Tag 2 - Hato Caves, Daaibooi Beach & Playa Porto Mari

Day 2 (7.8.23)
Thank jet lag – my night ends at 4am. After I can't fall asleep anymore, I get up at 5:30 and sit outside. It's already very warm outside.

Today we want to take it easy. In front of the pool there is a tree trunk with a birdhouse. Peter and Anneke gave us bird food and said the birds wait for breakfast every morning. Ah, interesting. I put bird seed on the platform and wait. It doesn't take 2 minutes before 4-5 little yellow birds come chirping and peck at the food, followed by 2 large pigeons who quickly claim the space for themselves. It's better than the cinema! After breakfast we drive towards the airport to the Hato Caves ( https://curacaohatocaves.com/ ).

We reach the parking lot at 9:15, but the first tour through the cave has just ended - you have to take a cave tour. We book the next tour at 10 a.m. and in the meantime walk the Indian Trail below the cave, past countless cacti. We see a lot of lizards out and about and the crickets are buzzing around in swarms. We don't see them, but the chirping is great cinema.

We see the “Green Iguana” most often. They lie lazily in the sun everywhere and are happy to be photographed. The smaller representatives, on the other hand, immediately scurry into the undergrowth. Often only the colorful, shimmering tails can be seen.

Two tours start at 10 a.m., one in English and the other in Dutch. We join the English speaking tour. After 4 steps we are at the top of the cave entrance. The 45 minute tour begins. Our cave guide informs us about the history and cultural significance of the cave and shows you creative formations, stalactites and stalagmites. Some rock formations are called Sea Turtle, Sleeping Giant and Mother Teresa. It's hot in the cave - I move from fan to fan, which are everywhere and are supposed to provide ventilation.

There are lots of bats slumbering on the ceiling, some fluttering around as we walk by.

After the tour, we treated ourselves to a cold drink from the shop and went shopping to the Esperamos Supermarket - popular with locals. There's almost everything your heart desires here! Above all, a huge selection of veggie products. Peter and Anneke recommended the Carrefour or Centrum supermarket to us, but the Esperamos is a lot cheaper and we are very happy with the selection. However, we are probably the only tourists here this afternoon. With delicious cornbread and huge avocados in your luggage, you go to the villa for lunch.

In the afternoon, after testing the pool extensively, we drive to Daaibooi Beach. On the way we stop at the flamingo viewpoint Rif St. Marie, but only see a few pink dots in the distance.

There are BBQ spots on Daaibooi Beach where you can grill yourself. Toilets are available and there is no entrance fee to the beach. We swim in the crystal clear turquoise water, chill out and watch a pelican being fed by a fisherman. Loungers probably cost money, but we are so late that no one comes to collect 😊

At around 6 p.m. we drive on to Playa Porto Mari. Here you actually pay an entrance fee of around €2.50, but here too we are too late for that and are allowed to go to the beach without paying an entrance fee. The view from the tower at the parking lot is amazing! Great beach!

We treat ourselves to another drink and sit on the beach to watch the sunset. On the way back around the car we come across a huge grunting pig next to the road, which is wallowing in the mud. How sweet!