Bonaire Snorkeling – Yes, It’s Beautiful!
An excellent way to reach the islands stunning coral reefs is to snorkel in Bonaire. Teaming with fish some of the best Bonaire snorkeling spots are just steps from the shore. Everyone knows this island for the fantastic diving as covered in our previous post. But what else can this little paradise offer?
While skimming along the surface, it is common place to spot a famous local, the colorful eel. Free swimming across the sandy white sea floor. Huge schools of Blue Tangs mingle at the edge of the shallows. A few kicks further and we near the drop where the ocean floor falls into the blue abyss. This islands’ coral formations rival some of the planet’s top dive sites. Let us introduce you to Bonaire, the jewel of the Dutch Caribbean. Some of the world’s best snorkeling.
Do you enjoy our images & videos with the island critters? You should see our best diving photos from the trip! »
Bonaire, Why We Love It
This island a perfect place to wake up early for one of our snorkel adventures. Just walk out to your resort’s house reef. In the bright blue with just your mask and fins, you’ll find your ocean connection. Drifting over the reefs can be an ethereal experience. No bubbles, no noise, just the peaceful silence. You, and the fishy locals.
On our most recent trip, we stayed with Captain Don’s Habitat. The resort’s reef is just a short walk from the rooms. The resort’s dive operation is on site. Here anyone can rent gear. We loved exploring the resort’s pier where tons of fish make their home. Each morning we saw the cutest gobies right off the end of the pier.
With the spectacular coral reefs are so close to the shoreline, exploring is easy. Visiting a reef from the surface is an entirely different experience. Plus you will get a great variety of sea life photos.
Tips for Snorkeling
Most sites are also ideal for various experience levels. In many of the nicer areas the water is shallow and the ocean is usually beautiful. The island has designated all waters around the island as protected marine area. The coral seems much healthier here than other places we have explored. Healthy reefs are why we found such a variety of beautiful fish. Vacationers will most always have exceptional conditions for photography. Our choice of sea life subjects seemed endless. So when packing your gear don’t forget your camera.
Be sure to splurge a little and rent a small truck. Having a vehicle at your disposal will give you 24-hour access to the entire island. With a vehicle, you can grab your gear and an island site map and head out for some fantastic adventures. So get out there and explore paradise, the ocean will reward you.
Huge thanks to the Tourism Board for providing our trip and to all the locals who made our trip so welcoming. The diving we fantastic and the snorkeling was an incredible surprise. We can’t wait to return Bonaire!
