Playa Funchi
12.2822°N 68.4141°W · reef
Playa Funchi
A Washington-Slagbaai National Park shore reef accessible only by 4WD — a freshwater spring in the bay is a distinctive feature. Note: currently listed as closed for diving on infobonaire.com (verify current status before visiting).
Overview
Playa Funchi is inside Washington-Slagbaai National Park on Bonaire’s northwest coast, accessible by 4WD via the park road. A notable feature of the bay here is a freshwater spring that creates a halocline effect in the water column. The diving is pristine fringing reef in a protected national park setting. As of early 2026, infobonaire.com lists several Washington-Slagbaai park sites as currently closed for diving — verify the current status of this site with STINAPA or the park entrance before visiting.
Site Information
- Location: Washington-Slagbaai National Park, northwest Bonaire (4WD + park entry required)
- Entry Type: Shore entry
- Site Type: Reef
- Difficulty Level: Advanced
- Maximum Depth: 30 meters
- Typical Visibility: Variable — freshwater spring creates halocline
- Current: Can be present; northwest-facing
- Best Time: Calm-weather days only; verify site is open
Marine Life
Protected park reef with typical northern Bonaire species. The freshwater mixing zone from the spring creates an unusual microhabitat at the halocline depth.
Dive Profile
Shore entry from the bay beach. The freshwater spring creates a halocline effect that can temporarily reduce visibility in the water column. Swim below the halocline for clear saltwater diving on the reef.
Entry and Exit
4WD access through the park. Sandy beach entry in the bay. Exit at the same point. Park closes at 17:00.
Tips
- Check current site closure status before visiting
- The halocline from the freshwater spring is an interesting natural phenomenon — worth noting on descent
- Park entry fee required
Safety
Remote location. Plan conservatively. 4WD required for access.
Photography
The halocline effect can create unusual refraction photographs. The reef below is in good condition for wildlife photography.
Nearby Sites
Playa Benge, Bisé Morto, and Boka Slagbaai are other park sites nearby.
Sources: InfoBonaire Dive Site Map, Divers-Guide – Playa Funchi, Bonaireisland.com. Last updated 2026-05-24.
Sea-surface temperature and wave height from Open-Meteo Marine (ERA5 reanalysis, monthly averages).
649 verified species observations (121 species) logged within ~11 km of this site between 1930 and 2025, from the Ocean Biodiversity Information System.
- Eretmochelys imbricata · Hawksbill sea turtle
- Chelonia mydas · Green sea turtle
- Caretta caretta · Loggerhead sea turtle
- Scarus vetula
- Scarus taeniopterus
- Microspathodon chrysurus
- Sparisoma viride
- Acanthurus coeruleus
- Pterois · lionfish
- Lutjanus apodus
- Sparisoma aurofrenatum
- Chaetodon capistratus
Scientific survey records skew toward sampled taxa (molluscs, corals) and do not reflect what you are guaranteed to see on a dive.
Source: OBIS (obis.org), aggregated Darwin Core occurrence records.
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