

Lunch and drinks will be served at the beach restaurant. Our meal was excellent.

How to get here?

Playa Porto Mari is located on the west coast of the island, about a 30-minute drive from Willemstad. There is no public transport. You should therefore have a rental car. Prices are very friendly and transport is easy. You will find free parking at the beach with plenty of spaces.

You can combine your visit with one of the nearby beaches, such as Cas Abao Beach or Kokomo Beach.