Cliff

A steep wall drop-off on Bonaire’s central west coast (BNMP #26) — a straightforward shore-entry wall dive with a dramatic underwater cliff face, healthy coral cover, and good fish diversity in an uncrowded setting.

Overview

Cliff (BNMP #26) is a wall dive on the central west coast, a short drive north of Kralendijk between Buddy’s Reef and Andrea II. The underwater topography gives the site its name: a steep drop-off that descends from a shallow terrace into the blue, with the wall face covered in hard and soft corals. The site is less heavily visited than the famous southern sites, giving it a quieter atmosphere. Fish diversity is typical of central Bonaire’s healthy fringing reef system.

Site Information

• Location: Central-north Bonaire, BNMP Site #26
• Entry Type: Shore entry
• Site Type: Wall dive
• Difficulty Level: Intermediate
• Maximum Depth: 40 meters
• Typical Visibility: 20–30 metres
• Current: Usually light
• Best Time: Morning

Marine Life

The wall face is colonised with brain corals, soft corals, and encrusting sponges providing habitat for parrotfish, angelfish, grunts, and snappers. Barracuda patrol the open water along the wall edge. Groupers hold territory in the reef crevices. Turtles are seen along the central west coast reefs. The shallow terrace has good fish density including sergeant majors and chromis schools.

Dive Profile

Shore entry over ironshore or rocky beach. Swim out to the reef edge and descend along the wall face. The drop-off begins fairly quickly from shore. Most divers work the wall in the 10–25 metre range and return to the shallow terrace for the safety stop. The wall extends deeper for those qualified and equipped to go there.

Entry and Exit

Shore entry via the standard western-coast ironshore entry. Wetsuit or dive skin is recommended for the rocky shore. Exit at the same point.

Tips

• The less-visited location means this site is often quieter than sites closer to town
• Bring a light for the deeper sections of the wall to bring out sponge colours
• Check the shallow terrace on the way back for macro subjects

Safety

Standard wall-dive precautions: monitor depth to avoid unintended descent, track gas for the return swim, carry an SMB.

Photography

The wall face offers wide-angle opportunities with coral formations and schooling fish. Macro subjects on the encrusted surfaces reward close-up work.

Nearby Sites

Buddy’s Reef and La Machaca are immediately to the south. Andrea II is to the north. Bari Reef (Sand Dollar Resort) is nearby.

Sources: InfoBonaire Dive Site Map, 123 Car Rental Bonaire – Dive Sites, Divers-Guide – Cliff. Last updated 2026-05-24.