Sunset cruise in Curaçao: what you actually see and what it costs

Our sunset cruise in Curaçao costs 599 US dollars (1,078 Caribbean guilders) for the whole boat, for 1 to 6 people. It lasts two and a half hours, starts in the Spanish Water lagoon and finishes out at sea as the sun goes down. You are not buying a seat on a shared trip: the boat is yours, and the price is split between however many of you come along.

The Little Green Boat is a French and English speaking dive centre in Curaçao. On the water as under it, your guide speaks both languages, so the trip runs in English or in French, whichever you prefer.

Sunset cruise in Curaçao prices: “it’s per person, isn’t it?”

Most people see 599 dollars and close the tab. That is understandable: in the Caribbean, a price on an excursion is usually per head. Here it isn’t. It covers the boat, the skipper and the host for a group of up to six. The 1,078 guilders shown alongside reflect a rate of 1 dollar to 1.80 guilders, one of the two rates the Central Bank of Curaçao and Sint Maarten considers fair practice.

Put another way, it is 599 dollars for a couple, and roughly 100 dollars each if there are six of you. So do the maths with your actual group size, then compare it with a shared trip where you spend the evening on deck with twenty strangers.

“We’ll be sailing, right?”

The boat has a mast, and you will spot rigging in some of our photos. But the sunset cruise runs under engine. We would rather tell you now than at the jetty, because anyone expecting a proper sail would be disappointed. The pace is a gentle cruise around the lagoon, not an evening of hauling ropes.

We can raise the sails if conditions allow, but she is an old boat that takes a fair bit of handling, so it turns into more of a sailing lesson than a cruise. If sailing is really what you are after, Sailing the Wind is our dedicated sailing trip along the coast between Spanish Water and Willemstad.

What’s included on the sunset cruise in Curaçao

The price includes the skipper and host, a tasting of local produce, soft drinks and beer. You are welcome to bring your own alcohol too, and we will keep it cold on board. Getting to Spanish Water is up to you.

Bring a hat, sunscreen and comfortable clothes. You don’t need any boating experience and there is no minimum age. Children are very welcome; those who can’t swim wear a lightweight life jacket for the whole trip.

Two and a half hours, step by step

There is a loose storyline, which you are free to follow or ignore. We start with how the island and the lagoon were formed, then move on to the seagrass beds and mangroves and why they matter so much for local wildlife. Next comes a listen to the lagoon’s underwater sounds through a hydrophone, which children usually ask to hear twice. Finally, a bit of island history: the first inhabitants, and the mark that industry has left on the lagoon.

The sunset comes at the end, once we are out at sea. And if you would rather skip the commentary and just watch the water, that is completely fine. It is your boat for the evening.

Where your observations go

What you spot along the way, from the seagrass and mangroves to the sounds of the lagoon, feeds into our local ecological monitoring. It is the same citizen science idea behind our dives, which we explain in our approach to eco-responsible diving.

When to book a sunset cruise in Curaçao

Departure time follows the sun, so it shifts through the year. The easiest thing is to send us your dates and we will set the time so you are at sea at the right moment. If you are diving in the morning, it makes a relaxed end to the day, with no effort and no gear.

One honest caveat: we can’t promise a spectacular sky. Some evenings the clouds roll in and mute the colours. We don’t control the weather, and we won’t pretend otherwise.

Pairing the cruise with a dive

Plenty of people come to Curaçao for the diving, but not always the whole family. Anyone who doesn’t dive can stay dry while the others go down. In the morning, divers can try the Turtle Spotter introductory dive at 103 dollars per person, or, if certified, the Turtle Tracker guided dive at 90 dollars. In the evening, everyone meets on board. Want to get certified while you are here? Our diving courses cover every level.

Our approach to the sunset cruise in Curaçao

Fabien Thepot and Caro run every trip themselves; both are PADI and SSI certified diving instructors. On the water or under it, the rules are the same: very small groups and nothing staged. We shape the evening around what you are here for, whether that is a birthday, a proposal or simply two quiet hours on the water. Curious about who we are? Our about page tells the whole story.

Frequently asked questions