DIVE BONAIRE DIVE TRAVEL GUIDE f Greenpeace ever decided to branch out into the dive resort business, they would probably want to use the Dutch protectorate of Bonaire for their model of how to do it right. It's not 100% perfect but there are no shark feeders here, nor cruise ships nor much of the rest of the ugly mass tourism clap-trap so common in the rest of the Caribbean. The small, sparsely populated island (13,000) is a marine sanctuary and Bonaire dive travellers are required to pack out everything they bring including camera and underwater light batteries.
Way back in the 70s, long before the dive industry finally woke up to the negative impact divers were having on fragile marine ecosystems, Bonaire established the Bonaire Marine Park, which protects all of its marine habitat (including a small islet called Klein Bonaire) from the high tide mark to a depth of 60m/200ft. At the same time, other parks and bird sanctuaries were established to protect much of the island from developers. Most recently, Bonaire finally closed a deal to buy (and protect) Klein Bonaire from developers for about USD$5m, most of which will come from the government of the Netherlands. How good is the diving? If you're looking for a lower spine-tingling rush with big predators, go elsewhere. But if you prefer to stimulate that part of the human anatomy that resides above the spine, if you relish the opportunity to observe and study the rich diversity of a healthy, thriving marine ecosystem, the pristine reefs surrounding Bonaire will mesmerize you with more marine species than any other dive destination in the Caribbean. Most of Bonaire's 80+ dive sites are accessible from the beach and many divers simply rent a car and follow the road to yellow stone markers that identify shore diving sites. If you are less than enthusiastic about lugging heavy tanks and weight belts up and down rocky beaches, you can dive off day charter boats. It's more expensive but a lot more comfortable. Click image to enlarge map |
Facts about Bonaire- Area: 285 sq km
- Population: 13,000
- People: African descent (95%), Carib Indian, European
- Language: Dutch, Papiamento, English, Spanish; Castilian
- Literacy: 70.3% total, 70.3% male, 70.3% female
- Religion: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish
- Government: autonomous state within the Kingdom of the Netherlands
- GDP: US$2.4 billion
- GDP per capita: US$11,500
- Inflation: 3.3%
- Major Industries: Tourism, petroleum refining, shipping, salt production
- Major Trading Partners: Netherlands Antilles, Aruba, US, Honduras
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