Playa Forti

Playa Forti sits at the very western tip of Curacao, where the road runs out and the coast turns rugged. Unlike the powder coves nearby, the beach here is darker sand and smooth pebble, but people come for the setting rather than the sand. A low cliff edges the bay, and a clifftop restaurant looks straight out over the water, making this one of the island's classic sunset perches.

The cliff is the headline. Locals and confident visitors leap from the rocky ledge into the deep blue water below, a Westpunt tradition for generations. If you plan to jump, watch others first, check the entry point and depth, and only go in where the water is clearly deep. For everyone else, the calm, deep cove is good for a swim, and the views across to the open Caribbean are excellent.

Good to know

• Entry is free with parking by the restaurant at the top of the cliff.
• The on-site restaurant serves local food and cold drinks with a front-row sea view.
• Footwear helps, as the shoreline is pebble and rock rather than soft sand.
• There are no lifeguards; cliff jumping is at your own risk.

Forti pairs naturally with the white-sand Playa Kenepa Grandi coves and the turtle snorkeling at Playa Grandi, all within a few minutes of each other at the Westpunt end. Time your visit for late afternoon and stay for the sunset.