A diver and a school of yellow goatfish under the Salt Pier

Caribbean Netherlands · Leeward Antilles

Walk in from the shore, onto the reef.

A field guide to the reef fish, rays, small creatures, turtles, corals and birds of Bonaire, with where and when to look for each and links to go deeper.

Reef fishTurtles

Photo Megan Applegate (Salt Pier, Bonaire)

1979Bonaire National Marine Park founded (Wikipedia (Marine Park))
2,700 haof reef protected, from the high-water line to 60 m (Wikipedia (Marine Park))
86public dive sites, most of them shore dives (Wikipedia (Marine Park))
362fish species recorded by REEF divers (Pattengill-Semmens 2002)

Why Bonaire

Bonaire is a 288 km² island in the southern Caribbean, a special municipality of the Netherlands since 10 October 2010; its currency is the US dollar and its airport is Flamingo International (Wikipedia). A nearly continuous reef begins only metres from the west coast (Scuba Diving), and the whole reef has been protected as the Bonaire National Marine Park since 1979, from the high-water line to 60 m, managed by STINAPA (Wikipedia (Marine Park)). The government bought uninhabited Klein Bonaire in 1999 and added it to the park in 2001 (STINAPA), and Washington Slagbaai National Park, the first nature reserve of the former Netherlands Antilles, has protected the north of the island since 1969 (Wikipedia).

Bonaire is known as one of the world’s best shore-diving destinations, and its licence plates carry the words “Diver’s Paradise” (Wikipedia): sites are marked by yellow-painted stones along the coast road, and most are entered straight from shore (NBC News; Scuba Diving). Sources count 86 to 89 public dive sites (Wikipedia (Marine Park); Wikipedia). Every diver pays the yearly nature fee, US$40 per person since 2023 (bonaire.com), and makes an orientation dive on arrival; gloves and touching marine life are banned (STINAPA), and so is spearfishing (STINAPA).

Location

Where the sites are

Every site on STINAPA’s dive-site map, with STINAPA’s numbers: 1–62 along Bonaire, A–Z round Klein Bonaire. Grey sites are closed.

Dive sites of the marine park

BONAIREKralendijkLac1. Boka Bartol12. Playa Benge23. Playa Funchi34. Bisé Morto45. Wayaka56. Boka Slagbaai North67. Nukove78. Carel’s Vision89. Karpata910. La Dania’s Leap1011. Rappel1112. Bloodlet1213. Tolo1314. Country Garden1415. Bon Bini na Kas1516. 1000 Steps1617. Weber’s Joy1718. Jeff Davis Memorial1819. Kalli’s Reef1920. Oil Slick Leap2021. Barkadera2122. Andrea II2223. Andrea I2324. Petries Pillar2425. Small Wall2526. Cliff2627. La Machaca2728. Reef Scientifico2829. Buddy’s Reef2930. Bari Reef3031. Front Porch3132. Something Special3234. Calabas Reef3435. 18th Palm3536. Windsock3637. Corporal Meiss3738. Bachelor’s Beach3839. Chez Hines3940. Lighthouse Point4041. Punt Vierkant4142. The Lake4243. Hilma Hooker4344. Angel City4445. Alice in Wonderland4546. Aquarius4647. Larry’s Lair4748. Jeannie’s Glory4849. Salt Pier4950. Salt City5051. Invisibles5152. Tori’s Reef5253. Pink Beach5354. White Slave5455. Margate Bay5556. Red Beryl5657. Atlantis5758. Vista Blue5859. Sweet Dreams5960. Red Slave6061. Willemstoren Lighthouse6162. White Hole62A. No Name BeachAB. Ebo’s ReefBC. Jerry’s ReefCD. Just a Nice DiveDE. Nearest PointEF. KeepsakeFG. BonaventureGH. Monte’s DiviHI. Rock PileIJ. Joanne’s SunchiJK. Captain Don’s ReefKL. South BayLM. Hands OffMN. ForestNO. South West CornerOP. Munk’s HavenPQ. TwixtQR. Sharon’s SerenityRS. Vallerie’s HillST. Mi DushiTU. Yellow ManUV. Carl’s HillVW. Ebo’s SpecialWX. Leonora’s ReefXY. KnifeYZ. SamplerZ2 km

Dive sites, as numbered by STINAPA

Bonaire

  1. 1Boka Bartol closed
  2. 2Playa Benge closed
  3. 3Playa Funchi closed
  4. 4Bisé Morto closed
  5. 5Wayaka closed
  6. 6Boka Slagbaai North closed
  7. 7Nukove closed
  8. 8Carel’s Vision closed
  9. 9Karpata closed
  10. 10La Dania’s Leap closed
  11. 11Rappel
  12. 12Bloodlet
  13. 13Tolo
  14. 14Country Garden
  15. 15Bon Bini na Kas
  16. 161000 Steps
  17. 17Weber’s Joy
  18. 18Jeff Davis Memorial
  19. 19Kalli’s Reef
  20. 20Oil Slick Leap
  21. 21Barkadera
  22. 22Andrea II
  23. 23Andrea I
  24. 24Petries Pillar
  25. 25Small Wall
  26. 26Cliff
  27. 27La Machaca
  28. 28Reef Scientifico
  29. 29Buddy’s Reef
  30. 30Bari Reef
  31. 31Front Porch
  32. 32Something Special
  33. 34Calabas Reef
  34. 3518th Palm
  35. 36Windsock
  36. 37Corporal Meiss
  37. 38Bachelor’s Beach
  38. 39Chez Hines
  39. 40Lighthouse Point
  40. 41Punt Vierkant
  41. 42The Lake
  42. 43Hilma Hooker
  43. 44Angel City
  44. 45Alice in Wonderland
  45. 46Aquarius
  46. 47Larry’s Lair
  47. 48Jeannie’s Glory
  48. 49Salt Pier
  49. 50Salt City
  50. 51Invisibles
  51. 52Tori’s Reef
  52. 53Pink Beach
  53. 54White Slave
  54. 55Margate Bay
  55. 56Red Beryl
  56. 57Atlantis
  57. 58Vista Blue
  58. 59Sweet Dreams
  59. 60Red Slave
  60. 61Willemstoren Lighthouse
  61. 62White Hole

Klein Bonaire

  1. ANo Name Beach
  2. BEbo’s Reef
  3. CJerry’s Reef
  4. DJust a Nice Dive
  5. ENearest Point
  6. FKeepsake
  7. GBonaventure
  8. HMonte’s Divi
  9. IRock Pile
  10. JJoanne’s Sunchi
  11. KCaptain Don’s Reef
  12. LSouth Bay
  13. MHands Off
  14. NForest
  15. OSouth West Corner
  16. PMunk’s Haven
  17. QTwixt
  18. RSharon’s Serenity
  19. SVallerie’s Hill
  20. TMi Dushi
  21. UYellow Man
  22. VCarl’s Hill
  23. WEbo’s Special
  24. XLeonora’s Reef
  25. YKnife
  26. ZSampler

The site map works offline and prints. Satellite is interactive: zoom and drag, and tap or hover a pin for its name (it needs an internet connection). Positions are approximate. Numbers follow STINAPA’s dive-site map. Sites 1–10 are closed because of coral disease (InfoBonaire 2022, 2023); closures change, so check with STINAPA or your dive shop. Positions: OpenStreetMap, and STINAPA’s map for the sites OpenStreetMap doesn’t have (11, 12, 14, 15, 19, 21, 24, 25, 39 and all of Klein Bonaire). Coastline © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Choose your dive

Six field pages, with where and when to look for each species and links to go deeper.

Honeycomb cowfishFish41 reef fish and the lionfishHorse-eye jacks and bigeye scadRays & big fishTarpon, eagle rays and dolphinsSquat anemone shrimpMacroFrogfish, seahorses and jawfishHawksbill turtleTurtlesThree species nest hereSponges, crinoids and corals on the Windjammer wreckCoralsDisease, restoration and spawningMagnificent frigatebirdBirdsFlamingos, parrots and seabirds

When to go for what

Pick a month to see what is at its peak. Bonaire is dived all year. The water is about 26 °C in February and March and about 28 °C in September and October (bonaire.com); another source gives 26–30 °C (Wikipedia). Visibility is typically 15–30 m. The short rainy season runs from October to January, and February to June is driest (bonaire.com). Bonaire lies outside the main hurricane belt but is occasionally affected (Wikipedia; bonaire.com).

Peak Feb–Jun

Spotted eagle rays

Seen all year, but best from February to June; Red Slave at the southern tip is the top site (bonaire.com).

Peak Mar–Jul

Flamingos nesting

The main breeding season at Pekelmeer runs from March to mid-July, after courtship in December (bonaire.com).

Peak Apr–Oct

Tarpon at night

Tarpon are on Bonaire’s reefs all year, most often from April to October, hunting by divers’ lights at night (bonaire.com).

Turtles nesting
Peak May–Oct

Turtles nesting

Green, hawksbill and loggerhead turtles nest from May to October, and hatchlings emerge until December or January (bonaire.com).

Peak Jul–Oct

Coral spawning

In 2026 the main windows are 29 July–7 August, 27 August–5 September and 26 September–5 October, in the evenings after the full moon (RRFB 2026 spawning calendar).

Peak Dec–Mar

Humpback whales

Humpbacks pass mainly from December to March, with a smaller window in April and May (bonaire.com).

Background photo: Megan Applegate (bigeye scad, Bonaire)

Six to know by sight

Six animals divers and visitors meet on Bonaire, with the mark that gives each away. The species pages have the full notes and sources.

Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
Plate I

Hawksbill turtle

Eretmochelys imbricata
Look for
A pointed, beak-like head and overlapping shell plates.
At Bonaire
On the reefs all year; nests mainly on Klein Bonaire.
Plate II

Atlantic tarpon

Megalops atlanticus
Look for
Big, coin-like silver scales and a jutting lower jaw.
At Bonaire
Hunting by dive light on night dives at Salt Pier and Bari Reef.
Plate III

Longlure frogfish

Antennarius multiocellatus
Look for
A round, sponge-coloured body, a huge upturned mouth and a lure on the snout.
At Bonaire
Something Special, Bari Reef and many other shore sites.
Honeycomb cowfish (Acanthostracion polygonius)
Plate IV

Honeycomb cowfish

Acanthostracion polygonius
Look for
A boxfish patterned with dark-edged hexagons, with two spines above the eyes.
At Bonaire
On the reef; photographed on Bonaire in December 2024.
Squat anemone shrimp (Thor amboinensis)
Plate V

Squat anemone shrimp

Thor amboinensis
Look for
About 13 mm, brown with blue-edged white patches, tail held over its head.
At Bonaire
On giant anemones; see the Macro page.
Plate VI

Caribbean flamingo

Phoenicopterus ruber
Look for
Pink to crimson, 1.2–1.4 m tall, with a bent bill.
At Bonaire
The salt pans in the south and Gotomeer in the north.

Open the Fish page →

What divers report, site by site

From STINAPA, bonaire.com, Scuba Diving and Wikipedia. Individual dives vary.

Salt Pier

Concrete pilings covered in sponges and coral, with schooling fish, tarpon and barracuda, 3–30 m. Needs the harbour master’s permission and a guide.

Source: bonaire.com; Scuba Diving
Bari Reef

A shore dive at 9–30 m with more fish species recorded than any other single reef in the Caribbean in 2004.

Source: InfoBonaire; Scuba Diving 2004
Hilma Hooker

A freighter about 72 m long lying in about 30 m, sunk on 12 September 1984 after it was seized carrying 25,000 lb of marijuana.

Source: Wikipedia
1000 Steps

A staircase down to a ledge and a reef slope from 3 to 40 m, with turtles and eagle rays.

Source: bonaire.com
Oil Slick Leap

Enter by ladder or by jumping about 2.5 m; schools of barracuda; 6–25 m.

Source: bonaire.com
Windsock

A beginner-friendly plateau by the airport, leading to a wall from 18 m, with eagle rays and nurse sharks.

Source: bonaire.com
Red Slave

At the southern tip, by the 1850 slave huts: eagle rays, but strong, changeable currents; for advanced divers.

Source: bonaire.com
Klein Bonaire

The uninhabited island 800 m offshore, dived by boat: No Name at 8–25 m, and Forest with black coral and orange elephant-ear sponges.

Source: STINAPA; bonaire.com; Scuba Diving
East coast

Rougher water, dived by inflatable boat on guided drift dives, with eagle rays, stingrays, turtles and green morays.

Source: bonaire.com

Closed sites

Because of coral disease, Karpata and La Dania’s Leap were closed in July 2022 (InfoBonaire 2022), and from May 2023 all sites north of Karpata, including Washington Slagbaai, were closed (InfoBonaire 2023). Two marine reserves are closed to all diving (STINAPA). Closures change, so check with STINAPA or your dive shop.

Photos

Photos marked “Megan Applegate” were taken on Bonaire in December 2024, except a few species she photographed in Palau or at Socorro, which are labelled with the place. The others are credited reference photos, and species without a photo show “Photo to come” or link to photos online.

Background photo: Megan Applegate (Hilma Hooker, Bonaire)

More information

Every link opens in a new tab. Each species page cites its own sources as well.