Dive Sites North of Kralendijk
With it’s healthy coral reefs and rich marine life, Bonaire is one of the best (Top 3) islands in the Caribbean for Scuba Diving! The island is encircled by coral reefs that provide an amazing biodiversity of colourful fish, coral, sponge and more – Over 50 varieties of coral and 350 species of fish have been recorded. Bonaire diving is world renowned for an abundance of easy access shore diving (marked with yellow stones), and there are a number of boat operators who can take you to dozens of scuba diving locations in Bonaire’s Marine Park. There are plenty of dive sites, some in relatively shallow waters and others have steep walls that plunge into the deep dark sea. If you’re looking for drift diving, wreck diving, night diving, freestyle and technical diving or underwater photography, Bonaire diving has got it all, even underwater caves to explore…
The best Bonaire diving can be found on the west coast… Some, North of Kralendijk… See dive site locations below:
North End / Washington-Slagbaai National Park
- Boka Bartól
- For advanced divers only, this dive site ranges in depth from 20 to 80 feet (6-24m) and features coral formations and a sandy bottom, offering views of large fish species, rays and eels
- Playa Bengi / Playa Benge
- For advanced divers only, this dive site ranges in depth from 15 to 100 feet (4-30m) and features healthy coral and large fish
- Playa Funchi
- Great for ‘drift diving’, this dive site ranges in depth from 15 to 100 feet (4-30m) and features a sandy shelf with tilefish and flounder in its shallows as well as rays and schools of horse-eye jacks where the shelf drops off into the deep.
- Bisé Morto
- This spot is beach accessible! This dive site ranges in depth from 20 to 100 feet (6-30m) and offers views of deep water dwellers including rays, whales and the occasional shark
- Wayaká
- For advanced divers only, this dive site ranges in depth from 30 to 100 feet (9-30m) and is often visited by large marine life including rays, whales and the occasional shark
- Boka Slagbaai
- Located at the Slagbaai Plantation / Museum, this spot is beach accessible! For advanced divers only, this dive site ranges in depth from 20 to 100 feet (6-30m) and features a sandy bottom with corals, rays and eels
- Nukove (Doblet)
- This spot is beach accessible! For advanced divers only, this dive site ranges in depth from 15 to 100 feet (5-30m) and features some of the healthiest coral in Bonaire, along with large fish
- Carel´s Vision
- This dive site ranges in depth from 20 to 100 feet (6-30m) and features pristine coral. A great place for underwater photography.
- Candyland / Wayaka
- This spot is beach accessible and ranges in depth from 30 to 100 feet (9-30m), with the shallows providing views of parrotfish and angelfish
Bonaire’s West Coast – North of Kralendijk (listed from north to south)
- The Windjammer (shipwreck of the Mairi Bahn)
- For advanced divers looking for a deep ‘technical’ dive (requiring decompression)
- Karpata
- This spot is beach accessible! This dive site ranges in depth from 20 to 100 feet (6-30m) and offers views of corals (along with embedded anchors), a large variety of fish as well as turtles. A great location for underwater photography.
- La Dania´s Leap
- For advanced divers looking for a ‘technical’ dive, this dive site ranges in depth from 15 to 100 feet (5-30m) and offers one of the few vertical walls (and canyons) in Bonaire, offering views of colourful fish
- Rappel
- One of Bonaire’s more popular dive sites, the depth ranges from 30 to 100 feet (18-30m) providing views of coral, sea fans and gorgonians
- Bloodlet
- This dive site ranges in depth from 20 to 80 feet (6-24m) and features a dense reef with colourful tube sponges, schools of blue tangs as well as turtles
- Ol´Blue (Boka di Tolo)
- This spot is shore accessible and ranges in depth from 20 to 80 feet (6-24m). This dive site features angel fish and schools of small fish as well as the occasional shark
- Country Garden / Mushroom City
- This dive site ranges in depth from 20 to 80 feet (6-24m) and features three sunken cliff pillars that offer views of corals, sponges and gorgonians as well as schoolmasters, grunts, and goatfish
- Bon Bini Na Kas (Welcome Home)
- This dive site ranges in depth from 20 to 100 feet (6-30m) and provides a cave complex with views of corals, colourful sponges along with blue tang and wrasse
- 1000 Steps (there’s actually less than 100, it just feels like more)
- This spot is shore accessible and ranges in depth from 20 to 100 feet (6-30m). This dive site features rare coral along with rays, turtles, sharks and a large variety of fish including parrotfish, angelfish, doctorfish, durgeons, filefish, night sergeants and angelfish
- Weber´s Joy (Witch´s Hut)
- This spot is beach accessible! This dive site ranges in depth from 20 to 100 feet (6-30m) and offers views of sponges, angelfish, and butterfly-fish as well as schools of smaller fish. A great location for underwater photography.
- Jeff Davis Memorial
- This dive site ranges in depth from 20 to 100 feet (6-30m) and features a shallow shelf with coral and gorgonians along with turtles and seahorse
- Kalli´s Reef
- This dive site ranges in depth from 30-100 feet (9-30m) and offers a wide variety of sea life including turtles and seahorse
- Oil Slick Leap
- This dive site ranges in depth from 20 to 80 feet (6-24m) and features caves along with rays, barracudas and sharks
- Barkadera
- Located directly in front of the STINAPA Headquarters, this dive site ranges in depth from 30-100 feet (9-30m) and offers a variety of marine life including coral and blue tangs
- Andrea I & II / Pali Coco
- This spot is shore accessible! This dive site ranges in depth from 20 to 100 feet (6-30m) and its large shallow reef offers views of corals, and anemones as well as seahorses and parrotfish. A great spot for beginners!
- Petrie´s Pillar
- This spot is only shore accessible! This dive site ranges in depth from 30 to 90 feet (9-27m) and provides coral and a variety of marine life. A great spot for beginners!
- Small Wall
- This dive site ranges in depth from 20 to 60 feet (6-18m) and offers one of the few vertical walls (and caves) in Bonaire, offering views of colourful fish and the occasional shark
- Cliff
- This dive site ranges in depth from 20 to 70 feet (6-21m) and offers one of the few vertical walls in Bonaire, offering views of a variety of marine life as well as Capt. Don’s underwater stone memorial.
- Coopers Barge (Shipwreck of a flatboat)
- For advanced divers looking for a deep ‘technical’ dive (requiring decompression). Sargent majors will accompany you on your way down to the wreck which can be found between 115 to 150 feet (35-46m)
- La Machaca / Habitat (shipwreck)
- This spot is shore accessible! This dive site ranges in depth from 20 to 70 feet (6-21m), with the wreck lying inverted at 50 feet (15m). Great for Beginners.
- Reef Scientifico
- This spot is shore accessible with a depth of 40 feet (12m). offering views of parrotfish and eels. A good site for night diving.
- Buddy´s Reef
- This spot is shore accessible! This dive site ranges in depth from 30 to 100 feet (10-30m) and offers a wide variety of sea life including coral and fish. Great for beginners.
- Bari Reef / Sand Dollar
- Considered one of Bonaire’s best dive sites, this spot is beach accessible and ranges in depth from 30-100 feet (9-30m). As a former dump site, and more recently a location for experimental reef balls, the reef is covered in large objects providing shelter for corals and over 300 varieties of fish!
- Front Porch / Eden Beach / Coc Beach / Sunset Beach (shipwreck of a tugboat)
- This spot is beach accessible! This dive site ranges in depth from 20 to 80 feet (6-24m) and features a sloping sand shelf with the upside-down wreck at the bottom. A large variety of fish can also be seen. Great for beginners.
- Something Special (Kralendijk Marina)
- This site is shore accessible, has a sand bottom at a depth of 55 feet (17m) and offers a view to nearly a hundred species of fish including jack and tarpon, along with a colony of eels. Great for beginners and night diving.
- Yellow Submarine
- This ‘muck dive’ site is only 15 ft (5m) deep however provides views of young fish. Great for underwater photography
Also check out Scuba Diving in Bonaire: South of Kralendijk; South of Slave Huts + Lac Bay; and Klein Bonaire as well as Bonaire Snorkeling
Planning a Bonaire Scuba Diving vacation? Go back to Bonaire Diving for a list of local Boat/Tour Operators who’ll take good care of you
Back to our Bonaire Vacation Ideas page
Back to our Best Caribbean Diving page
Back to our Caribbean Island Adventures page
Back to the Active Caribbean Travel Home page
