If you’ve never been diving in Bonaire before, then you’re in for a treat! After all, scuba diving is Bonaire Island’s claim to fame!
With over 85 dive sites—54 being shore dives—Bonaire has consecutively won awards in scuba diving through the Readers’ Choice Awards. In the November 2022 issue of Scuba Diving, Bonaire won 13 awards; six of which took first place.
Bonaire not only reigned first place, for the 30th consecutive year, in the title of Best Shore Diving in the Caribbean/Atlantic region but also took home awards in various categories from Best Beginner (and Advanced) Diving to Best Underwater Photography and Best Health of Marine Environment, among others.
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All that said, scuba diving is definitely one of the best things to do in Bonaire, so if you’re planning a trip to the island you should include it in your itinerary.
Even if you are not certified, you can still take a PADI Discovery Dive mini class to experience diving in one of the best, most pristine places to go scuba diving on earth!
Here’s everything you need to know about diving in Bonaire! 🤿
Diving Bonaire: The Ultimate Guide
What to Know Before Diving on Bonaire
Firstly, Bonaire’s waters are protected under the Bonaire Marine National Park, established in 1979, through STINAPA. Every person who wishes to dive on Bonaire must pay a $45 Nature Fee.
You can pay online here in advance or when you arrive on the island. And don’t forget Bonaire also instated a $75 Visitor’s Tax ($10 for children 12 and under).
Secondly, sustainable diving practices are at the heart of all dive shops and operations on Bonaire. That said, dive gloves are not allowed on Bonaire. Dive boots, however, are allowed and are a recommended piece of dive equipment as many of Bonaire’s dive spots are shore dives.
Thirdly, harmful sunscreen has been banned on Bonaire. Buy and wear reef-safe sunscreen only.
You can find mineral sunscreens that are 100% safe for reefs in the dive shops on Bonaire. I used Raw Elements for every activity on the island including diving and snorkeling and highly recommend it!
More quick info to take note of:
☀️ Best time to dive on Bonaire: Year-round!
🌊 Water temperature: 26–29°C (79–84°F)
📸 Take an action camera: I used the GoPro 11
🇧🇶 Local language & currency: Papiamentu, USD
Bonaire Dive Resorts
Many of Bonaire’s hotels and resorts will have either their own on-site diving facility or a dive shop partner where you can easily grab gear and schedule a boat or shore dive excursion.
However, if you’re intention in coming to Bonaire was laser-focused on scuba diving, then you might consider staying at an all-inclusive dive resort. These resorts will cater to your dive needs whether you are a novice or an advanced diver.
🌴 During our week on Bonaire, we stayed at the lovely Delfins Beach Resort which has its own PADI 5-Star IDC Dive Center. We absolutely loved our stay and I would highly recommend it if you are looking for an eco-conscious resort that offers not only diving facilities/excursions but also a sultry Caribbean vibe, fine dining, a tropical beach bar, a house dive/snorkeling, a private beach, pool bar, and more.
You don’t have to stay at a dive resort while on Bonaire, since diving is so accessible to vacationers. But a dive resort will cater to divers in particular, so if that’s your main muse, here are a few notable dive resorts on the island:
🏴☠️ Captain Don’s Habitat Dive Resort (Top Pick) — The dive resort that started it all! This resort is one of the best sustainable dive resorts in Bonaire. Its founder, Captain Don, was the pioneer who helped establish the Bonaire Marine National Park in 1979. Sustainability and a 24/7 “Freedom Diving” philosophy are the cornerstones of this ocean-front dive resort.
🤿 Buddy Dive Resort — A popular and fully-equipped dive resort with 2-lane air & Nitrox Drive-Thru, 6 Dive Boats, Tec Dive Support Center, Rental Gear, a Retail Shop, 2 Classrooms, and the Buddy Dive Academy.
🦩 Divi Flamingo Dive Resort — A large, sprawling resort with a Casino, Dive Center, 6 Dive Boats, Fitness Center, and Diving or Golf Packages.
Bonaire’s Best Dive Sites + Map
So what can you expect from the dive sites in Bonaire?
Not only will you find some of the world’s healthiest reefs in Bonaire’s waters, but you also find a score of marine life and shipwrecks. You can also go freediving, technical diving, or go diving with your kids aged 10 or older.
Scuba Diving in Bonaire — Fact Sheet
🐟 There are over 350 fish species and 57 coral species
💛 Painted yellow rocks indicate a dive site on Bonaire
🪸 54 of Bonaire’s 85+ dive spots are accessible by shore
While diving on Bonaire, you can expect to see colorful, tropical Caribbean fish. You might see parrotfish, tarpons, trumpetfish, hogfish, frogfish, wrasse, rays, sea turtles, seahorses, spotted trunkfish, butterflyfish, and more! I can’t name all 350+ species here, but just know that there’s A LOT!
Below I list some of the island’s top dive sites. Most of the dive sites are located on the calmer, western side of the island with the exception of a few east coast dives.
Favorite Shore Dives
- Bari Reef (one of the top sites in the Caribbean with over 300+ fish surveyed).
- Tori’s Reef
- 1000 Steps
- The Salt Pier
- White Slave
- Red Slave
- Alice in Wonderland
- Something Special
- ChaChaCha
- Ol’ Blue
- Andrea 1 & 2
- Karpata
- White Hole (East Coast Diving)
- Windsock
Not to mention the dive sites inside Washington Slagbaai National Park, including Playa Funchi and Wayaka 1, 2, & 3.
Popular Shipwreck Dives
- Hilma Hooker
- Spelonk Wrecks
- Windjammer
- Divi Wreck
- Habitat Wrecks
Klein Bonaire Dives
- Joanne’s Sunchi (where we dove off Klein Bonaire)
- Munk’s Haven
- Monte’s Divi Tree
- No Name
- Forest
- Captain Don’s Reef
- Sharon’s Specialty
- Ebo’s Reef
- Bonaventure
- Hands Off
- Keepsake
- Rockpile
- Carl’s Hill
- Yellow Man
For more details on each, check the island’s interactive map or the PADI website.
Best Dive Shops on Bonaire
All the dive centers and operators on the island are great, but there are a few that stand out from the rest thanks to their commitment to safety, sustainability, and fun!
VIP Diving
As a 5-star PADI IDC, PADI Green Star Award-winner, and 100% AWARE Partner, VIP Diving is arguably one of the best dive shops in Bonaire. Not only do they offer all types of guided dives and courses, but they operate with sustainability in mind.
From solar panels and recycled water to reusable water bottles and supporting local conservation initiatives, they truly put sustainability at the forefront of their business. They also participate in reef renewal, safe sunscreen awareness, invasive lionfish removal, and more.
Our small group of four went diving with VIP Diving at their house shore dive, Sebastian’s (located just opposite the shop). We saw a seahorse, tarpons, barracuda, frogfish, plus lots of other tropical fish! Even though my partner Paul wasn’t certified, he was able to complete a basic PADI Discovery Dive training in the pool beforehand and join us on this awesome dive.
Dive Friends
Another awesome dive operator in Bonaire is Dive Friends. These guys have a total of eight dive centers and four retail shops across the island, including inside the Delfins Beach Resort as mentioned earlier.
Dive Friends is also a top-rated dive shop, also earning a PADI Green Star Award thanks to their conservation and sustainability practices. For example, every quarter, they organize ocean clean-ups.
If you’re looking for dive courses, equipment, or photography gear rentals, Dive Friends will have just what you’re looking for.
We dove with Dive Friends at the Port Bonaire location across from the airport and had such a fun and relaxed time on a boat dive off the shores of Klein Bonaire!
On a final note, both VIP Diving and Dive Friends have earned three stars through Bonaire Island’s Blue Destination Certification Program, which evaluates partners based on criteria such as sustainability and social welfare, among ten other criteria.
🌿 Learn more about ecotourism on Bonaire
So, are you feeling ready to go scuba diving in Bonaire? If you’ve already been, I’d love to hear what dive site you explored and what your experience was like!
As always, feel free to reach me by email or on Instagram @bucketlistbri if you have any questions.
PIN THIS BONAIRE DIVING GUIDE FOR LATER
Do you need a PADI cert to do the boat dive with Dive Friends?
Yes, I believe you do!