Divers ParadiseBonaire

With as many as 60 officially listed dive sites on Bonaire and another 20 dive sites on Klein Bonaire, the island truly is a Divers Paradise!

Bonaire’s sea abounds with beautiful marine life and a fascinating variety of multi-colored tropical fish, there is lots to see while diving on Bonaire. The sea is remarkably calm, and conditions are superb for both scuba diving and snorkeling.

On average, while diving on Bonaire, the visibility exceeds 100 feet (30 meters) and our average water temperature is 80 degrees Fahrenheit (28c). The fringing reef begins close to the shore, usually, a short 30 feet (10 meters) swim or less, making Bonaire world-renowned for its ease of shore diving.

Bonaire’s waters offer something special for every diver. Novice divers will appreciate the calm waters while diving in Bonaire, reefs that run parallel to shore, and minimal currents. These conditions make it an ideal location to really work on improving those buoyancy skills! The shallow drop-off area of the reef slope with an abundance of marine life allows for a maximum bottom time while giving new divers an opportunity to develop a level of comfort and confidence in their newly learned skills.

Bonaire National Marine Park

The Bonaire National Marine Park was established in 1979. The Bonaire Marine Park starts at the high-water mark and extends to 200 ft (60 meters) of depth; it covers an area of 6672 acres, or 27 km².

Mission
The mission of the Bonaire National Marine Park (BNMP) is to protect and manage the island’s natural, cultural and historical resources, while allowing ecologically sustainable use, for the benefit of future generations.

    The Goals are to:

  • Maintain and restore the ecosystems, biological diversity, and ecological processes.
  • Protect and restore the cultural and historical resources of significance.
  • Manage the Bonaire Marine Park as a regionally and globally significant example of a successful multi-use marine protected area through:
  • Education and outreach
  • Research
  • Monitoring
  • Law enforcement
  • Maintenance
  • Administration.
  • Allow use of the Bonaire Marine Park by promoting non-destructive activities and working with stakeholders to establish guidelines and regulations to minimize impact on the environment.

As an International Coral Reef Action Network (ICRAN) demonstration site, the Marine Park is a model of its kind in the Caribbean, protecting and caring for the marine environment while maximizing safe levels for recreation and commercial use.

Please note: all users of the Bonaire Marine Park must pay a nature fee as admission, also known as the STINAPA Marine Park Tag. The tags can be bought at the STINAPA website and are valid for a calendar year. Costs are $45 per diver and $25 for snorkelers and need to be paid by credit card or Maestro debit card or can be purchased online.

Bonaire