Going to Bonaire in Feb.

Blackbeard 69 · Dec 1, 2009

Going to Bonaire for the first time. Are there any "have to see" dive sites? Im sure we won't have time to see them all.

philmayer · Dec 1, 2009

All your questions will be answered here -- ABC Islands - ScubaBoard

Garrobo · Dec 1, 2009

Have a good time. Hope you enjoy the flights.

vladimir · Dec 1, 2009

The dive sites in Bonaire are, in general, more similar than at most destinations. I do have some favorites though. I have had good luck finding frogfish and sea horses at Andrea (I or II--not sure). I like the northern sites: Karpata, Rappel, and Thousand Steps, because they seem to have more soft coral and more fish. And I like the west coast of Klein Bonaire.

scubapeople59 · Dec 1, 2009

Go to bonairetalk.com > you'll get all you need. I just got back from my sixth or so time there. Helma Hooker, Oil Slick, Bachelor, Angel City and the Salt Pier at night (guided tour) are just to name a few. I like to find sites with an easier entry, exit . Down south around the Slave huts will offer more current and the possibility of larger animals. Any place you go will be great on Bonaire. Good luck, have fun, and please respect the reefs there. They seem to be getting a great deal of divers there and it is starting to show. I saw more times then I like to count, the amount of divers touching not only the reefs, but the animals there. I think they should have a policy in place that if you get caught touching anything, you lose your park pass and you are done. No questions asking. Too harsh??, maybe so, but if that were the case, nobody would be touchin'.

1_T_Submariner · Dec 1, 2009

I like the southern double reef sites past the Hilma Hooker. The outer reef seems healthier than the first reef.

Dive the Hilma hooker. I would reccomend 2 dives one for the wreck one for the reef next to the wreck I think a lot of people over look the reef.

Winsock is a nice dive easy in and easy out.

1000 steps not really a 1000 steps but it'll feel like it.

Bari or Buddy's reef at night. Feed the Tarpon with your Light.

Buy Bonaire Shore diving made easy.
Bonaire Shore Diving Made Easy, BSDME, Author Susan Porter

Stop by the Cargill office by the salt pier pick up a sample (Free).

If you like beef eat at Patagonia (Maybe best steak I've had at a resteraunt), Pizza Bon Great Pizza (only stop light on the Island), There are alot of other great resteraunts.

Have a great trip!

Sharkbully · Dec 1, 2009

oil slick leap was a very cool dive. Red Slave is great - an advanced dive. Check with the dive staff!
Aquarius was nice, both house reefs at Sand Dollar - Bari Reef - and Buddy dive resort - buddy's reef - are must dives.
buddy's is a great night dive - you will see Charlie (a large tarpon) who uses your flashlights to aid in his hunt.

Don't bother with hilma hooker unless you just have to do wreck dives. It was quite mediocre.
We enjoyed Andrea II, didn't do Andrea I.

All reefs were similar, very healthy, lots of fish - like an aquarium.

Hope you enjoy Bonaire. We sur edid.

Nylorac · Dec 2, 2009

vladimir:
The dive sites in Bonaire are, in general, more similar than at most destinations. I do have some favorites though. I have had good luck finding frogfish and sea horses at Andrea (I or II--not sure). I like the northern sites: Karpata, Rappel, and Thousand Steps, because they seem to have more soft coral and more fish. And I like the west coast of Klein Bonaire.

I agree - really liked the northern sites best - Rappel and Karpata were favorites. We also did the town pier but did it at twilight rather than a night dive because we heard it was too crowded at night. It was fun entering right before dusk and leaving as it got dark just as the crowds came in. We were they only divers there and really enjoyed it - frog fish, seahorses, and just crazy colorful sponges everywhere!

Darcey · Dec 2, 2009

When are you gonig? We're going in Feb. too the 13th through the 21st. I've never been to Bonaire either (3 of the others we're going with have though) so I'm digging up as much info as I can.

Lorenzoid · Dec 2, 2009

We just returned from our first Bonaire trip and, of course, had the same question before we left. Rest assured, there are neither any must-sees nor don't-bothers. Everyone has favorites, but few people agree on which. Someone had recommended some of the northern sites, and yet we ended up preferring some of the southern ones. As anywhere, you can see different things on different days, and different things at different depths along the reef. You could probably dive just a handful of sites, some more than once, and still not be bored. The sites are fairly evenly distributed all along the western side of the island, and you can't go wrong to do some in the north, some in the south, and some in the middle, in any combination you wish. The rental trucks with tank racks were out of this world. I loved Bonaire and couldn't believe that such great diving could be so easy and stress-free.

Going to Bonaire in Feb.

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Blackbeard 69

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