Can you snorkel off the beach in Bonaire?

Much of the snorkeling in Bonaire is accessed from shore. That's great because it means you don't need to pay for boats to take you out, and you can go on your own schedule. Even the little island Klein Bonaire has a great snorkel spot that can be accessed from shore after an inexpensive water taxi ride.

Is Bonaire still good for snorkeling?

With its shallow reefs, its calm and warm waters, its exceptional marine biodiversity and its dozens of snorkeling spots just steps from the shore, Bonaire offers some of the world's best snorkeling.

Is Curacao or Bonaire better?

Curacao has over 35 bays and smaller beaches. Bonaire offers far a tinier number of beaches and also less accessible beaches. Bonaire does offer a more pristine beach with beautiful pebbles and petrified coral, but offers fewer facilities (no umbrellas, chairs, toilets and/or beach bars & restaurants).

What is the best time of year to dive in Bonaire?

Best Time to Dive in Bonaire

May through August is the windy season and November through January is the rainy season, where divers will experience daily, light showers. No matter when you plan your trip, the “best time” is really as soon as you can get there. Any chance you can, Bonaire is a trip worth making.

Is Bonaire good for diving?

Famed as one of the best Caribbean dive destinations, Bonaire hosts amazing coral reefs and long forgotten shipwrecks. Because the island's dive sites are protected from any currents, this is one of the best places in the world to gain a new certification. Visitors to Bonaire can choose between boat and shore diving.

Snorkeling in Bonaire - What to Do on Your Day in Port

Is Bonaire a coral island?

Bonaire is a true desert island. Tiny and crescent shaped, it is south of the hurricane belt, but right in the path of the trade winds, almost constant breezes from the east that push off rain. The same winds brought the first Dutch colonists and their slaves on sailing ships to this island in the 17th century.

What is Bonaire known for?

Bonaire has been widely recognized for many years in the diving community as one of the world's best shore diving destinations. Bonaire's Marine Park offers a total of 86 named dive sites and is home to over 57 species of soft and stony coral and more than 350 recorded fish species.

How deep are the reefs in Bonaire?

There is an abundance of life in the Caribbean Sea. Bonaire's waters have so much to explore! Bonaire has a narrow fringing reef, starting practically at the shoreline, that extends to a maximum of 200 feet (60m) depth. The whole area is protected as part of the Bonaire National Marine Park.

Is snorkeling better in Bonaire or Curacao?

Does the snorkeling in Curacao compare to Bonaire? Underwater, not quite. The waters are not as protected legally, so there are less fish, particularly larger fish. But for beach lovers, those less sure on their feet, and less experienced snorkelers, we believe Curacao will be much more enjoyable than Bonaire.

Which ABC island is best for snorkeling?

Caracas Bay, Curaçao

Just a few hours away from Bonaire is Curaçao, the third island of the three that make up the ABC Islands (Aruba and Bonaire are the other two). Some of the best snorkeling in Curaçao is found at Caracas Bay. That's where you'll find a sunken tugboat covered in colorful coral, fish, and crabs.

Are there sandy beaches in Bonaire?

The sandy beaches that Bonaire does have are of great beauty. Klein Bonaire, the enchanting reef island at the coast of Kralendijk, has sandy white beaches where you can relax in the Caribbean sun. The beaches of Klein Bonaire are also the place where the sea turtles lay their eggs.

Does Bonaire have sharks?

Since March 2016 a couple of Lemon Sharks (Negaprion breviroster) are observed in a secret spot of Bonaire Island. Sharks are hardly seen along the coastal waters of the island, if you exclude the east coast, where some Nurse sharks are resident and other reef species were observed.

Which Caribbean islands have the best snorkeling?

Where in the world is the best snorkeling?

What is there to do in Bonaire if you don't dive?

Does Bonaire have crocodiles?

A more important distinction between Florida and Bonaire is that there are alligators and crocodiles in Florida; Bonaire has none of either.

Why is the water pink in Bonaire?

The Salt pyramids of Bonaire can be seen when arriving either by sea or by air, each of those is roughly 50-feet high and contains approximately 10,000 metric tons of 99.6% pure salt. As you drive along south road, you will notice the different colors of the water, turning into an intense pink color.

Is Bonaire bigger than Aruba?

Bonaire is a little larger than Aruba in terms of size. It has a width of 3-7 miles and is 24 miles long, but only a little over 15,000 people live there. The main city is Kralendijk. Location Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire are all located in the South Caribbean off the coast of Venezuela.

Is it safe to travel to Bonaire?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has determined Bonaire has a high level of COVID-19. Visit the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Information related to your travel.

How deep is the water around Bonaire?

The Bonaire Marine Park encircles the entire island from the high water mark down to a depth of 200 feet, as well as Lac Bay and its mangrove forests. Within this park is one of the most diverse marine life populations in the Caribbean and ranks among the best in the world.

How many dive sites are in Bonaire?

Scuba Diving in Bonaire

There are 63 official dive sites off the coast of Bonaire and another 26 on Klein Bonaire. The National Marine Park has over 470 fish species, 57 species of soft and hard coral, and spectacular underwater topography.

Where is Bonaire?

Bonaire, island and special municipality within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, in the westernmost group of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean Sea. It lies 50 miles (80 km) north of the Venezuelan coast and 20 miles (32 km) east of Curaçao. The capital is Kralendijk.

Is Bonaire good for beginner divers?

Bonaire offers a large variation of stunning reefs and dive sites for all experience levels. Along the entire west coast you can walk into the gradually deepening water. The reef starts at just 16 feet (5m), making diving on Bonaire extremely suitable for beginners.