Bonaire is an absolute dream for anyone who loves exploring underwater. It is famous for having some of the best shore diving anywhere, meaning you can pretty much walk into the water from the beach and start your adventure. I can tell you, the variety of life I saw underwater here was incredible. Over 350 species of fish and 57 types of coral have been counted, and that’s just the start. You can expect to see turtles, barracuda, seahorses, and so many colorful angelfish. The great thing about Bonaire is that the diving is good year-round. It sits below the hurricane belt, so most storms miss it, although from June to November the occasional one might pass through.
Exploring Bonaire’s Famous Dive Spots
One Thousand Steps
This spot is a classic Bonaire dive. Reaching it involves descending 67 steps, which honestly feel like a thousand when you’re climbing back up, especially after a dive. But it is absolutely worth the effort. The dive site itself goes from about 20 to 100 feet deep. You’ll see a lot of large star corals here, which create great hiding places for all sorts of marine creatures. Besides the healthy corals and sponges, keep an eye on the deeper water. Rumor has it manta rays and whale sharks have been spotted, and I had a good chance of seeing hawksbill turtles.
If the steps are a bit much for you, or you just want a relaxed experience, One Thousand Steps is also fantastic for snorkeling. However, I found that because of the challenging walk, it’s often a bit quieter than other spots, which is a nice bonus for divers.
Karpata Reef
You really shouldn’t leave Bonaire without checking out Karpata. Located on the north side of the island, this dive site goes from 22 to 120 feet deep and is packed with marine life. It has a gentle, steady current that helps keep the corals healthy and growing, with beautiful gorgonians lining the reef wall.
I saw everything from green moray eels and blue tangs to lobsters and a whole school of midnight and rainbow parrotfish. Unfortunately, you will also see invasive lionfish here, which have become a sad sight across the Caribbean. The visibility is usually excellent at all depths, making Karpata a good choice for snorkelers too. Just be mindful of the waves; entering and exiting can be a bit tricky, so you need to time it right and be careful.
Bari Reef
Bari Reef is truly legendary, and it feels like one of the best in the entire Caribbean. It holds the record for the most fish diversity, with over 300 species documented. My dives here were teeming with life – from octopuses and seahorses to countless colorful reef fish. There’s also a wide variety of corals and sponges.
The depth ranges from 30 to 100 feet, so it suits all levels of divers. I usually spent most of my time around 50 to 60 feet. As you reach the end of your dive, there’s an area with broken shells and rubble that’s perfect for spotting shy creatures. Photographers and muck diving enthusiasts will have a field day here! Missing Bari Reef would be like going to Paris and skipping the Eiffel Tower – you just can’t do it.
The Hilma Hooker Wreck
This wreck is one of the most famous in the Caribbean, and it definitely deserves a spot on your Bonaire diving list. The ship, originally named the Midsland, sank off the south coast in 1984. The 236-foot vessel rests on its side at about 100 feet deep, with its highest point around 60 feet.
After nearly 40 years underwater, the wreck is a magnet for marine life. It’s covered in sponges and algae, and I saw eels, wrasses, and many other fish. Peeking into the air shafts and wheelhouse, I often spotted large schools of barracuda and tarpon hanging out there. If you have the right wreck diving certification, exploring the wreck itself is a fascinating experience. Given the depth, with most of your dive below 66 feet, diving with nitrox is definitely recommended.
Something Special
As the name suggests, this dive site is truly something special, though it might not look like it at first glance. When you descend, the corals can seem a bit sparse, and you might even spot some trash like old tires. Before you decide to move on, take a closer look. If you’re into muck diving or macro photography, you’ll find yourself in heaven here.
This spot is home to so many elusive creatures. I often encountered multiple frogfish, and it’s also a great place to see seahorses, trunkfish, drumfish, and blennies. Photographers could easily spend hours here capturing shots of all the tiny critters. It’s not just for the small stuff, though; I also saw turtles and eagle rays in the shallower areas. While it’s excellent during the day, it’s phenomenal at night. The site truly comes alive after sunset with an enormous number of crabs, lobsters, moray eels, and octopuses. A dive or two at Something Special is a must for any Bonaire trip to make it truly memorable.
My time diving in Bonaire in 2026 was unforgettable. The ease of shore diving meant Michael and I could be flexible with our dives, fitting them in around Lily and Ethan’s energy levels. Even though the kids were too young for some of the deeper dives, they loved snorkeling at the shallow reef entrances, pointing out colorful fish from the surface. I can’t wait to go back.