{"id":54629,"date":"2023-07-31T17:05:13","date_gmt":"2023-07-31T15:05:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.naarcuracao.com\/?p=54629"},"modified":"2026-10-26T18:46:42","modified_gmt":"2026-10-26T17:46:42","slug":"beaches-kleine-knip-and-grote-knip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.naarcuracao.com\/en\/beaches-kleine-knip-and-grote-knip\/","title":{"rendered":"Beaches: Kleine Knip and Grote Knip"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
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Vacation<\/span>Updated: October 2026 · By Nienke from NaarCuracao<\/p>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n

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Kleine Knip and Grote Knip: Cura\u00e7ao’s best-known beaches<\/h2>\n

Powder-white sand, crystal-clear blue water and a view straight off a postcard. Kleine Knip and Grote Knip sit side by side on the west side of Cura\u00e7ao, on the grounds of Landhuis Kenepa (Knip). Almost every visitor ends up here, and locals love these beaches too. We totally get why! Grote Knip is the most photographed beach on the island; Kleine Knip is its quieter little sibling next door.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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    Where<\/b>Westpunt, on the Landhuis Kenepa estate<\/div><\/li>\n
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    Drive<\/b>About 1 hour from Willemstad<\/div><\/li>\n
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    Entry<\/b>Free; public beaches with no opening hours<\/div><\/li>\n
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    Sunbeds<\/b>2 sunbeds + umbrella: US$ 20 (Cg 35) per day<\/div><\/li>\n
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    Food and toilets<\/b>Only at Grote Knip<\/div><\/li>\n
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    Snorkeling<\/b>At both beaches, with a good chance of seeing turtles<\/div><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n
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    Kleine Knip and Grote Knip, on the west side of Cura\u00e7ao<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n
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    In short<\/h3>\n
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    • <\/svg>Two public beaches<\/strong> about a 1-minute drive apart, on the west side of Cura\u00e7ao. No entrance fee and no opening hours.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • <\/svg>Kleine Knip<\/strong> is quieter with easy access to the water, but has no toilet and no food.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • <\/svg>Grote Knip<\/strong> is more touristy, with a snack bar, smoothies, toilets and a famous lookout point. You reach the beach by a staircase.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • <\/svg>Sunbeds and umbrellas for rent: 2 sunbeds with an umbrella for US$ 20<\/strong> (Cg 35). On weekends, Grote Knip in particular gets very busy.<\/span><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n
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      Kleine Knip or Grote Knip?<\/h2>\n

      You don’t really have to choose: the two beaches are about a 1-minute drive apart, so it’s easy to visit both in one day. They do differ on a few points.<\/p>\n

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      Kleine Knip (Playa Kenepa Chiki)<\/h3>\n
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      • <\/svg>Usually quieter, even when other beaches are busy<\/span><\/li>\n
      • <\/svg>A gentle slope into the sea, no water shoes needed<\/span><\/li>\n
      • <\/svg>Snorkel sets, kayaks and inflatables for rent<\/span><\/li>\n
      • <\/svg>Cards accepted at the rental<\/span><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n
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        • <\/svg>No toilet and no food<\/span><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n
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          Grote Knip (Playa Kenepa Grandi)<\/h3>\n
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          • <\/svg>Cura\u00e7ao’s most photographed beach, with a famous lookout point<\/span><\/li>\n
          • <\/svg>Snack bar, smoothies, coffee and beer<\/span><\/li>\n
          • <\/svg>Toilets and a shower (Cg 1 or US$ 1 per use)<\/span><\/li>\n
          • <\/svg>Cliff jumping on both sides of the bay<\/span><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n
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            • <\/svg>Very busy on weekends; the beach is reached by a staircase<\/span><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n
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              How to get to Knip<\/h2>\n

              From downtown Willemstad it’s about an hour’s drive to Kleine Knip. The route is well signposted; look for “Knip” on the signs along the road.<\/p>\n

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              1. <\/svg>Road to Westpunt<\/strong>From Willemstad, follow the Weg naar Westpunt (the road to Westpunt).<\/span><\/li>\n
              2. <\/svg>Left after Tera Kor\u00e1<\/strong>Just past Tera Kor\u00e1, turn left onto Kaminda Monica Kapel Matheeuw.<\/span><\/li>\n
              3. <\/svg>Right at Lagun<\/strong>Watch out at Lagun: turn right at the beach, or you’ll end up driving into the village.<\/span><\/li>\n
              4. <\/svg>Follow the Knip sign<\/strong>You’ll soon see a sign for the turn-off to Knip. Grote Knip is about 1 minute further on.<\/span><\/li>\n <\/ol>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n
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                Kleine Knip (Playa Kenepa Chiki)<\/h2>\n

                A few years ago, Kleine Knip offered little more than white sand and bright blue sea. These days it’s an increasingly pleasant beach. The small strip of sand has plenty of sunbeds with umbrellas<\/strong> for rent, plus palapas (shade huts), some with picnic tables. Plenty of shade, in other words.<\/p>\n

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                Perfect for snorkeling<\/h3>

                The water is easy to get into. Forgot your gear? You can rent a snorkel set on the spot.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n

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                Clear kayaks<\/h3>

                Rent a see-through kayak and look straight down into the sea. Prefer something more stable? Go for an Ocean Kayak XL and take a scenic paddle.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n

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                Cards accepted<\/h3>

                No need to pay cash for your sunbed or kayak.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n

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                Bring a cooler<\/h3>

                There’s no food and no toilet. An ice cream truck does regularly stop by the parking lot, though.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n <\/div>\n

                Officially, barbecuing isn’t allowed at Kleine Knip. Even so, locals often do it, and nobody enforces the rule.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n

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                  Grote Knip (Playa Kenepa Grandi)<\/h2>\n

                  Less than a minute’s drive from Kleine Knip lies Grote Knip. The water is just as clear and the sand just as white, but the beach is more touristy. You’ll notice that as soon as you pull into the nicely landscaped parking lot. From the famous lookout point<\/strong> you can see the whole bay: the spot for that perfect vacation photo.<\/p>\n

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                  Food and drinks<\/h3>

                  A snack bar and a stand selling fresh fruit smoothies, plus soft drinks, coffee and beer. Vendors regularly walk the beach selling cocktails.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n

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                  Toilets and shower<\/h3>

                  Unlike Kleine Knip, there are toilets and a shower here. It’s Cg 1 or US$ 1 per use, so bring some small change.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n

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                  Snorkeling with turtles<\/h3>

                  Bring your own snorkel set or rent one. There’s a pretty good chance you’ll spot sea turtles here.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n

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                  Cliff jumping<\/h3>

                  On both sides of the bay you can jump off the rocks into the sea. Rather relax? Your sunbed gives you a front-row view of the jumpers.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n <\/div>\n

                  A fun extra: little pigs<\/strong> roam around Grote Knip. It’s a funny sight, but don’t leave your bag unattended. Before you know it, they’ve eaten the chips or cookies you were looking forward to.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n

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