Irie Tours Klein Curaçao Review

The boat and the day

Irie runs a sailing catamaran with bow nets, and sails when the wind allows. It leaves from The Village Marina at the Caracasbaaiweg roundabout on the Jan Thiel side of the island. Check-in is at 07:30 for an 08:00 departure, later than the Mermaid’s 06:45 boarding, and the boat is usually back around 17:00. The trip runs every day, and the whole day takes about nine hours.

The operator puts the crossing at one to one and a half hours each way. On the island the day follows the usual Klein Curaçao pattern: swim and snorkel off the west beach, walk across to the pink lighthouse and the wreck on the windward shore, eat, and sit still. Turtles feed in the seagrass shallows off the beach, and one recent guest also saw a manta ray. Irie lunch is a barbecue served ashore, and the beach chairs are set out on the sand. What the snorkelling is like.

What reviewers praise most is the crew, followed by the food and drink. The words that come up are friendly, fun and well organised, and several guests mention the atmosphere. That is the case for Irie: the boat is part of the fun as well as the way there.

Main caveat: the outward crossing

The outward crossing can be rough. The run from the marina is roughly 15 miles of open water, the morning leg heads into the prevailing trade wind and swell, and the return runs with the sea behind it and is noticeably calmer.

Irie’s own guests say so plainly. One wrote that the only downside of the day was the ride to the island. Another said the way out was fine on top of the catamaran, “although you have to hold on tight”. A third advised bringing a pill for seasickness. The listing says the trip is not suitable for people who are strongly prone to seasickness on open water.

A catamaran’s two hulls damp the side-to-side roll, but the bow still rises and falls into a head sea, and the bow nets are the liveliest seats on the boat. Take tablets before you board, because they need time to work, and sit outside towards the middle if you are unsure. Which boat and which seat help most.

What you give up

Irie does not run a beach house on Klein Curaçao. You get beach chairs and a barbecue lunch on the sand, but no building with shade, a toilet or a freshwater shower. The island itself has no shop, no mains water and no public toilet, and almost no natural shade.

On a calm day with a good hat, that matters less than it sounds. With young children, or if a shower before the ride home matters to you, it is the reason to pay $15 more for Mermaid or Miss Ann, which both have beach houses. What the beach is like without one.

Prices and booking

The fare is $140 per person, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before. On the booking page, adults are 13 and over and the child rate covers ages 6 to 12. Gratuities and scuba diving are extra, and so is the transfer if you are staying outside the Jan Thiel area.

The marina is about 20 to 25 minutes by road from central Willemstad. If you are staying in town, the $15 transfer usually costs less than a taxi each way. Where each boat leaves from. All four boats priced side by side.

Best for

Couples, groups of friends, solo travellers and anyone who wants a sociable day with drinks included. It also suits anyone staying around Jan Thiel, where the pickup is free, and travellers who would rather sail than motor.

One family with children of six and eleven called it a must-do, so it can work with kids who cope with the crossing. Families with younger children will usually be more comfortable with a beach house ashore. Klein Curaçao with kids.

Verdict

Choose Irie Tours when the catamaran day matters almost as much as the island. You get the lowest fare on the route, the open bar and the pickup included, and a crew guests keep naming as the best part of the day. Choose Mermaid or Miss Ann instead if shade, a toilet and a shower on the island matter more than the drinks. Mermaid reviewed, Miss Ann reviewed, or all four boats compared.

If you want the Irie crew without the open-water crossing, the same operator runs a four-and-a-half-hour snorkel cruise to the Tugboat Wreck for $100 and a sunset catamaran cruise for $75, both in sheltered water.

Frequently asked questions

Is the open bar included on the Irie Tours Klein Curaçao trip?

Yes. The open bar is in the $140 fare and opens at 12:30, with water, sodas, juice, rum, vodka, blue Curaçao, wine and beer. Irie Tours is the only one of the four Klein Curaçao boats with alcohol included.

Does Irie Tours have a beach house on Klein Curaçao?

No. Irie Tours provides beach chairs and serves the barbecue lunch on the beach, but there is no building with shade, toilets or a shower. Mermaid and Miss Ann both run beach houses.

How long is the Irie Tours crossing?

The operator quotes one to one and a half hours each way. The outward leg into the wind is the rougher one, and the return is usually calmer.

Does Irie Tours pick you up from your hotel?

Pickup inside the Jan Thiel area is free. From anywhere else, round-trip transport costs $15 per person. Check-in at The Village Marina is at 07:30 for an 08:00 departure.