Dive this amazing underwater junk yard site from The Dive Bus Hut!

Curacao has not 1 but 2 Car Piles - this one is reached from The Dive Bus Hut - and the other is at Vaersenbaai, also referred to as 'Off the Road'.

Obviously we at The Dive Bus think the Car Pile at Marie Pampoen is the best.... that's becuase it's the easiest to reach from shore and it's a lot shallower than the one at Vaersenabaai (best dived by boat due to surface swim and depth). The Dive Bus doesn't offer 'Off the Road' as a shore dive.

» Check out more Car Pile photos here. 

Location:
Next door to Breezes hotel and Seaquarium beach, 10 mins from Piscadera area.

Facilities:
Bathrooms, restaurant, rinse tank, shower.

Beach: 
Small, sandy, locals’ beach, lots of fishing boats, lots of character.

Shade: 
Plenty at the Dive Bus Hut and restaurant plus palm trees and picnic benches on the beach.

Shore entry: 
Chose which shore entry point you prefer (see 'Swim out' below).

• Pierbaai: Couldn't be easier...just walk the few feet from the gearing up area. Booty fins are recommended but not essential.
• Next door beach: 1 minute's walk away from the Dive Bus Hut. You will need booty fins for the walk although the entry itself is very easy, shallow and sandy.

Swim out:

• From Pierbaai: 7-10 mins, against surface current, or dive it and stay shallow to save your air…
• From next door beach: 5 mins, against surface current, or dive it and stay shallow to save your air…

Dive:
Car Pile starts getting interesting at around 80-100ft / 25-30m so it's for Advanced or experienced divers only. Head back along Pierbaai Reef on the return leg.

The barge carrying these vehicles was sunk as an artificial reef in 1973 and the 1950's cars and trucks have become totally integrated into the reef by now. There’s HEAPS of marine life – take your camera but leave the spare parts you find for your car project back home... Look out for moral eels swimming through car headlamps, and check out your reflection in the chrome bumper bars.

What’s so special?:
Unusual dive site to say the least! Where else do you get the opportunity to dive an underwater junk yard? Plan on diving it at least twice to get the most out of it.

» Check out more Car Pile photos here. 

» Go here for the story of how the Car Pile came to be, from one of the divers who created the site...