Bonaire is a Caribbean island located to the east of Central America and to the north of Venezuela. It is part of the group of islands known as the ABC Islands, together with Aruba and Curacao. Bonaire is a small island known as the diving capital of the world.
The coral reefs of this island offer over 60 easy-to-reach and best shore dive sites. These diving sites with calm and constant weather conditions are perfect for both experienced and amateurs alike and are favorable for diving around the year.
You can reach Bonaire with direct flights from big cities in the US. This article will inform you about some of the best shore dive sites in Bonaire you must visit, where you can have a great time and see the constant weather around the year.
Best Shore dive sites in Bonaire
The Lake
This Lake is an easy-to-reach dive site, located next to Hilma Hooker in the South of Bonaire Island. The name Lake is after the ‘lake of sand’ between the two reefs. This site offers you a double reef with hard and soft corals.
In addition, you can find over the outer reef plenty of marine life including Conch, green moray and garden eels, Trunkfish Honeycomb Cowfish, Rock Beauties, and Stingray fish. This dive site offers easy entry and exit.
Hilma Hooker
Hilma Hooker a former drug boat is a must-dive artificial reef site in Bonaire. Located on the South of Bonaire between the Lake and Angel City. Hilma Hooker was seized for being used in smuggling and was sunk unclaimed in 1984.
You will find several dive boats from early morning till mid-afternoon, so you should plan your dive after mid-afternoon to save from the several dive boats here. because there are several dive boats from early. You can find marine life in this 72-meter-long wreck laying over 60-100 feet. The marine life in this reef includes barracuda, horse-eyed jacks, parrotfish, Angelfish, Tarpon, and shrimps.
Karpata
While you are on your discovery of the Caribbean and have reached Bonaire, Karpata should be included in your dive sites list. Karpata is located on the North of Bonaire Island. The divers like this spectacular site for its visibility and amazing shapes of the reef.
This site is full of marine life including Turtles, blue tang, honeycomb cowfish, eels, porcupine fish, tiger fish, parrot fish, trumpet fish, hogfish, grunts, filefish, Chubs, and many more. You can capture wide-angle pictures here, and find it one of the best shore dive places in Bonaire.
Salt Pier
Salt Pier is the best and most unique dive shore place, famous for its colonies of marine life. This spot is also famous for salt transportation. The buffs of marine life photography prefer this site for its diverse marine life in the surrounding waters in the morning and afternoon.
The white sand bottom offers you a mix of corals, with different reef fishes. The reef slope at 10 meters is full of sponges, corals, and gorgonians. The site is also known for some mysterious species like frogfish, seahorses, moray eels, octopuses, and damselfish.
Besides, you can also see some of the larger marine life in the Salt Pier including sea turtles, barracuda, snapper, grunts, and cubera snapper.
Andrea 1
Andrea 1 is one of the best shore dive sites in Bonaire, located on the north of the Island, a half mile from the desalination plant. This site is recommended for beginners and is much easier to access. Parking is also available on the side. Though this place is not famous, it must be explored.
Andrea 1 is a calm and blissful dive place, offering abundant hard and soft corals. There are sufficient shady trees to have a picnic lunch. The site is full of marine life, including Angelfish, turtles, Spanish Lobster, schools of Blue Tangs, Tiger tail sea cucumber, trunkfish, and parrotfish.
Baby Beach
Baby Beach, located on the Southeast of this Island, is one of the best shore dive sites in Bonaire. This stunning stretch in a calm lagoon is ideal for families with small kids. The swimmers who enjoy long-distance wadding, consider this place a prime destination.
The baby beach also includes the best-marked location for snorkeling at the point where the bay opens. You can refresh yourselves on this beach while mingling with the local people and enjoying a seafood platter, hotdog, or hamburger.
You can also get snorkel gear, beach beds, and windscreens on rent from the local dive shop at Baby Beach. To save the visitors from the sun numerous huts are placed along the beach.
Angel City
Angel City is the best double reef dive site on the Southern end of Bonaire Island. This dive site invites snorkel and divers of all levels with its tricky entry and exit. When you enter the water, you see the yellow mooring buoy approximately 25 meters from the shore. The inshore reef of Angel City is 25 feet, then you find about 50 feet of separation of sand.
After this sandy separation starts the deeper reef that lies at 60 feet. You can see stingrays and eagle rays on the sandy patch. Star corals, large brains, and tube sponges cover the second reef. Here you may witness several large and small fish including angelfish, parrotfish, grey snappers, and filefish.
1000 Steps
One of the best shore dive sites in Bonaire with minimal current, turquoise water, and a beautiful beach. You need to descend several steps to reach the beach, though these steps are not 1000 in number. 1000 Steps is a desired destination for diving and snorkeling alike. The shallow dive includes marine life and an amazing coral reef.
Different varieties of hard and soft corals cover this dive site. The coral buffs can witness gorgonian fans and attractive coral species here. The snorkelers will love this site as the reefs start from 3m in depth. In addition, the reef is crowded with wrasse, turtles, trumpetfish, butterfly fish, and surgeon fish.
Bari Reef
Bari Reef is beloved for easy shore dives with moderate currents. The shallow site is popular among the divers. You can see here plenty of marine life and species around you. This is a recommended place for the first dive. The healthy reef of this shallow place is teeming with sea horses and octopus. Besides, you can see numerous grunts, tangs, Tarpon, parrotfish, lizardfish, angelfish, and snappers.
Nukove
Nukove is famous for its biodiversity of hard corals and soft sponges, located in the North of Bonaire. This area doesn’t offer any cellphone service, and you have to reach there after passing an uneven and bumpy road. The site is also famous for sleeping nurse sharks, staghorn coral, and moderate currents. In addition, the site is known for scorpion fish, lizard fish, trumpetfish, and surgeon fish.
Recommendations for the best shore dive sites in Bonaire
- Bonaire offers the best weather and water temperature around the year.
- In the Caribbean, this island is safe from hurricanes.
- The ideal time to enjoy these shore dive places is from May to October.
- You can rent a vehicle to reach the shore dive sites in Bonaire.
- Use closed shoes and booties to save from hurting your feet on shark rocks.
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