Just finished an 8-day trip (at airport in Houston, TX, waiting for a flight right now) in Bonaire. Dove a range of sites - 1,000 Steps, Oil Slick Leap, Andrea I & II, The Cliff, Bari Reef (multiple times; house reef at Sand Dollar Condo.s), Something Special (thanks to the Reef Seekers Guide finally clueing me into how to get there and dive it! Good book!), Windsock, Bachelors Beach, Hilma Hooker, Angel City, Alice in Wonderland, Salt Pier, Margate Bay and Sweet Dreams (a far southern site, shortly before you hit Red Slave) off the top of my head.
Out of all that, Sweet Dreams was the winner for strikingly lush reef (a lot of gorgonian growth), with Margate Bay a close second. Looks like the far southern sites rock, but you need to be mindful of the potential for current down there.
By the way, as I sit typing this wearing a number of band aids on various abrasions, a few observations:
1) Entry/Exit sites that look easy may not be. Windsock by the pier looks easy, but a little ways out there is some rocky structure sticking up concealed by silt or some such so it blends very well with the sand till you're on it. Head out/in facing it, you can clobber your knee. Back swim out at the surface and you can run your legs into it by surprise.
2.) Angel City, which has a nice double reef, shows that step off ridge at shore can be bad news. Did 2 dives there. Coming out the first time, waves and I forget what all happened and I got knocked down twice. Finally got out. So, brainiac move, I went in again (figuring at least I 'knew' it a little better now, so might have better odds than moving to a different site; some of the waves were concerning but not huge or constant). I stepped on a big piece of mobile rubble, it went out from under my foot, I went down like a ton of bricks, the waves rolled me around on top of my camera and jammed my hand up in a crevice (great time to reminisce about how urchins are in a lot of holes in this region, but I was blessed not to get spined), and I stood realizing my fins were wrested away in the struggle. They washed ashore! Was blessed to get them back; a nice lady brought me one, the other washed back out to me.
I've changed my stance on a couple of key issues. Years ago, I didn't bother with a wet suit in Bonaire. This trip I wore a shorty most days, and a lycra dive skin (for sun protection & some abrasion resistance) every day, and I think full suit style protection is a DANDY idea. But I only buy front zip these days.
Also thought a compass was redundant in Bonaire. I've been using one a lot heading back across those long, sandy swim outs (not easy since my Cobalt 2's emotive display is hard to see in bright light).
And I think medium-sole boots are the minimum I'd recommend. I knew the iron shore was ragged around Oil Slick Leap, but was surprised at how rough and uncomfortable the steps at 1,000 Steps could be, and just walking around on dead coral pellets & the rocky iron shore elsewhere. I wear a size 15 so my options are a bit limited.
In summary, the far southern sites were better, wave action seemed greater to the south, and a 'good' dive site is one you can walk away from without too much damage! Had a good time, but learned a few things.
Richard.
P.S.: If you're on island and ever wanted to see those parrots native to Bonaire? At Sand Dollar Condo.s right now, in front of the front office, there's a small tree/huge bush with little black berries and some have been gathering there late afternoon/early evening. They're a little shy, but it's a good place to snag a photo.
