Bonaire

Bonaire is a Dutch island in the Leeward Antilles in the southern Caribbean Sea. It is also the "B" of the ABC Islands (including Aruba and Curacao) located just north of Venezuela.

Bonaire seamlessly blends Dutch traditions with Caribbean culture and a wild natural beauty that make this island a remarkable diamond in the rough.

If you’ve always wanted to visit the Caribbean but you’ve never really wanted the traditional touristy resort experience, Bonaire island offers you a unique opportunity to escape to a different kind of tropical getaway. Famed for shore diving, having more flamingos than people, a donkey reserve, and some of the world's best wind-surfing conditions at Lac Cai Beach, your days on this little island will be full! There is no shortage of amazing restaurants and bars either.

When scuba diving in Bonaire, you can expect to encounter a diverse range of marine life and explore stunning underwater landscapes. Bonaire is renowned for its exceptional diving opportunities, and the island's waters are protected as part of the Bonaire National Marine Park. Here are some of the sights you can look forward to:

1. Healthy Coral Reefs: Bonaire is known for its vibrant and pristine coral reefs. These reefs are teeming with a variety of hard and soft corals, creating a colorful and visually stunning underwater environment. You'll witness a rich tapestry of coral formations, including brain corals, staghorn corals, and vibrant sea fans.
2. Abundant Fish Life: Bonaire boasts an incredible diversity of fish species. You'll have the opportunity to see schools of colorful tropical fish, such as parrotfish, angelfish, butterflyfish, and wrasses. Other common sightings include damselfish, sergeant majors, and triggerfish.
3. Turtles: Bonaire is a haven for sea turtles. While diving, you may encounter different species of turtles, including green turtles, hawksbill turtles, and occasionally loggerhead turtles. These majestic creatures often glide gracefully through the water or rest on the coral reefs.
4. Macro Life: Bonaire offers fantastic opportunities for macro photography and critter spotting. Keep an eye out for fascinating creatures such as seahorses, frogfish, pipefish, and various species of nudibranchs. Bonaire's diverse marine ecosystem is home to numerous small and fascinating marine organisms.
5. Rays and Eels: You may come across several species of rays, including spotted eagle rays and southern stingrays, gracefully gliding along the seafloor. Additionally, Bonaire is home to various eel species, such as moray eels and garden eels, which can often be seen peeking out from crevices or burrowing in the sand.
6. Shipwrecks: Bonaire is dotted with intriguing shipwrecks that have become artificial reefs over time. These wrecks provide unique diving experiences and the chance to explore remnants of history while being surrounded by marine life.
7. Night Diving: Night diving in Bonaire offers a whole new world to explore. You can witness nocturnal marine species coming to life, such as octopuses, crabs, lobsters, and hunting lionfish. The reefs take on a different ambiance, with various organisms exhibiting bioluminescence and different feeding behaviors.

Bonaire's pristine waters, abundant marine life, and well-preserved reefs make it a paradise for divers. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced diver, there are dive sites suitable for all levels, allowing you to enjoy the beauty and biodiversity that Bonaire's underwater world has to offer.

You can dive Bonaire year-round! Being so close to the equator, the water (and air!) is warm all year and you likely won't need more than a 3mm wetsuit in the winter, unless you run cold.

You can fly into Bonaire (BON) direct from Miami, Houston, Atlanta, and New York (as well as Aruba and Curacao on a hopper). 

Bonaire is known as 'The Shore Diving Capitol of the World", with over 100 dive sites accessible by shore on the west side of the island. The best way to experience Bonaire is with a 'dive and drive' package, where you can rent a car and tanks for your stay. The companies will generally give you 2-3 tanks per morning and you bring them back at the end of the day or next morning to swap for new. I used AB Car Rental - they were quick, easy, and the most affordable that I found (May 2022) at about $150 for a 10-tank card.

The dive sites are clearly marked from the road. You can park nearby, suit up, and swim with your buddy to the buoy that marks the site. From there, descend and go north or south along the reef, making a turn at your normal 1/3 tank to return safely. Some of the most popular dive sites are:

1. Salt Pier
2. 1000 Steps
3. Hilma Hooker
4. Karpata
5. Angel City

Bonaire is great for all level divers, beginner to professional. The water is calm at the majority of sites (currents are stronger at the north and south tips), and the dives are not very deep. You only need your OW certification to rent gear and tanks, and a buddy to dive with! Its also pretty easy to find new buddies parking at the same time as you, as long as they don't mind a tag-along.

If you're not comfortable diving without a guide or need to get open water certified, there are plenty of freelancers and dive shops that go out daily.