Best Dives in Bonaire and Aruba

[DiveEnthusiast]

My girlfriend and I are taking a dive trip to Bonaire and Aruba in October. We will be in Bonaire for 5 days and Aruba for 6 days. We were wondering which dives are the "must see" dives at these beautiful places. Any input would be great!! Thanks

 

[Kharon]

On Bonaire I'd vote for Tori's Reef for the extremely easy entry. Good going either north or south. Saw turtles there almost every time. Also, Angel City for the double reef. Sites to the north end of the island are more hard corral and to the south more soft corral and sponges. Higher fish density to the south as well.

 

[uncfnp]

I am sure others will give you better info on Aruba. I have dove there only once and I can not recommend the dive operator. Of the sites, we like Antilla wreck best. Expect the site to be crowded. The rest of the sites were OK. I can check my log book this evening and give you more specifics if no one else posts. My main advice on Aruba would to be to do a few dives but there is a lot of other things worth doing on Aruba as well (ok this is a dive forum I know so please don't shoot me!) We loved the ATV ride (unguided) to the north side of the island. Sunset cruise (booze cruise) great fun. We even enjoyed visiting the caves. We even liked the horseback riding but I know others will argue animal cruelty (the horses we rode seemed well cared for but I don't know much about horses).

On Bonaire, its all about the diving. A search on SB will give you diverse recommendations but in 5 days you can get in a lot of diving. My recommendation, do some north and south side dives.

There is lots of other great advice on SB of other things to know to make diving in Bonaire better, like hard-soled dive boots and bug spray. But if you can't find it, just ask. Most of us that's been to Bonaire love to talk about!

 

[greenliger]

Bonaire

In the North:
Boka Bartol
Boka Slagbaai

Mid:
Karpata
Oil Slick

South:
THE HOOKER
Night Dive on the Salt Pier
(I'd say these two are at the top of the list)


Also liked going over to Klein to change things up a bit.

 

[diversteve]

mostly N->S
Rappel (boat only)
Karpata
Cliff
Bari Reef

Forest off Klein Bonaire

Angel City
Invisibles
Salt Pier
Vista Blue

 

[TXreefer]

mostly N->S
Rappel (boat only)
Karpata
Cliff
Bari Reef

Forest off Klein Bonaire

Angel City
Invisibles
Salt Pier
Vista Blue

These are mine too. Throw in Windsock, but go on a non-weekend because its a local hangout beach.

Also I wouldn't waste my precious time going to the northern sites in the Nat park. It takes all day to do a couple of dives and conditions can be sketchy. The first time we drove up, we didn't get to make a dive wasting half a diving day. The drive/landscape is nice though if you are waiting on SI.

 

[uncfnp]

Here is a link (if this works) for some good Bonaire info:

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/abc-islands/443482-general-questions-first-timer-bonaire.html

The northern park dives are very good (Not Boka Slagaai or we just went in the wrong direction...a lot of dead reef) but I loved Bise Morto (tough entry). The park road was horrible when we were there, full of ruts and gullies, and the two dives ate up most of the day. We plan to try the Buddy Dive 3 tank dive trip next visit instead, the only boat trip we will do.

I would add a night dive on Bari reef and a dive on Margate Bay south end.

 

[drrich2]

Can only speak to Bonaire. If we knew what resort you were staying at, we might could comment on the house reef. Now, of the general west coast sites, roughly north to south, focusing on those that are 'distinctive' and well-recognized:

Karpata - more lush reef than some other sites.

Karpata requires you to hit the 1 way portion of the road, committing you to a long round-about trip home, so also hit Ol'Blue (Tolo), a nice overall dive with good entry/exit, that's also up that way, when you head for Karpata.

1,000 Steps - 60 somethings steps down & later up, yeah you feel the burn, but the stair case is scenic, it's a nice place for photos, and one of those sites that has strong name recognition.

Oil Slick Leap - it's a nice site where I've seen neat stuff and had fun dives, but this big giant stride where you drop probably 6 feet to hit the water is the signature aspect of it.

The Cliff - a shallow vertical wall. It's not so obvious where it's at off the main road; a bit north of Buddy Dive & Captain Don's Habitat.

The Hilma Hooker - you'll probably get 70 to 90 feet deep swinging around the wreck (look for tarpon on the far side of it), but it's perhaps the most recognized Bonaire dive site, a pretty big wreck and a chance to something big (tarpon) if you haven't seen anything at all big anywhere else. Dive does tend to run a bit deep; wouldn't make it my first dive of the day. Particularly if diving air rather than nitrox, watch your NDLs.

Windsock - nice shore dive with a very large wooden pier & easy entry/exit. I like it because I can go in & get out beside the pier, making where to come back & exit real obvious, even at night.

There are plenty of other good sites I like; Andrea I & II, Buddy's Reef, Angel City, Alice in Wonderland, Sweet Dreams...but the ones I listed (plus perhaps Salt Pier; though whether entry is allowed has been argued; I can tell you people dove there last August!) would give you an intro. to the mainstream sites, some of the ones people are most likely to ask 'Did you go to...'

Richard.

 

[DiveEnthusiast]

Thank You for all of your replies as they are all helping us plan our trip!! We still have not booked where we are staying.However we're debating Eden Resort and diving with wannadive as they have multiple places to get air and wash gear on the island, or Buddy Dive resort. We have our AOW and nitrox certs. Any and all input is great and Thanks Again!!!

 

[TXreefer]

I always stay at Buddy. It's in the middle of the island. Easy package with truck and drive thru tank fill station. And the best brick oven pizza next door at capt don's!!