Bonaire’s Marine Park covers approximately 2,700 hectares going all the way around Bonaire. The coral reefs are very beautiful and home to a vast array of reef fish. In the shallow waters, you will find coral formations close to the bottom and on the reef terrace are many stands of staghorn and elkhorn corals. The tropical fish you will see is spectacular – damsel fish, angel and butterfly fish, parrot fish, rock hinds, hogfish, goatfish, scorpionfish, and peacock eye flounder just to name a few. Some of the fish are very hard to spot while others are very easy. As you continue your dive, you will find huge pagoda like pillars and mounds as well as soft corals and sponges. The colors are brilliant. Some other marine life you will see as you dive deeper will be moray eels, sergeant major fish, and a variety of snapper, tarpon, seahorses, turtles, sharks, rays, and dolphins.
As you approach the drop-off the reefs take a drastic drop and here you will find black coral and scroll coral. The fish you will see here are very similar to the ones higher up but sparser. Bonaire also has several large and small shipwrecks. The most famous is the Hilma Hooker, a freighter sitting at a depth of 30 meters. This cargo ship was sunk in 1984.
Lac Bay features windsurfing, snorkeling, kayaking, and fishing. The fringing reef of Lac Bay is one of the least visited and most beautiful spots. Other dive spots are:
• Playa Funchi, which offers snorkeling in calm waters and beautiful flamingos.
• Carl’s Hill Annex is a famous scuba diving sight.
• Don’s Reef is named for Don Stewart who dedicated his life to Bonaire.
• Boca Slagbaai offers good swimming, scuba diving, and more.
• Lake Gotomeer is a great place to see flamingos, swim, and dive.
• 18 Palms offers a steep diving drop-off in waters full of Fire Coral and often frequented by large Tarpon.
• Playa Lechi is a very popular beach with good snorkeling.
• Bari Reef offers an opportunity to see exotic tropical marine life.
• Bon Bini Na Cas, which means “Welcome Home” in the native language, can only be accessed by boat. You will find many schools of Creole Wrasse and Blue Tangs ranging in length from 20 to 100 feet.
• Small Wall offers divers a shallow wall dive.
• Front Porch is an excellent dive area featuring beautiful marine life and 80 feet down lies a shipwrecked tugboat.
• Calabas is for all divers and you will find all species of reef fish, rays, and turtles.
• La Machaca offers the novice diver opportunity to see a 45-foot boat shipwreck in 45 feet of water just off the shore. You will also find in these waters a large green eel.
• White Hole is a shore dive for advanced divers only. The dive begins in 15-foot waters and drops down to 100 feet. Many tarpon, rays, and sharks can be found in these waters.
• Salt Pier is a great shore dive.
• Leonora’s Reef is an excellent sight for the beginning diver. You will see mountainous star coral, a small tunnel through the coral, tiger groupers, yellowtail snappers, parrotfish, and four-eye butterfly fish.
• Klein Bonaire offers numerous dive spots.
• Lac Cai is a popular spot where the sea is shallow and calm and it is a great place to kayak, windsurf, dive, and observe birds.
Witte Pan is on the southwestern coast and is a beautiful beach. You can still see the cubby-house-sized stone huts that once housed slaves working the saltpans. The salt flats of Pekelmeer form square pools of brilliant colors from pink to turquoise filled with brine shrimp. Flamingoes are abundant as are heron, osprey, cormorants and other marine birds.
A small fort, Fort Oranje, was built to protect the island. A small cannon dating from the days of Napoleon can be seen here also. In 1837, it became a depot and then a prison. In 1868, a small lighthouse was built near the fort.
The Bonaire Museum exhibits art, artifacts, and other items depicting the life of the Caiquetio Indians and other exhibits depicting Bonaire's secret past.
Washington-Slagbaai National Park is a 13,500-acre natural park. It covers nearly one-fifth of the island. You will visit saline plains, beaches, scenic vistas, beaches, and see abundant wildlife and marine life. Wildlife includes iguanas, wild goats and donkeys. There are many areas offerings diving and snorkeling. Some of the areas within the park are:
• Mount Brandaris is the highest point in Bonaire reaching 787-foot (240-metre). It is a beautiful place to walk and take in the breathtaking view of the island.
• Boca Bartol is a shore dive spot and the northernmost site in the Park where you will find interesting coral formations in the shallows and many larger fish species, such as Garden Eels, and rays.
• Boca Cocolishi is a beautiful romantic beach perfect for a get-away picnic. The basin and beach were formed by small pieces of mollusk shells and coral. Cocolishi means shells. This is a great place for snorkeling.
The Flamingo Sanctuary is home to over 10,000 flamingoes. No one is allowed in the sanctuary because it is one of the few breeding places left for the flamingo. It is located on the vast saltpans at the southern end of the island. It covers 135 acres. With good binoculars, you can see the nesting grounds of the flamingoes.
Bonaire is a treasure house of history, beauty, and adventure for young and old alike.
