Bonaire

Bonaire offers the best shore diving in the Caribbean and it is great for buddies who want to dive alone and explore.

Bonaire diving offers something different with over 30 shore dives all accessible with your own rental car allowing you to dive with your buddy or as a group with a guide.

Insider’s View

Bonaire is part of the Dutch Antilles, lying just north of Venezuela it is considered one of the top Caribbean diving destinations and it will not disappoint! Here divers can be sure to revel it is rich and diverse marine life and magnificent fringing reef. Total Diving Freedom has always been the keen concept in Bonaire with over 90 world-class dive sites scattered around the island, the majority of which are accessible by shore, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year you can understand why!

All the waters around this beautiful island are designated as a Marine Park, which means anchoring, spearfishing, or touching the corals is prohibited. There is an entrance fee of $25 per diver to access the park and all island dive operators are also required to provide a brief orientation to anyone who has not been to Bonaire within the same calendar year before allowing divers in the water.

Bari Reef is one of the most visited reefs off the Bonaire coast, it is relatively easy to access and noted for its colourful array of marine life and there are plenty of corals and sponges to admire. Types of fish range from trumpetfish and trunkfish to parrotfish and moray eels. Hilma Hooker wreck came to rest on her starboard side in 18 to 30 metres of water and proclaims to be one of Bonaire’s premier dive sites. Hosting an abundance of marine life including star and pillar corals, tube sponges and crinoids that cling to the superstructure. Karpata is one of the most beautiful dive spots in Bonaire, it is well known for its accessibility and beautiful underwater panoramic views, making this shore dive site ideal for underwater photography.

OUR HOLIDAY PRODUCTS

3 Stars

Jan - Dec

14.5 Hours

Advanced

From £2195

Captain Don's Habitat

Bonaire, Bonaire

Captain Don’s Habitat offers guests great accommodation. The surrounding world class dive sites are brimming with underwater delights such as rays, sharks and dolphins!

  • 24 ocean view rooms/16 bungalows
  • Bed and Breakfast basis
  • Car Hire/Internet/Restaurant/Bar/Spa
  • Dive centre on-site
  • Great for all types of divers
  • Resort overlooks the sea

3 Stars

Jan - Dec

14.5 Hours

Beginner, All

From £1850

Divi Flamingo Beach Resort & Casino

Bonaire, Bonaire

The Divi Flamingo Beach Resort & Casino is ideally located along the west coast of Bonaire with fantastic diving. This bustling resort is great for families, couples and divers alike!

  • 126 oceanfront and garden rooms
  • Located close to restaurants and bars
  • Pool/Spa/Baby Sitting/Casino/Gym
  • Dive centre on-site
  • Room only basis
  • Great for divers and families

Intermediate

Jan - Dec

8 Nights

Colourful Reefs

From £2415

Bonaire's Diving Freedom

Bonaire, Bonaire

The island of Bonaire is truly a diver's paradise! with diving available 365 days of the year in a pristine underwater environment that is thriving with more than 350 fish species and 57 species of soft and stony coral, divers will be kept very busy and happy from the moment they arrive to the last minute of their stay on the island.

  • Ideal for individuals & groups
  • Shore, drift & wreck diving
  • Un-guided diving
  • Diverse marine life

Marcelina

Thursday, 11 February 2021

Bonaire’s Diving Freedom

Bonaire is one of the few Caribbean destinations where you can dive 365 days of the year and experience a pristine underwater environment thriving with vibrant tones and encrusting corals on every site you will find.

Bonaire’s Diving Freedom

Washington Slagbaai National Park

Washington Slagbaai National Park is a 5,643 hectares nature sanctuary located in the northwest part of the island. It was the first nature sanctuary of the Netherlands Antilles and was established in 1969. It is a safe habitat for the terrestrial endemic and endangered species of Bonaire. Parrots, flamingos, parakeets, iguanas and many other species of birds and reptiles can be found in this protected area. The beaches inside the park are an important nesting ground for all four species of sea turtles found in the Caribbean.


Tour Type: Nature Tours

Bonaire Mangroves Center

The Mangrove Information Center Bonaire was first established in 2002 as a center where visitors could take tours into the surrounding mangroves. The Center offers daily guided kayak and solar boat tours through the beautiful mangrove forests of Lac Bay on Bonaire’s eastern shore.


Tour Type: Nature Tours

The Cadushy Distillery

The Cadushy Distillery was founded in 2009 by the Gietman Family and is the only distillery on Bonaire. The distillery is located in the former Party-center and Cinelandia Cinema and surrounding garden now called Plasa Cadushy. The Gietmans bought the ruins of the Party-center in 2010 and it took them five years to completely restore all the buildings. Come and have a look yourself how it turned out.


Tour Type: Soft & Easy

Destination Fact File

Bonaire offers the best shore diving in the Caribbean and it is great for buddies who want to dive alone and explore.

Climate Information

Wildlife Calendar

Destination Key Information

Currency United States Dollar
Time Difference GMT -4
Vaccinations Hepatitis A, Yellow fever, Measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus-diphtheria asking for advice at your practice GP it’s always recommended.
Tipping Usually it’s added an extra 10-15% to the bill.
Passport & Visas Your passport should be valid for a minimum period of six months from the date of entry into Bonaire. Travellers from UK don’t require a visa for stays of up to three months.
Flight Routes Departing from Heathrow, London City, Birmingham or Manchester to Bonaire via Amsterdam.
International Flight Durations In average your flight will be around 15 hours including the stop over.
Luggage Allowance 23 KG
Transfer Information Our packages include transfers on arrival and departure day. On arrival you will be met by one of our representatives and transferred to the liveaboard or resort you have chosen.
Dive Season Bonaire is a year round diving destination but divers will benefit from better visibility from spring to autumn. During the winter months visibility is very low. The average air temperature during the year is around 28 degrees Celsius. The water temperature is between 26 and 29 degrees Celsius with visibility averaging over the 30 metres.