Mushroom Forest

Mushroom Forest is a boat-access coral reef notable for enormous mushroom-shaped star coral heads that form a maze of overhangs, crevices and swim-throughs on the northwest coast of Curaçao. The site is widely regarded for underwater photography and for observing reef life among the unique coral 'mushrooms'. Divers typically descend from about 5 m to 30-36 m in clear water with 25-30 m visibility and water temperatures around 25-29 °C. Entry is by dive boat; shore access is extremely difficult. Conditions are usually calm with occasional light currents; mooring buoys are typically used and significant boat traffic means a surface marker buoy is recommended. Navigation can be tricky due to few landmarks, so use a compass or guide line, and maintain good buoyancy control to avoid contacting fragile corals. No special equipment beyond standard recreational scuba is required, although deeper sections may require advanced certification skills.