Bonaire Dive Sites
Whatever dive mood you’re in Bonaire has a site to match it! Want to go on a lazy dive with an easy entry/exit? No problem. Feeling adventurous? Check out Oil Slick Leap or the famous 1000 Steps.
One thing’s for sure, whichever site you choose you won’t be disappointed.
I loved every site we visited. We dove some of the same sites multiple times. Every dive on a site is a new dive and you never know what you’ll see! We dove the Yellow Submarine house reef & Something Special pretty much every afternoon. The shop was right next door to us so it made for an easy late afternoon dive.
Tip: Make sure you buy hard-soled booties for your trip. A lot of entries are rocky and sharp so you’ll need sturdy footwear to get in and out safely.
A few of our favorite sites
Something Special & Yellow Submarine
These sites were very convenient for us and are right next to each other. We liked to start at Something Special and finish in front of the Dive Friends shop at Yellow Submarine. This is where we saw the frogfish and the huge octopus sleeping in its den. There are tons of blennies living on the mooring blocks too.
Entry/Exit — easy! Walk in on a gentle slope. A little rocky giving way to sand.
Frogfish with its lure out – hope you catch something delicious!
Bari & Front Porch
If you’re diving with Dive Friend tanks are staged right on the dock, it doesn’t get any easier than that! We came here looking for a frogfish with very vague directions. We didn’t find it but we did have a great dive!
Entry/Exit – very easy! For Front Porch, just go down the steps and you’re in. For Bari, it’s an easy, sandy beach entry.
Dinner!
Cliff
Another Dive Friends location so bring your own tanks if you’re not diving with them. The walls are gorgeous! We saw a ton of cool life here including some huge lettuce slugs that we didn’t see at other sites. We dove it 3 times looking for a rumored seahorse. We didn’t find it but we had a great time just the same.
Entry/Exit – a little harder especially if there’s surge. You’ll walk down dirt/rock stairs to the water. Once at the water’s edge, the best way in/out is along the rocky outcropping. Use the rock to steady yourself. The bottom is rocky and some are slippery and loose so take your time and be careful. The sandy area to the right looks inviting but it’s harder to get in/out there, I know from experience.
We found a ton of these at Cliff, more than any other site we visited.
Alice in Wonderland
This site is down south by the salt pyramids which provide a beautiful view upon surfacing. The southern sites have a double reef separated by a sand channel which you won’t find anywhere else on the island. I highly recommend checking it out!
Entry/Exit – a little harder. You’ll have to gear up on your truck bed or on the rocky ground. The walk in is fine, just watch your step for loose rocks. If there’s a lot of shore-break you might save this site for another day.
One of my faves! I just love their goofy faces.
Considerations when picking a site
Be honest with yourself and your ability to get in and out of a given site with all of your gear on, current, waves & unsteady footing. Nothing ruins a dive like falling on sharp rocks! Always leave your truck unlocked with the windows down while you’re diving.
Have fun exploring! Happy bubbles!
Until next time…
Stay warm friends!