Bonaire is renowned for its exceptional shore diving and attracts divers of all abilities from around the globe. It’s a combination of factors that makes Bonaire an attractive shore diving destination, so let’s take a look at them:
5 TOP REASONS WHY SHORE DIVING ON BONAIRE IS AMAZING
Easy Access to Dive Sites: Bonaire’s coastline offers many easily accessible dive sites with over 60 marked dive sites on the main island. You don’t need a boat to get to these dive sites. You can drive, gear up and walk in from the shore. Most of the dive sites are protected from strong currents, making them suitable even for beginner divers. Dive when you want, you are not restricted by boat timetables or a limited number of dives.
Healthy Coral Reefs: The island is home to well-preserved coral reefs, thanks to its early recognition of the importance of marine conservation and an ongoing commitment to environmental preservation. Consequently, Bonaire reefs are teeming with marine life.
Calm and Clear Waters: Bonaire is located outside the hurricane belt and has an arid climate. With minimal run off and sediment flowing into the ocean, Bonaire enjoys excellent water visibility. The calm, clear water creates ideal dive conditions for all levels of divers.
Rich Marine Biodiversity: Bonaire reefs are home to a vast array of marine life, including many species of tropical fish, sea turtles, rays, and occasional sightings of marine mammals.
Year-Round Diving: The climate in Bonaire is consistently warm, allowing for year-round diving. The water temperature remains relatively constant, making it comfortable for divers at any time of the year.
HOW DO YOU SHORE DIVE?
With shore diving, you drive from each dive site in your rental vehicle with all the gear you need. You can dive multiple times a day. It is at your pace and even better, it’s on your schedule. Most dive centers will allow you to take 2 tanks, then come back to drop off the empty tanks, and pick up new ones. You can dive as many times as you like, following those rules. You can’t, for example, take 4 tanks each, they will not normally allow that. This is too many tanks in a vehicle and they need to be back so they can be refilled and used again.
Top tip: Rent a pickup truck. It's an easy way to get your dive gear around the island and they're better on the rough roads.
CAN YOU GET HELP SHORE DIVING IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE IT BEFORE?
We always recommend if you’re coming to Bonaire and you’re unsure about shore diving, then get a local dive guide for 1 or 2 days. They’ll give you all the ins and outs of diving in Bonaire, including the best sites and help to sort your gear.
Bonaire offers divers a friendly, relaxed, dive focused environment to operate in. When you’re not diving, there’s plenty of activities for entertainment, and as a culinary capital, Bonaire offers a wide variety of dining options to enjoy. Get in touch if you need a hand with your Bonaire dive adventure. We can help set you up with a dive guide and arrange everything you need for your trip including flights, accommodation and dive packages.
Get excited about diving in Bonaire by checking out what you'll see underwater over here in our Bonaire Dive Gallery.
