what are your top 5 dives spots?

[uncfnp]

If the wind and surf are down, the southern sites are not too bad entries. You may want to avoid them though if the surf is up. The north sites use to be my favorites but the last two trips I really fell in love with the south. Of those, Sweet Dreams is my favorite. Also love Vista Blue. If the kite boarders are not there, the beach at the school goes right into the water making entry super easy but be prepared for sand everywhere. Also love Margate Bay but during our last visit there was too much standing water between the shore and the road to park at the beach so we didn't get to dive it that trip. We could have geared up at the road and walked down but chose not to. Still southern but closer to town is Invisibles, another favorite. In the sand between the reef and shore there are garden eels, usually near the buoy. It's also the site that we most frequently see eagle rays.

Of the northern sites, Bari is a favorite. Make sure to checkout the old foundation that is right at the shore just south of the pier at Den Laman. A little further north is Dive Friends Hamlet and the Cliff. Another fairly easy entry and nice dive. Go south. Still further north is Tolo. There is a significant ledge to the beach but very doable. Karpata has very interesting topography but it is not an easy entry even on the best days.

SOOO jealous!

 

[wwguy]

This question has been asked and answered so many times there should really be a "sticky" thread at the top of the Bonaire forum for it.

Here's 10 previous similar threads with 250+ replies that I found with a quick forum search:

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bo...aire-april-2015-whats-your-fav-dive-site.html
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bonaire/494352-bonaire-site-recommendations-my-first-last-trip.html
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bo...e-shore-dive-site-would-insert-drum-roll.html
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bonaire/454835-bonaire-must-do-dives.html
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bonaire/449303-best-bonaire-dive-sites.html
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bonaire/409119-where-would-you-go.html
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bonaire/268513-what-cant-miss-dive-sites-bonaire.html
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bonaire/354706-top-5-best-dive-sites-bonaire.html
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bonaire/339082-best-dives-bonaire.html
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bonaire/293628-bonaire-advice-sites-places-eat.html

Enjoy your trip!

 

[uncfnp]

This question has been asked and answered so many times there should really be a "sticky" thread at the top of the Bonaire forum for it.

Here's 10 previous similar threads with 250+ replies that I found with a quick forum search:

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bo...aire-april-2015-whats-your-fav-dive-site.html
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bonaire/494352-bonaire-site-recommendations-my-first-last-trip.html
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bo...e-shore-dive-site-would-insert-drum-roll.html
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bonaire/454835-bonaire-must-do-dives.html
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bonaire/449303-best-bonaire-dive-sites.html
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bonaire/409119-where-would-you-go.html
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bonaire/268513-what-cant-miss-dive-sites-bonaire.html
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bonaire/354706-top-5-best-dive-sites-bonaire.html
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bonaire/339082-best-dives-bonaire.html
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bonaire/293628-bonaire-advice-sites-places-eat.html

Enjoy your trip!

But then again we all love another chance to talk about our favorite Bonaire dives!

 

[wwguy]

But then again we all love another chance to talk about our favorite Bonaire dives!

My problem is that they change on almost every trip. I jot little stars next to great dives during each trip and then note my top 5 favorites for the trip in my last log book entry. My top 5 list for every trip is different every year. Just another reason I never get tired of exploring Bonaire's many dive sites.

 

[Lorenzoid]

As for "easy entry" I recommend asking at your dive shop when you do your orientation. What I recommend you ask are which sites have notoriously DIFFICULT entries, and stay away from those. The majority of sites do not have difficult entries. Better yet, buy a copy of the very popular book Bonaire Shore Diving Made Easy, which lists the difficulty level of the entry/exit for each site. Voila.

As for the frequently asked question of "top dive sites," what I usually say in response is that the vast majority of sites are more alike than they are different. Sure, people have favorites, but don't get the idea that you will "miss out" if you do not hit all the sites that people list as favorites. With a few exceptions, like Salt Pier, the sites with the double reef, and maybe a few others, there is nothing to see at one site that you can't see at another site. It is only slight exaggeration to say that after a few days of diving it will all look pretty much the same to you. If you were to take a map of the coast and throw darts at it to pick sites, you'd probably leave Bonaire having had the same experience as every other diver. So relax and don't fret about "top dive sites."

 

[Reidkon]

On the other hand, perhaps you have a short memory and every dive is "new" to you each time you do it!

My problem is that they change on almost every trip. I jot little stars next to great dives during each trip and then note my top 5 favorites for the trip in my last log book entry. My top 5 list for every trip is different every year. Just another reason I never get tired of exploring Bonaire's many dive sites.

 

[uncfnp]

My problem is that they change on almost every trip. I jot little stars next to great dives during each trip and then note my top 5 favorites for the trip in my last log book entry. My top 5 list for every trip is different every year. Just another reason I never get tired of exploring Bonaire's many dive sites.

...//...

As for the frequently asked question of "top dive sites," what I usually say in response is that the vast majority of sites are more alike than they are different. Sure, people have favorites, but don't get the idea that you will "miss out" if you do not hit all the sites that people list as favorites. With a few exceptions, like Salt Pier, the sites with the double reef, and maybe a few others, there is nothing to see at one site that you can't see at another site. It is only slight exaggeration to say that after a few days of diving it will all look pretty much the same to you. If you were to take a map of the coast and throw darts at it to pick sites, you'd probably leave Bonaire having had the same experience as every other diver. So relax and don't fret about "top dive sites."

There's a lot of truth to both of these statements. In fact, as with most diving, the same site can vary day to day, even hour to hour. And yet, one sees a consistence in the dives listed on these threads. For me, a dive site on Bonaire is a "favorite" based on the usual suspects spotted there, the types and variety of corals and their health, the typical ease of entry and the topography.

And sometimes the number of other trucks NOT parked there...

 

[gbf]

1. Tolo/Ole Blue
2. Karpata
3. Tori's Reef
4. Vista Blue
5. Red Slave

This is a pretty good list right here, though I would drop karpata and add nukove/candyland.

do vista blue early to avoid kite boarders, and be aware of current at red slave.

 

[hroark2112]

nukove is an awesome site, but a bitch of a drive and a worse entry!!

Last trip I was able to do Willenstorem Lighthouse for the first time. Loved that dive, wish I could hit it every time!!

 

[wildbill9]

I really enjoy all the input and bantering....thanks! We have copies of bsme and have been making notes based on replies. I am sorry if I offended anyone for not doing a search, we are so excited I just posted away. Wifey told me I was crazy to be planning a return trip even before we took our maiden voyage! Keep them coming we really are listening Bill