Bonaire National Marine Park
Bonaire National Marine Park
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Popular area that boasts countless dive sites, many reachable from shore, and more than 70 sites with boat moorings.
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Top ways to experience Bonaire National Marine Park
The area
Best nearby
Restaurants
27 within 5 kms
Attractions
23 within 10 kms
See what travelers are saying
- Allen BMuskegon, Michigan1,146 contributionsBeautiful!Absolutely amazing. I pray this marine park stays the way it is, but I fear with tourism on the rise things could change. So many tourists on the beaches and in the water and not many were using reef safe sunscreen or reusable water bottles. You will enjoy your visit here, but think about everybody doing their part to keep it as is.Visited December 2022Written January 2, 2023
- Annette M17 contributionsAwesome experienceDefinitely worth the money and the time to go there. I suggest going with a tour. Going on your own would be fine, but the information we received was top notch. Snorkeling was top notch! be sure to bring comfortable shoes for some difficult terrain.Visited December 2022Written January 3, 2023
- aafryeBoston, Massachusetts5 contributionsExtraordinary--but go preparedStunningly beautiful, dramatic scenery that really can't be experienced elsewhere on Bonaire. They are really NOT kidding about needing a 4x4. Having done it both in a guided tour and on my own I would say if you don't enjoy driving very very slowly on very bad roads the tour is worth it to have someone else take care of it for you. Otoh going on your own you can see more and stay longer. But truly bring lots of water and a spare tire. This is not a jaunt for the careless.Visited February 2022Written January 9, 2023
- Kristine P2 contributionsYou don't want to miss this!What an amazing place. This was one of our favorite parts of Bonaire. You need to plan a full day and pack a lunch or take lots of snacks and drinks. We really enjoyed watching the waves crash against the rugged east side of the island and then seeing the change to clam beautiful waters on the west side. We ate our picnic lunch at Playa Funchi, they have a couple picnic tables and it was fun to watch the lizards run around while we ate. We snorkeled at both Playa Funchi and Wakaya II, we enjoyed both but thought that Wakaya II was definitely the best (you don't want to miss this one for snorkeling and I'm sure diving would be amazing too). They were doing road construction (Jan 2023) so everyone had to do the long route and return to the entrance/exit via the short route. It really wasn't a big deal and would take about 2+ hours without any stops. I recommend arriving early if you want time to snorkel and explore.Visited January 2023Written January 12, 2023
- FranAberdeen, United Kingdom20 contributionsGreat diving - roads need some work!We had 2 dives in the National Park and also went up Brandaris ( different day). The diving was great - lots of Caribbean lobsters and amazing coral. They could do with spending some of the revenue they get on the roads though - truly awful in places!Visited January 2023Written February 3, 2023
- BeachtravelerMadison, Wisconsin60 contributionsGreat but not incredibleBasically, most of the waters around the island are a marine park. That said, the number of visitors has increased exponentially--they have literally gone from 150k in 2012 to 400k in recent non-Covid years. This many people means it is not possible to educate everyone on how to interact in healthy safe ways with the environment. The amount of building that has been done to accommodate this is not helped and the reef quality by the shore has declined quite a bit so I don't think it lives up to its reputation. That said, it's 99% better than most places in the Caribbean, unless they keep up this pace of building and visitors. As a snorkeler, there is a wide variety still of hard and soft corals, invertebrates and fish to be seen, but you have to look to find some kinds in shallower waters. I'm seeing a lot of algae and bleaching in the shallows. I think it may be better for divers. I did see more octopus, eels, and lobsters than other places, probably because of the marine park.Visited February 2023Written March 13, 2023
- Robin K14 contributionsGolf Cart Touring was Awesome and Lots of Water Sports OpportunitiesThis was one of our cruise port stops so we had limited time. We rented golf carts from Bonaire Cruisers - excellent service and a fair price. We only had enough time to take the south loop on the island but the scenery was absolutely breathtaking! It was VERY windy so make sure your hat is secured. There were plenty of places where you could stop and get into the water if you'd like to take a swim or go snorkeling. There were areas for kite-surfing, wind surfing, etc. I could see it would be a destination for people who love water sports. Really no bathrooms or places to stop until we got to the far side of the island. Then we found a great stop over by Lac Bay - Sorobon Resort. They had a nice waterfront bar and restaurant as well as bathrooms. Everyone was stopping there though. We arrived there around 10:30 in the morning when they opened. By the time we left it was packed. I'm looking forward to going back to see the north loop but I might opt for renting an SUV just so we can get around faster and we have plenty of time for stops.Visited February 2023Traveled with friendsWritten April 14, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
1,648 reviews
Excellent
1,348
Very good
223
Average
60
Poor
12
Terrible
5
Vacation273182
1 contribution
Jun 2023 • Friends
Skip, This is all past. Divers have killed the reefs. The locals think the glory days still exist but it's GONE. Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) they had the chance when it first showed up, but blew it thinking it would keep the divers away, well NOW it will.
White bleached-out reefs, if that's what you wish to see, go right ahead.
Dutch Nationals still come, they're proud of their inheritance that they've allowed to die.
Piss-ant attempts at coral restoration perhaps 0.01% of the amount necessary, looks good in the newspapers.
Thanks a lot Bonaire YOUR stewardship has KILLED this formally beautiful place.
White bleached-out reefs, if that's what you wish to see, go right ahead.
Dutch Nationals still come, they're proud of their inheritance that they've allowed to die.
Piss-ant attempts at coral restoration perhaps 0.01% of the amount necessary, looks good in the newspapers.
Thanks a lot Bonaire YOUR stewardship has KILLED this formally beautiful place.
Written 30 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robin K
Washington DC, District of Columbia14 contributions
Feb 2023 • Friends
This was one of our cruise port stops so we had limited time. We rented golf carts from Bonaire Cruisers - excellent service and a fair price. We only had enough time to take the south loop on the island but the scenery was absolutely breathtaking! It was VERY windy so make sure your hat is secured. There were plenty of places where you could stop and get into the water if you'd like to take a swim or go snorkeling. There were areas for kite-surfing, wind surfing, etc. I could see it would be a destination for people who love water sports. Really no bathrooms or places to stop until we got to the far side of the island. Then we found a great stop over by Lac Bay - Sorobon Resort. They had a nice waterfront bar and restaurant as well as bathrooms. Everyone was stopping there though. We arrived there around 10:30 in the morning when they opened. By the time we left it was packed. I'm looking forward to going back to see the north loop but I might opt for renting an SUV just so we can get around faster and we have plenty of time for stops.
Written 14 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Beachtraveler
Madison, WI60 contributions
Feb 2023
Basically, most of the waters around the island are a marine park. That said, the number of visitors has increased exponentially--they have literally gone from 150k in 2012 to 400k in recent non-Covid years. This many people means it is not possible to educate everyone on how to interact in healthy safe ways with the environment. The amount of building that has been done to accommodate this is not helped and the reef quality by the shore has declined quite a bit so I don't think it lives up to its reputation. That said, it's 99% better than most places in the Caribbean, unless they keep up this pace of building and visitors.
As a snorkeler, there is a wide variety still of hard and soft corals, invertebrates and fish to be seen, but you have to look to find some kinds in shallower waters. I'm seeing a lot of algae and bleaching in the shallows. I think it may be better for divers. I did see more octopus, eels, and lobsters than other places, probably because of the marine park.
As a snorkeler, there is a wide variety still of hard and soft corals, invertebrates and fish to be seen, but you have to look to find some kinds in shallower waters. I'm seeing a lot of algae and bleaching in the shallows. I think it may be better for divers. I did see more octopus, eels, and lobsters than other places, probably because of the marine park.
Written 13 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brooke R
6 contributions
Feb 2023
Tons of fish, clear water to 100 feet in most spots, excellent scuba diving - will definitely be back
Written 5 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Trish S
10 contributions
Jan 2023
Healthy reefs, corals and fish diversity. Wonderful experience from a boat or from the shore. A model for the rest of the Caribbean and world to preserve coral reef and ocean ecology.
Written 18 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Fran
Aberdeen, UK20 contributions
Jan 2023
We had 2 dives in the National Park and also went up Brandaris ( different day). The diving was great - lots of Caribbean lobsters and amazing coral. They could do with spending some of the revenue they get on the roads though - truly awful in places!
Written 3 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kristine P
2 contributions
Jan 2023
What an amazing place. This was one of our favorite parts of Bonaire. You need to plan a full day and pack a lunch or take lots of snacks and drinks. We really enjoyed watching the waves crash against the rugged east side of the island and then seeing the change to clam beautiful waters on the west side. We ate our picnic lunch at Playa Funchi, they have a couple picnic tables and it was fun to watch the lizards run around while we ate. We snorkeled at both Playa Funchi and Wakaya II, we enjoyed both but thought that Wakaya II was definitely the best (you don't want to miss this one for snorkeling and I'm sure diving would be amazing too).
They were doing road construction (Jan 2023) so everyone had to do the long route and return to the entrance/exit via the short route. It really wasn't a big deal and would take about 2+ hours without any stops. I recommend arriving early if you want time to snorkel and explore.
They were doing road construction (Jan 2023) so everyone had to do the long route and return to the entrance/exit via the short route. It really wasn't a big deal and would take about 2+ hours without any stops. I recommend arriving early if you want time to snorkel and explore.
Written 12 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
aafrye
Boston, MA5 contributions
Feb 2022
Stunningly beautiful, dramatic scenery that really can't be experienced elsewhere on Bonaire. They are really NOT kidding about needing a 4x4. Having done it both in a guided tour and on my own I would say if you don't enjoy driving very very slowly on very bad roads the tour is worth it to have someone else take care of it for you. Otoh going on your own you can see more and stay longer. But truly bring lots of water and a spare tire. This is not a jaunt for the careless.
Written 9 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Annette M
17 contributions
Dec 2022
Definitely worth the money and the time to go there. I suggest going with a tour. Going on your own would be fine, but the information we received was top notch. Snorkeling was top notch! be sure to bring comfortable shoes for some difficult terrain.
Written 3 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Allen B
Muskegon, MI1,146 contributions
Dec 2022
Absolutely amazing. I pray this marine park stays the way it is, but I fear with tourism on the rise things could change. So many tourists on the beaches and in the water and not many were using reef safe sunscreen or reusable water bottles. You will enjoy your visit here, but think about everybody doing their part to keep it as is.
Written 2 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Vamos en crucero queremos saber a cuanto está la distancia al centro de la ciudad
Angela
Bergdietikon, Switzerland100 contributions
The ship practically boards in the center, so only a short walk.
JimNielsen
Chattanooga, TN83 contributions
I snorkel from land (long story) only. Is there adequate access to good snorkeling from the beach?
Jeff S
Springdale, AR7 contributions
Yes, there’s great snorkeling all over Bonaire and inside the national park. Keep in mind Bonaire doesn’t really have what most think as “beaches”. The beaches are somewhat rocky and you need booties, but with that comes AMAZING water. The best water I’ve seen in the Caribbean.
Claudia D
Santa Fe, Argentina15 contributions
Hola. Estoy llegando a Kralendijk (Bonaire) en el mes de enero proximo y quisiera saber si alguien conoce Playa Lechi que esta cercana al puerto, asi como si la misma cuenta con servicios, si vale la pena para pasar un rato en familia o a que playa me recomiendan ir al bajar del crucero.Gracias!!!!!
Rosangela P
Campinas, SP48 contributions
Vou passar 1 dia aí em Bonaire,qual o melhor passeio?
Juliana R
Curitiba, PR82 contributions
Klein Bonaire, visitar o parque Slagbaay, ou simplesmente andar pelas ruas e lojas centrais após um snorkel/banho de mar em Bachelors Beach e Kite City.
Claudia D
Santa Fe, Argentina15 contributions
Hola Estaria en Bonaire en el mes de enero proximo llegando con un crucero Me gustaria saber cual es la forma mas practica y economica de llegar al marine park ya que voy con mi familia. Asi como tambien si hay alguna playa bonita recomendable cerca del puerto de cruceros.Muchas gracias por cualquier informacion que pudieren suministrarme
Marília G
Natal, RN58 contributions
Gente eu não sei mergulhar, só usei snorkel uma vez. Será que dá certo?
Lá tem onde alugar snorkel e oculos?
Antoine5152
Kralendijk, Bonaire22 contributions
Wannadive for dive material and dive course PADI
mercedes69Argentina
argentina315 contributions
hola, lei comentarios y creo esta playa solo es para buceo, yo hago solo snorkel de playa , necesito informacion , gracias
Bauman147
Sweetgrass, MT1,594 contributions
For the most part, the marine park is for scuba diving. There may be a few beaches from which you can do some snorkeling, but I think they are few and far between.
TexasHawk
Austin, TX9 contributions
Hi,
What Catamaran company did you use?
John W
9 contributions
There's a sailboat that docks at Devi Bonaire. I don't remember the name of the operator; we didn't go. There are a couple outfits that take people out to Klein.
And - there are a number of the marked dive sites that seem to me would be pretty good snorkeling.
mercedes69Argentina
argentina315 contributions
hola
estoy llegando en crucero a Bonaire .Como puedo ir por mi cuenta desde el puerto a este parque nacional marino para hacer snorkel
gracias
mercedes69Argentina
argentina315 contributions
hola, gracias por tu respuesta, si si ya averigue por las excurciones del crucero y son todas convinadas y caras, por eso estoy averiguando para bajar del crucero e ir hasta una playa no muy lejana para solo hacer snorkel
graciasss
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Claim your listingBONAIRE NATIONAL MARINE PARK: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Frequently Asked Questions about Bonaire National Marine Park
- According to Tripadvisor travelers, these are the best ways to experience Bonaire National Marine Park:
- Bonaire Marine Park Snorkeling Excursion (From ₱3,877.69)
- SoloBon Private Sail & Snorkel charter on Bonaire (From ₱24,374.03)
- Catamaran Snorkel & BBQ Sail (cruise friendly) (From ₱5,539.55)
- South Island tour and Snorkel combo (From ₱5,262.57)
- 100% Private Sunset Sail on the most spacious monohull of Bonaire (From ₱16,341.68)
- Hotels near Bonaire National Marine Park:
- (1.41 km) Windhoek Resort Bonaire
- (1.98 km) Oasis Guesthouse Bonaire
- (2.65 km) BEACHES ocean view apartments
- (2.82 km) The Bellafonte - Luxury Oceanfront Hotel
- (2.78 km) Grand Windsock Bonaire
- Restaurants near Bonaire National Marine Park:
- (2.42 km) King Kong Burger
- (1.55 km) Restaurant Brass Boer
- (3.04 km) Cactus Blue on the Beach
- (3.53 km) Kite City
- (5.33 km) Lekker Thuis Bonaire