Curacao to host underwater photo competition

Three underwater photographers will be battling it out for the prestigious title of Underwater Photographer of the Year in a new competition launched by Curaçao and Dive Photo Guide.

The contest will be hosted on the island of Curacao, a popular destination for scuba diving holidays because of its array of breathtaking diving sites.

Dive Photo Guide officials said: "We've cranked it up a notch this year and have added an exciting event to determine the Photographer of the Year. We will be sending three talented Monthly Contest winners from the past two years, from the North American region, to compete in a very unique shootout.

"These three participants will be on a one-week assignment for the Curaçao Tourism Board. They will be flown to the beautiful island of Curaçao, paid $1000 each, put up in the luxurious Lions Dive Resort, and provided all the diving they need to shoot images of five different themes that capture the spirit of Curaçao."

During their all-expenses-paid, fully inclusive scuba diving holidays, the three contestants will submit their five best images in each category to a panel of judges made up of professional underwater photographers and the marketing department of Curaçao Tourism. The winner of the contest will have their images shown across the world as part of Curaçao's new global advertising campaign.

However, there is also a twist to the contest; the three contestants will also be competing for the title against the world-famous professional and very successful underwater photographer, Keri Wilk.

Situated in the southern Caribbean Sea and located just off the coast of Venezuela, Curaçao is famous for its colourful coral reefs. The south side of the island is great for scuba diving adventures with coral reefs fringing the shoreline and many sites are accessible without having to take a boat.

Popular scuba diving sites on the Caribbean island include Playa Kalki where divers can enjoy wall diving and sightings of green moray eels, lobsters, vibrant coral, and an abundance of colourful reef fish. Other amazing scuba sites include the Tugboat, where divers can explore the tugboat wreck and its collection of inhabitants including morays, trumpet fish, angelfish and tube coral; and the Porto Marie site where two parallel reefs are separated by a valley thriving with marine species such as angelfish, parrotfish, groupers, yellowtail snapper, trumpet fish, cornet fish, sea turtles, sting rays, lobsters and healthy coral.

With its white sand beaches, turquoise warm ocean waters, and limestone cliffs, it's no surprise that Curacao is one of the Caribbean's most popular scuba diving destinations.