Diving on Bonaire
More than 80 dive sites, many of them reachable from the shore. Drive to a marked site, put on your gear and walk in.
The water around Bonaire is part of the Bonaire National Marine Park, one of the oldest protected marine areas in the Caribbean. More than 80 dive sites lie around the island, and many of them are shore dives. You drive to one of the marked sites along the coast, put on your gear and walk into the water. You do not depend on a boat schedule, so you dive at your own pace.
The reefs are home to more than 350 species of fish and 60 species of coral. You can see turtles, rays, moray eels and now and then a shark. At 1000 Steps you find coral formations and schools of fish. At the Salt Pier you may spot seahorses and tarpon. Karpata has steep walls for experienced divers. The water is 25 to 29 °C all year, and visibility often reaches 30 meters.
The dry season from December to April brings the calmest seas and the best visibility. From May to November it is quieter and often cheaper, with more rain and the occasional storm, but the diving stays good.
Many dive shops rent out tanks and gear for shore diving, and there are courses for every level, from your first certification to wreck, deep and underwater photography. Boats use mooring buoys instead of anchors, and divers help by not touching the reef.
Some of our homes are right on the reef. Oceanfront Home 45A has its own house reef, and at the REEF Villa's the reef starts in the backyard, with Andreas 1 and 2 within walking distance. We work with a dive partner on the island. Ask us about dive packages, discounts and prices, and we can arrange a rental car for your dive trips as well.