Okay, so I finally got around to checking out Shete Boka National Park the other day. Heard about it, figured why not.
Getting There and First Impressions
Woke up, grabbed some coffee, and decided today was the day. Hopped in the rental car – nothing fancy, just something to get around. The drive wasn’t too bad, followed the signs mostly. Finding the actual entrance took a little bit of guesswork, could have been marked better, honestly. But hey, we found it.
Pulled up to the entrance booth. Paid the fee. Seemed a little bit much for looking at some waves, but whatever, already drove all the way out here. They gave us a little map thing. Looked simple enough, just a few main spots marked out.
Exploring the Bokas
First stop, everyone goes to Boka Tabla. Parked the car, walked down these rough steps cut into the rock. You hear it before you see it, really. The noise of the waves slamming into this underground cave thing was intense. Got pretty close to the edge, felt the spray. Just stood there for a bit, watching the water churn. Pretty wild.
Next, we drove over to Boka Pistol. Heard it got its name ’cause the waves make a loud bang, like a pistol shot, when they hit just right. And yeah, it actually did! Waited around, watched a few big waves roll in, and bam, there it was. Kind of a one-trick pony, that spot, but cool to hear it happen.
Then we decided to check out Boka Wandomi. This one involved a bit more walking. The path wasn’t exactly smooth, lots of loose rocks and stuff. Watch your step. Finally got there and saw the natural bridge carved out by the waves. That was pretty impressive, gotta say. Stood on the cliffs looking down. The whole coastline there is just rough and jagged. No nice sandy beaches in this park, that’s for sure.
- Saw Boka Tabla first – loud cave.
- Checked out Boka Pistol – heard the ‘bang’.
- Walked to Boka Wandomi – saw the natural bridge.
The Overall Vibe
Driving between the spots, the roads inside the park were… well, let’s just say ‘unpaved’ is putting it mildly. Bumpy. Dusty. Glad the rental could handle it, wouldn’t want to take a low car through there. Saw some iguanas just chilling on the rocks, they didn’t seem bothered by us at all.
It was hot, though. Real hot. The sun just beats down on you, not a lot of shade out on those cliffs. Definitely bring water, more than you think you need. And a hat. Learned that the hard way.
Spent maybe two, three hours total driving and walking around. Saw the main sights. It was interesting, seeing that raw power of the ocean carving up the coast. Definitely a different vibe from the calm snorkeling spots on the other side of the island.
Was it mind-blowing? Nah, not really. But was it worth doing once? Yeah, I’d say so. Just to see that rugged side of Curacao. Don’t expect gentle waves or places to swim. It’s all about the rough beauty and the noise of the sea. Glad I went, ticked it off the list. Probably wouldn’t race back next weekend, but it was a decent way to spend a morning.
