9- Karpata
Dive site number 9 - Karpata one of Bonaire’s most iconic dive sites and is known for its impressive underwater landscape. The steep drop-off starts close to the coast and quickly descends to great depths, making the dive particularly spectacular. Underwater you will find healthy hard and soft corals, large sponges and a great biodiversity of reef fish. There is also a good chance that you will encounter turtles, barracudas and sometimes even large schools of fish here, partly due to the relatively untouched state of the reef.
Above water, Karpata is best known as the last clearly marked and easily accessible dive point along the coastal road before you continue towards Rincon. Although there are still dive sites afterwards, they are less prominently marked and more difficult to reach. As a result, Karpata is seen by many divers as the symbolic end point of the classic north coast dives on Bonaire.
↓ At the bottom of this page you will find some personal tips for dive site 9- Karpata ↓
💡Personal advice💡
- Do not turn right at Karpata. On that side is the King Willem-Alexander Reserve. This area is protected and closed to divers.
- In photo 5 a man is standing on a concrete block: for Karpata it is pleasant to enter the water on the right side of this concrete block.
- Karpata is a very nice place for diving. The steep drop-off offers a lot of beauty for every diver, but indirectly also ensures that divers easily go too deep and exceed their limits. Pay close attention to your dive computer during this dive.