Complete Your PADI Open Water Certification with Coral Divers

We used Coral Divers in June and it was our first time shore diving, though my entire family had been certified divers for several years. It was an amazing experience and we were impressed by the knowledge, helpfulness and professionalism of the staff. As we were staying on Coral Estate, it was the easiest place for us to dive daily and though it was the same reef, it did not disappoint. The sea life was more abundant that in other Caribbean destinations we've visited. Given the chance, we would definitely return here and use Coral Divers again.

Our experience with Coral Divers during our 10 days in Curacao was brilliant!

Location:

If you are staying at Coral Estates Resort/Villas, this is the dive shop to use. It provides an excellent home base to pick up tanks, clean/store gear, etc, to access not only their house reef but the numerous other shore diving sites nearby. As part of the Dive Division network, you can also access their other dive shops/tanks around the island. The house reef is healthy and easy to navigate. There is an excellent sandy area before the reef starts that would be great for the confined water dives of anyone doing their open water training. The fact that Coral Divers is located beside two restaurants and near a bakery and pizza shop doesn’t hurt either!

Staff:

People make the place and that was certainly the case with Coral Divers. The shop is currently managed by Daniel, who as other reviews have already mentioned, does a brilliant job. He is truly passionate about diving and does his best to both introduce and fuel a passion for diving in others. Easy to talk too and wonderfully accommodating, if you encounter an issue at Coral Divers or with another staff member, ask for Daniel. Our other PADI instructors were Jens, Lisa, and Shannie. Each of them were super friendly and competent! We also had the opportunity to do a guided dive on the Superior Wreck and two night dives with Shannie. She has an infectious enthusiasm for diving and underwater critters. A delight to dive with!

PADI Courses:

As a family of 5 divers (ages 14-49), 4 of us made the decision to take courses with them during our stay (2 AOW; 2 Rescue). Prior to our stay, email communication with Coral Divers was very helpful as we planned our courses, rentals, etc. All of us agreed that our instructors were excellent, and the courses well run. The only hiccup we encountered was one morning when one of the instructors, who we never did meet, failed to show up for an AOW course. That said, Daniel who manages the shop, was more than apologetic and accommodating in rescheduling their AOW dive. It certainly wasn’t his fault, but he owned the issue and was committed to a solution that worked for us.

Facilities/Gear:

The dive shop itself offers limited shopping for dive gear but is adequately stocked for a snorkeling, dive accessories, and a few souvenirs. There are rinse tanks, a shower, weights, tanks, and lockers for your dive gear, all of which are accessible 24 hours/day. The dive shop itself opens/closes at 8:30-4:30 but we often found staff there both before and after those times. There will be times during the day that the dive shop is randomly closed due to staff involvement in PADI course or Discover Scuba dives, it just depends on the day, the number of courses, and staffing levels. Rental equipment (BCDs/regulators) weren’t the newest or flashiest but were safe and did the job.

Diving:

As mentioned, the house reef is quite nice and easy to navigate. There is a rope that goes from the shallows to 100+ feet so it is always easy to know when to turn back to shore. Night diving here was also enjoyable. Notable places to dive nearby included Porti Mari and Cas Abou. Both had very nice reefs and beautiful beaches for the family members who wanted to dive a little less! Our dive at the Superior Producer wreck was a highlight but needed to be arranged when cruise ships weren’t in port which was information Daniel could readily provide. If you’re looking for shore diving suggestions just ask Daniel or Shannie. Daniel has made some YouTube videos on various dive sites and Shannie, having grown up on the island, is an excellent resource!

I attended a 2-hour introductory scuba diving session with Donato as my instructor. We began with an easy theoretical session featuring handy "hand communication" instructions. Following this, we proceeded directly into the water for a variety of basic exercises, such as practicing with the air regulator, which are not only helpful but can also save lives. Subsequently, we smoothly cruised to a depth of approximately 10-12 meters over the coral reef, where we encountered numerous beautiful fish species and even spotted a barracuda. Donato's excellent underwater hand signals ensured seamless communication throughout the dive. Overall, I had a fantastic time and would highly recommend their services. If I return to Curacao, I might even pursue my PADI certification there.

Additionally, Liz at the shop was exceptionally friendly and helpful in assisting my wife with selecting some swim shirts. They are genuinely nice people who are dedicated to providing a superb diving experience.

Niels and Andrea

Try to deal with the gentleman that's sometimes in the place, otherwise the attention, manners, and after-sales service in this place leaves a lot to desire.

I paid for an $80.00 mask and btw also $26 for a sunscreen, and when I went back to ask a question about the mask only 5 minutes later, the lady responded to me kinda of rude. I was asking only if I could get the snorkel detached from the mask and she responded to me "without the snorkel the mask has no funcion" as if the question was whether if it has function or not. I tried not to argue with this mediocre individual because evidently she doesn't know that in some masks you can get the snorkel out of it.

Anyways, my recommendation is, if you're going to purchase anything in this overpriced place, try to deal only with the gentleman that's there sometimes and avoid any girl/female/lady you may see or you may end dealing with the same individual. When people don't like their jobs, and don't work with love and dedication, they are going to be passing to you their bad vibes.

I can only recommend this diving center. The professionalism and flexibility provided by manager and instructor Daniel is at an unprecedented level.

I am an experienced diver and my girlfriend, who went diving for the very first time, was guided perfectly.

The very best thing about this center is that everything is done professionally, but in a very casual manner where you feel completely comfortable. This diving center thinks along with you and works exactly to your expectations.

Rarely have I been welcomed efficiently with a smile. I would like to thank the entire crew and especially Daniel for making this trip unforgettable.

Greetings from Belgium!

Bert