Bonaire has been named one of the world's best dive destinations for decades — and with good reason. The whole island has been a protected marine park (STINAPA) since 1979, the water sits at 26–29°C year-round, visibility regularly reaches 30 metres, and at 87 named dive sites you simply step into the sea from shore. No boat, no waiting, no crowds.
This guide covers what you need to plan a diving trip to Bonaire: the best sites and how to choose a dive shop, the marine park rules, and what you really should know about shore diving before you go.
Why diving Bonaire is different
Bonaire is not a typical Caribbean dive destination. Where elsewhere you take a boat to reach a reef, here you park your pickup truck right beside the ocean, shoulder your tank and walk in. The yellow stones along the coast road mark the official dive sites — more than seventy of them, all with direct shore entry.
The entire coastal water around Bonaire and Klein Bonaire has been part of the Bonaire National Marine Park since 1979. That means no anchor damage, no fishing on the reef, and an ecosystem that has been protected for almost fifty years. You notice it straight away underwater: the hard coral is healthy, and parrotfish, sea turtles, octopus and large schools of tarpon are an everyday sight.
The Marine Park: a tag is required
Before you get in the water you need a STINAPA Nature Tag. It is mandatory for anyone who dives or snorkels in the marine park.
- Nature Tag (annual, per person): $40 USD — since 2023 a single flat rate for divers, snorkellers and swimmers alike
- Children up to 12: exempt
- Valid: one calendar year
- Where to buy: at any dive shop, online at stinapabonaire.org, or at the STINAPA office
The full fee goes to protecting and enforcing the park. You receive a tag to carry on every dive — checks are frequent.
Top 10 dive sites on Bonaire
1. 1000 Steps
Iconic — and although they are called 1000 steps, there are 67. The walk down to the beach is tough with gear on, but the reef is spectacular. Turtles all but guaranteed.
2. Salt Pier
Soft coral grows on the pillars of the salt pier while tarpon and barracuda cruise between the beams. Only accessible when no ship is moored — check the status with your dive shop.
3. Hilma Hooker
Bonaire's wreck dive. A 72-metre coaster that sank in 1984, resting at 30 metres. For advanced divers only — penetration is for the experienced.
4. Karpata
On the north coast: a pristine reef with soft coral and large schools of fish. The entry is easy but the current can be strong.
5. Andrea I & II
Classic beginner-friendly sites with an easy entry, a shallow reef edge and plenty of macro life. Ideal for night dives.
6. Oil Slick Leap
Literally a leap off a rock platform into the sea. A deep drop-off right below you. Adrenaline and big fish.
7. Klein Bonaire (several sites)
Boat dive only. No Name, Forest, Ebo's Reef — the south-west side of Klein Bonaire has the healthiest coral fields on the whole island.
8. Bari Reef
At Buddy Dive Resort. According to the REEF survey one of the most species-rich dive sites in the world — 317 fish species counted.
9. Angel City
A double reef: a shallow and a deep reef separated by a sand flat. Perfect for two dives at one site.
10. Rappel
A pristine north-coast site, reachable only by 4WD. A steep wall, large pelagic fish, few divers.
The best dive shops on Bonaire
Bonaire has more than 25 PADI/SSI-certified dive shops. The choice comes down to whether you want all-inclusive resort diving or prefer to work flexibly with independent shops.
- Buddy Dive Resort — drive-through tank station, its own house reef (Bari Reef), popular with Dutch divers
- Captain Don's Habitat — historic, founded by pioneer Don Stewart
- VIP Diving — smaller groups, personal attention
- Wannadive — several locations, popular with day divers
- Dive Friends Bonaire — multiple stations, flexible tank fills, island-wide
- Bonaire Dive & Adventure — small-scale, strong guidance
How shore diving actually works
At most dive shops you can buy an unlimited-tank package (often around $200–250 for six days). With it you pick up filled tanks yourself, load them into your truck, and drive to the site you want. At the site:
- Park next to the yellow stone bearing the site's name
- Get changed and shoulder your tank at the car
- Walk into the water with your buddy via the marked entry
- Follow the reef edge at your chosen depth
- Turn back at half your air supply — always dive within your limits
A dive flag is mandatory — often one hangs from a floating buoy you tow along.
Practical tips for your dive trip
- Renting a pickup truck is essential. With all those loose tanks and gear you will not want a sedan.
- Dive insurance: DAN (Divers Alert Network) membership is strongly recommended. The nearest recompression chamber is on Bonaire itself, beside the hospital.
- Best season: good year-round, but April to December has the calmest water. January–March can be windy, making north- and east-coast sites less diveable.
- Trip budget: expect $40–60 per day for unlimited diving at a resort, plus $35–50 truck rental per day, plus $40 for the marine park tag per person.
- Don't touch. No taking coral, turtles or shells. Fines are steep.
When diving Bonaire isn't ideal
Bonaire lies outside the hurricane belt, so weather-related problems are rare. That said, from December to February the north-easterly trade wind can pick up sharply, which can make north-coast sites such as Karpata and Boka Slagbaai unsafe. When that happens you simply dive the west coast — which then turns truly mirror-flat.
Plankton blooms (so-called 'green tides') occur sporadically and can temporarily cut visibility to 10–15 metres. Ask your dive shop about current conditions.