"Divers' Paradise: Bonaire" Top 5 Page for this destination Bonaire by diver-x


Bonaire Travel Guide: 325 reviews and 600 photos

French Angelfish - Bonaire
French Angelfish

The Fall dive vacation in 2003 was a trip to Bonaire. We stayed at a Dive resort on the water in Kralendijk and got 19 dives for the week! This was my first trip with my new underwater housing for the digital camera, so there are a lot of fishy photos! Don't miss the travelogues:
Bonaire Underwater I
Bonaire Underwater II

Bonaire was a volcanic island. The dominant feature on the north side of the island looks like a mirror image of Diamond Head from Waikiki Beach. Washington-Slagbaai National Park is on the north side, which features desert hills, caves and Indian inscriptions.

Pink salt basins in the south - Bonaire

Pink salt basins in the south

The south side of the island is very flat and is used primarily for salt production. Sea water is pumped into shallow inland basins and is allowed to evaporate. The water becomes pink as the salt becomes more and more concentrated. Flamingoes hang out in the shallow, pink basins.

Turquios & blue water of Bonaire - Bonaire

Turquios & blue water of Bonaire

The turquois and blue water is so beautiful and inviting! Snorkeling and scuba diving are the main activities here and you can easily see why.

Pros and Cons
  • Pros:Inexpensive shore diving; good bang for the buck.
  • Cons:Extremely hot; Not much to offer for landlubbers.
  • In a nutshell:Keep on diving!
  • Last visit to Bonaire: Oct 2003
  • Intro Updated Oct 21, 2003
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Reviews (26)

Ship at Kralendijk harbor - Bonaire Kralendijk Harbor Things to Do (8)

The town wharf is a great place to catch a sunset! more travel advice

Willemstoren Lighthouse - Bonaire Top side: Willemstoren Lighthouse Things to Do (8)

This lighthouse sits on the southern tip of Bonaire. Thought we might be able to climb up it, but no dice. The first... more travel advice

Red slave cabins - Bonaire Top side: Red Slave Things to Do (8)

Another cluster of cabins once inhabited by salt mining slaves is known as Red Slave. more travel advice

Tiny cabins used by slaves working the salt mine - Bonaire Top side: White Slave Things to Do (8)

The south of Bonaire is dominated by salt manufacturing. Years ago, slaves were used for labor in salt production. These... more travel advice

Comments (38)

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  • kyoub's Profile Photo
    kyoub Mar 8, 2007 at 4:22 AM Report Abuse

    Beautiful underwater photos and great tips. Bonaire is a super island for divers and non-divers.

  • seth0919's Profile Photo
    seth0919 Feb 26, 2007 at 5:49 AM Report Abuse

    Great photos and wonderful tips! Thanks for all the information.

  • Dabs's Profile Photo
    Dabs Jan 1, 2007 at 4:54 PM Report Abuse

    Fabulous underwater photos! And an interesting warning tip that most people would never think to do.

  • nepalgoods's Profile Photo
    nepalgoods Apr 14, 2006 at 2:23 AM Report Abuse

    Lovely seaworld! Great impressive pics!

  • spitball's Profile Photo
    spitball Apr 3, 2006 at 12:47 AM Report Abuse

    You say the viz wasn't very good, but the photo of the Tarpon is extremely clear.

  • whitecliff62's Profile Photo
    whitecliff62 Apr 1, 2006 at 10:38 PM Report Abuse

    Wow what fantastic underwater photos, it really looks spectacular diving here.

  • RickinDutch's Profile Photo
    RickinDutch Feb 9, 2006 at 5:12 PM Report Abuse

    Excellent photos!!

  • luckyzen Jan 14, 2006 at 8:52 AM Report Abuse

    Thank you for sharing. Interesting story! Greetings!

  • Escadora7's Profile Photo
    Escadora7 Dec 6, 2005 at 10:29 AM Report Abuse

    Amazing pictures! Whow! Also love the donkey tip. :-) Best wishes, Ash & Eve

  • b1bob's Profile Photo
    b1bob Jun 19, 2005 at 9:02 AM Report Abuse

    You always hear about Aruba and Curacao, but rarely about Bonaire. I learned something. Maybe the car hires will devise a way to boobytrap the windows to adjust the attitudes of the hooligans who smash them.

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