While diving the beautiful Banda Abao region of Curaçao we got the hint to visit this place formerly known as Sunset Waters Resort.
I tried to investigate a bit about the abandoned resort and talked to ppl which have been staying here for several years already. If anyone has better/more information please let us know.
The Resort was formerly known as Coral Cliff when in the year 2000 three US investors took over the run down place to turn it into an All-Inclusive Boutique Resort with 70 rooms now named Sunset Waters Resort.
It featured a tennis court, beach bar and restaurant, swimmingpool and a casino in the main building as well as a Dive Center - Sunset Divers.
Then on 18th July 2009 the resort ran into a sudden bankruptcy. The guests had 2 days until electricity was shut down...
I found lots of rumors about the reasons. Some blamed the old management (until 2007), some the last. Reviews from guests draw a wide picture of the quality of rooms, food and service between heaven and hell. Maybe it had just little guest numbers due to more up to date competition? Personally I like the rumor that the gambling mafia is behind all that! ;-)
Which ever reason, in August 2009 only weeks after the bankruptcy there was a big auction of furniture etc. but of course a lot of ppl never got their outstandings paid. According to some the liquidation was the same mess than management before. They did not give enough time to sell the whole resort and property and after the auction the security got removed.
From the next day on locals came and stripped the place completely down! To understand what completely means you have to go and see. There is no door or window left. Everything that could be re-used was taken away.
Then of course there was vandalism, too.
Divers logged already in September 2009 that the place was completely dismantled and destroyed.
We found two destroyed gambling machines for example.
To us the place was fascinating. It would still be a great spot for a resort but we think it is entirely unrecoverable unless you knock everything down and completely rebuild.
This of course would be the end for our little cache. :-(
Finally a few advices/hints for the cache:
- as there are few ppl around don't leave valuables in the car while out of sight.
- be careful as there is lots of brolen glass! Of course inside the hiding place there is none but on the ground
- small hands and/or long fingers helpful to get the container out of its hideout.
- the container has a short and long side and it can only be obtained short side ahead.
Happy adenture at this mystic lost place!!
Small note on cache maintenance: Curahousecare have offered to assist.