Located in the south Caribbean, Bonaire has a hot climate with only a little rainfall. This means that the waters in this area are exceptionally calm and clear, giving the divers a visibility that can reach 100 to 150 feet. The temperature of the water in this area is also very conducive for diving -- around 25.6 to 28.9 degrees Celsius. Because Bonaire diving sites are under the protection of the Bonaire Marine National Park, the coral reefs and marine life are abundant. In fact, the capital of the town is Kralendijk, a Dutch word that means coral reef.



Bonaire National Marine Park

The reefs around Bonaire extend up to 984 feet from the shore. Because the area is well-protected as part of the Bonaire Marine National Park, it has the most diverse fish population in the Caribbean. With so many Bonaire diving sites to choose from, divers of all levels and ages will definitely find a spot that they could enjoy. Even at the bottom of the shallow areas surrounding Bonaire, there are a lot of growing coral formations. These are usually strands of elkhorn and staghorn corals combined with fire corals and soft corals. A dazzling variety of reef fishes inhabit this area. Divers are bound to run into a lot of damsel fish, angel fish and butterfly fish gliding in and out of the strands of corals.

The shallow part of this Bonaire diving site resembles a terrace overlooking the drop off point. The drop off point features a lot of huge star corals which form a structure that resembles a pagoda. These corals are made up of the Boulder Star coral, and the Lettuce corals. As the diver goes deeper, he will be able to view the plate-forming corals and the Great Star coral. In this area, there is also an abundance of soft corals and colorful sponges that are inhabited by a variety of brightly colored fishes.

In these depths, divers should keep an eye out for turtles, seahorses and yellowtail snappers as well as moray eels and seargeant major fish that may hide inside the crevices. Some divers have also run into a nurse shark, a whale shark and a dolphin. Because of its wonderful climate and fantastic sites, Bonaire diving is one of the best experiences a diver could ever have. No wonder it is one of the four diving spots in the world.

Besides Bonaire Diving

Although Bonaire is popular for coral reefs and diving, there are a lot of other attractions that non-divers can visit in this island. They can view the Flamingo Sanctuary, one of the largest flamingo breeding grounds in the western hemisphere. They can also head to the capital of Bonaire to view Fort Oranje which was built in the 19th century as well as the lighthouse adjacent to it. In Kralendijk, they could also view some of the exhibits on Caiqutio Indians where they will find a lot of artifacts and household items

With so much to offer, Bonaire can be appreciated by both divers and non-divers alike.