Hello all, I am traveling to Bonaire during the week of March 26 for the first time. Very excited to be visiting. My question is I have only 4 days to dive. Which dive sites would you recommend for the first time visitor and we are both open water certified diver, a novice to intermediate experience level. I would like to see at least a turtle and may be sting rays/manta rays and dolphins if possible. I would appreciate your advice.

Hi Meehyun,

I think everyone that weighs in will have a different favorite. Turtles and sting rays are possible at most sites. Dolphins are infrequent and I'm not sure Manta's come into Bonaire waters at all. I've dived in Florida for 20 years and only twice have I seen Manta's, only once in the water.

Anyhow, my favorite dives are on Klein Bonaire, very spectacular coral and fish. Karpata, O'l Blue and Thousand steps are my favorite shore dives.

Kevin

Meehyun, on Klein Bonaire I like Joanne's Sunchi and on a night dive at Salt Pier we saw two eagle rays.

Hi Meehyun,

My favorite dive sites are Oil Slick Leap, The Invisibles, Karpata, and definitely Margate Bay (very beautiful soft coral formations). I also love Red Slave but, I don't know if I'd recommend it for a first time visitor.....depends on the conditions.

Renea

Karpata, La machaca, Rappel, webers joy, andreas bloodlet, old blue, Red Beryl. Rock Pile and hands off on Klein and thats just the start.

Manta rays are seen occasionally, in Sep 2001 a manta was seen at Karpata and the photo of it won the weekly comp at Capn Don's. Also last year in September - now is that because of the coral spawning?

Here's a shot I took of a Manta at 1000 steps in August of 2000. I hope this works, it will be the first image I've posted.

Meehyun,

We've particularly enjoyed the area of sites around the Hilma Hooker. We saw numerous large tarpon in and around the ship itself as well as turtles and southern stingrays (sorry, no Mantas ).

If you're adventurous for a night dive, hook up with a group going under the town pier. It's a really easy dive and there are some pretty spectacular critters after dark.

Another night dive, maybe not for someone nervous about doing such a thing is the Salt Pier. The list under there included a VERY close encounter with a Spotted Eagle Ray, 2 octopus, a small school of barricuda and numerous others. There is a light out on the pier that allows dim light underneath. It can get a little freaky out there and you need to get permission to dive it (ask through your dive shop), but it is well worth it.

Ditto what Renea said about Red Slave. It's a great dive site, but it's far south and can get a little funky with the currents. We hit it on a day of near dead calm and were treated to a short show by a wild dolphin. If I had the pictures with me here at work I would post them.

Oh, and Lou, thanks for the Manta shot. The only two animals I ever really want to see underwater are a Manta and a Whale Shark... I guess I'll just have to keep looking.

Michael

Thanks everyone for your advice. I really appreciate it!!

Michael,

Would LOVE to see your pictures of the wild dolphin sometime! Please post them if you can!

Renea

Lou

Great shot, I still have not seen a manta or a whale shark. I have my fingers crossed that we will see at least one of these next month in the Maldives.

Lou, how about a few details on that shot? time of day, etc. We'd all like to see some Bonaire mantas.
And congratulations on a very impressive first picture posting.
Seb

Seb

Since my first picture posting worked so well, I get cocky and try to post the entire photo history of the Manta encounter. We, my wife Teressa, my daughter Karen and our dive buddies from many annual trips to Bonaire were doing a shore dive from 1000 steps around early afternoon. We were heading north during the first leg of our dive about 60 or 70 ft when my daugter pointed out the Manta ahead of and below us also heading north. I kicked with all I had to get near enough to get a decent shot. I was shooting all the way in hopes of getting some documentation on this rare occurence. Finally, as I was running out of steam and I knew there was no way I would catch him, I started working my way up to shallower depth, still shooting. At that time he makes a big U-turn coming back toward me and between me and the surface. That's when I got the good shot of his underside.

Lou

Lou,
Thanks for posting your great pictures and information!! What an awesome adventure.
Mary Lou

Lou,
Thanks for posting your great pictures and information!! What an awesome adventure.
Mary Lou

ooops!

Lou,

Thank you for sharing your photographs. I will definitely be diving the 1000 steps- probably as a boat dive. Thank you all for your helpful replies.

Meehyun

we have dove 2 weeks in bonaire, fav sites (not in order): karpata, 1000 steps, the lake,whitches hut, rappel, margat bay, angel city, forest, hands off, alice, hilma.

karpata, ladania's leap, small wall...we've never seen mantas but have seen eagle rays and turtles near the salt pier a few times

Chris, who works at Photo Tours and is Jessie Armacost's hubby, saw a whale shark at Divi Tree today. He was apparently speechless for hours afterwards. The student he had out was thrilled, of course.

Jake

Wow!!! What an awesome sight that must have been!!! Can't imagine....well, yeah, I can imagine!!!