BONAIRE DIVING
At the bottom of the Caribbean chain of islands, just north of Venezuela, lie Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao, collectively known as the ABC islands. Part of the Netherlands Antilles, these tiny islands have a similar heritage, all having been originally inhabited by the Caiquitíos Indians before the arrival of the Spanish, and later the Dutch, with whom they have been tied to ever since.
Bonaire's pristine reefs and diverse marine life are unique to the Caribbean. Because the waters around Bonaire have been protected by an actively managed marine park for the past 25 years, Bonaire today ranks amongst the top four best diving destinations in the world. The island's location in the south Caribbean gives it an arid climate with little rain fall; consequently, the waters are exceptionally clear of silt, calm, and diveable year round. It is an ideal destination for underwater photographers. Water temperatures average a warm 78-84°F (25.6-28.9°C), with visibility averaging over 100 feet (30m), and frequently reaching up to 150 feet (50m).
There's no shortage of dive centres on Bonaire, many of them located in hotels or resorts. All offer equipment repair and rental service and can organize boat tours to many of the dive sites, including those on Klein Bonaire. Expect to pay around $20 for a shore dive, $40 for a one-tank boat tour and around $330 for a five-day underwater certification course, plus equipment rentals ($8/day for regulators; $10/day for snorkel, fin and mask; and $11/day for tanks, including weights). Your best deal is to arrange a package deal with a resort, which usually covers accommodation, equipment rental and a specified number of dives. The following dive centres are recommended: Buddy Beach and Dive Resort, north of Kralendijk, offers an eight-day drive-and-dive package for $1100, including accommodation, a rental vehicle and unlimited airfills for shore diving, plus six boat dives. Also north of Kralendijk is Captain Don's, which has a range of underwater certification and photography courses taught by highly qualified instructors. For underwater camera rentals ($25-55/day), visit Photo Tours Divers, Caribbean Court, J.A. Abraham Boulevard (tel 599/777-3460, ). Diving packages and instruction are also available here, as are inexpensive and unlimited airfills ($99 for one week).
Bonaire also has many tour operators offering a range of land- and water-based activities; most will pick you up and deliver you back to your hotel. It's advisable to call ahead for reservations, especially when there's a cruise ship in town. Two worth trying are Pirate Cruises on Karel's Pier in Kralendijk (tel 599/790-8330), which offers guided snorkelling trips to Klein Bonaire for US$25, departing at 9.30am and 1.30pm; and Bonaire Boating, based at Divi Flamingo Beach Resort (tel 599/790-5353). The latter offers diving, snorkelling and sailing trips, in addition to activities like kayaking in the mangroves at Lac Bay (daily 9am; $42.50 for 3hr) and touring Washington-Slagbaai National Park (Tues & Fri 9am; US$65 for 6hr, including lunch).
