Snorkeling Bonaire
Extra Tips
Here we share some snorkeling Bonaire tips that go beyond our main Bonaire snorkeling page. We include all of the information below plus much more in our Bonaire Snorkeling Guide eBook.
Snorkeling Bonaire - Shore Entrance Conditions
You won't find any sandy beaches to speak of on Bonaire (the little island Klein Bonaire is the exception). Nearly all of the entrances are over hard, dead coral shelves, coral rubble and rock. That presents it's own challenge. The footing can be uneven, and it is most certainly hard and sharp. So you have to have some form of footwear. We wore flip flops into the water, and then put our fins on once we had some depth. We made custom belts with straps to hold our flip flops (more detail about this in our upcoming PDF guide). You could also wear aqua socks.
Snorkeling Bonaire - Bonaire's Physical Shape & Winds Make Unique Snorkeling
Unlike many Caribbean snorkeling destinations that have their fringing reefs facing the open ocean and winds (like Belize and Florida), Bonaire offers some uniquely protected snorkeling. Bonaire is shaped like a crescent, with it's inner curve facing to the west.
The prevalent trade winds blow from the east (see map at right). The east side of Bonaire is rough and dangerous, and you don't get in the water there. But the inner curve of the west side of Bonaire is very protected from the wind and waves. So even though the trade winds commonly blow 20 knots or more, the waters on the leeward side (west side) close to shore are often fairly calm, which makes snorkeling a pleasure. And the winds offer some much needed cooling on this hot Caribbean island.
Because the snorkeling is all on the leeward side of the island, there is less water flow and currents than many other Caribbean reefs. For that reason you will not see many of the larger fish species when snorkeling in Bonaire. It still has a nice variety and number of fish, but you tend to encounter smaller species. The turtles are small, there are few rays, and very rarely are sharks seen (we have never seen one in Bonaire).
Snorkeling Bonaire - Water Temperatures
When snorkeling Bonaire you will find yourself in some really warm waters. Bonaire is about as close to the equator as you can get on a Caribbean island, and the water stays very warm. Generally in the winter, from December through March, the water temperatures are just below 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and it can get as high as 84 degrees in the summer from April to November. You can stay in the water snorkeling for a long time without getting a chill.
Snorkeling Bonaire - Visibility & Water Clarity
We experienced some pretty exceptional water clarity almost everywhere on Bonaire. Generally you can see from 85 to 150 feet. It is so clear most everywhere that we almost started to take it for granted, until we occasionally got into some slightly cloudy waters.
Snorkeling Bonaire at Night
We did our first night snorkel in Bonaire and loved it. And after thinking about it we feel that Bonaire is a wonderful place to give night snorkeling a try, and another try after that! Snorkeling at night is kind of freaky because it is dark and you are carrying only a flashlight. But you can night snorkel all along the shoreline in front of the city, with all of the city lights illuminating the area around you a bit. This takes a little bit of the edge off a night snorkel. In one night snorkel we saw three octopus, more lobsters than we could count, and some amazing little shrimp with super bright glowing eyes. At night you can also see the corals "bloom", sending their feeders out, which mostly never happens during the day.
Snorkeling Bonaire - City Front
You can get in the water almost anywhere in Bonaire and see some nice fish. Even after driving all over the island and snorkeling for most of the day, right around sunset we still liked to walk down to the water in town in front of all the hotels, and snorkel close to sunset.
The snorkeling is generally not great in front of the city, with mostly rocks and fish. And you have to be very aware of boat traffic.
But as the light starts to get lower, if you stay very close to shore, most often you can see tons of eels start to emerge. It was not unusual to see three eels in one spot.
Snorkeling in front of the city can be fun simply because there is not as much to see. It makes you focus on the smaller things. It is also interesting to see how the corals and fishes start to use the man made objects for homes.
See the pictures below for some of the interesting sights you can see in front of the city. The first picture is of a Peacock Flounder on a big cement mooring buoy. And the second picture Nicole took of me taking the first picture.
The locals have used lots of old engine blocks for mooring pins for their small fishing boats. Below you can see the habitat forming on one of these blocks.
Renting Snorkel Equipment in Bonaire
Generally we recommend bringing your own equipment, because unless you only plan on using it a day or two it just starts to make economic sense.
On average you are going to spend $20 a day renting gear that is not the best. Just one week would pay for some really good snorkel gear you could use for the next ten years.
And you will get a better fit buying your own gear. Just make sure it will fit in your suitcase.
Get Polarized Sunglasses
These are essential. Polarized sunglasses cut the glare on water, and will allow you to see down into the water. This is great for seeing what a snorkeling locations looks like as you are scouting for your next spot to get in the water. I use a polarizing filter on my camera also, to get better pictures of what the snorkeling looks like.
Learn about tours and guides when Snorkeling in Bonaire
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