What are the "Can't Miss" dive sites in Bonaire?

[diversteve]

Not exactly true, of course...

Somewhere I saw a picture of someone doing that. It's the climb back out that's the killer.
Of course I passed on 1000 Steps for the same reason...

 

[herman]

North- 1000 Steps, Old Blue and Oil Slick and Oil Slick (I like Oil Slick )
South- Hilma Hooker, Alice In Wonderland.

 

[kmcneer]

Im supprized that I have not seen the site that most of us know as one of the best sites to see Eagle Rays. Also one of the best unique sites to dive. May be not everyone knows like I thought since I have only been 3 or 4 times. PM me and I will fill you in to keep croweds down. I am sure this will draw some interest from people that have probley even dove there themselves. But I have always thought it one hell of a dive with some big fish.

May be Im lucky!!!!
I hope so.

 

[I'm a Dork Fish]

kmcneer I'm interested!!! DO TELL!

 

[I'm a Dork Fish]

This is the "votes" so far...

Copy, paste, add a "+" or the site

Oil Slick +1
Bari reef +1
Bachelor
The Lake
Alice in Wonderland +1
Angel City +2
1000 steps +2
Ol' Blue +2
Karpata +1
Invisibles
Witch's Hut
Jeff Davis
Margate Bay
Red Slave
Hilma Hooker +1
Rappel
Forest
Hands Off
Salt Pier
Vista Blue

 

[Kydonia]

Slick
Hooker
Hut

 

[RJP]

What are the "CAN'T MISS" dive sites around the island?

Better way to look at it might be to realize that there aren't any "DON'T BOTHER" sites in Bonaire.

All the ones that are listed in the posts above are great, but don't go to Bonaire all wrapped up in a plan to hit certain sites, in a certain order, on certain days, etc. All the advanced planning you really need can be done over breakfast with a simple "so...where to first?" discussion with your buddy.

A couple things that I didn't know or have a specific appreciation for before going. Understanding these things will help in planning a bit...

• The island is tiny; a lot smaller than you think. You can get from pretty much any one site to any other site in much less time than your surface interval. (with caveats below)
• The sites are for the most part all immediately adjacent to each other. Almost no reason to finish a dive at one site and then dive the one right next to it right after. Next day, next week, that night? Sure. Right after? Nope.
• Heading up north, the shore road switches to "One Way" northbound. (Forget exactly where.) So for instance you can't dive Karpata and then 1,000 Steps without going around through Rincon, most of the way back down into town, and coming back up around the shore road again. Of course doing 1,000 Steps and then Karpata is no problem at all.
• The road in the park is essentially an unpaved donkey path, and runs "One Way" in a counterclockwise direction. It will take 2+ hours to get from the park entrance all the way around/through the park and back to the exit - without counting dive-time. Running back to town for more tanks or a snack isn't an option. Bring 3-4 tanks EACH, and pack lunch/drinks. The park IS worth doing!
• You will become spoiled pretty quickly in terms of having most sites "all to yourself." Accordingly, when you pull up to whatever site you have "next" on your plan and find a single pickup sitting there...you and your buddy will give each other that "I-can't-deal-with-the-crowd, let's-go-somewhere-else" look and keep driving.

All that said, my "CAN'T MISS" sites would be...

- Red Slave
- Town Pier at night
- Hilma Hooker at 7am (first on the wreck=perfect viz)
- Karpata at 4:30pm
- 1,000 Steps early in the day (for the obvious reason)
- Oil Slick Leap mid-afternoon
- Bari's Reef in the early morning
- Hilma Hooker at night
- Wherever on the "Wild Side" Larry is going that morning
- The Park: Boca Bartol, Playa Bengi, Bise Morto (be at entrance at 8am)
- House reef wherever you're staying any night you have no other dive planned!

 

[Mountain Dog]

• You will become spoiled pretty quickly in terms of having most sites "all to yourself." Accordingly, when you pull up to whatever site you have "next" on your plan and find a single pickup sitting there...you and your buddy will give each other that "I-can't-deal-with-the-crowd, let's-go-somewhere-else" look and keep driving.

So true! Nothing beats having a reef like Invisibles all to yourself. I have been to dozens of reefs on Bonaire, many of them numerous times, and I can't single any out as favorites. Here is my list of "unfavorites": None.

Deciding which site to do next is really more dependent upon your schedule. For example, do that dawn dive at your hotel house reef. That way you don't have to drive anywhere to get wet first thing. Have breakfast where you're staying. Do another house reef dive. Load up the tanks and drive to a site near town. Dive. Get lunch in town. Dive a site just outside town. Drive to a distant site (north or south, take your pick) and dive. Eat dinner. Do a night dive at the house reef or somewhere close by. Crash. Get up early and do it again.

Mountain Dog

 

[miller2440]

Invisibile!!! It has an incredible double-reef system! For a night dive, try the town pier. (You're supposed to hire a local dive master to escort you.) There are lots of seahorses!

 

[Martha]

You will become spoiled pretty quickly in terms of having most sites "all to yourself." Accordingly, when you pull up to whatever site you have "next" on your plan and find a single pickup sitting there...you and your buddy will give each other that "I-can't-deal-with-the-crowd, let's-go-somewhere-else" look and keep driving.

My husband and I do that all the time. Nice to know we're not the only ones.