Diving at Hamlet Oasis on Bonaire: Cliff, a house reef with a real wall

On Bonaire, you dive whenever you like. You load a few tanks into the pick-up, drive to a yellow stone bearing the name of the dive site and walk straight into the water. At Hamlet Oasis, you don't even need to make that drive. Right outside your door lies Cliff, the resort's house reef and one of the finest shore dives on the island. The Dive Friends Bonaire dive centre sits directly on the water.

Diving on Bonaire: the reef starts at the shore

Bonaire's entire coastline falls within the Bonaire National Marine Park. As a result, the reefs are healthy and begin just a few metres from the shore. The water is 26 to 29 degrees all year round. Visibility is usually between 20 and 30 metres. You choose when to dive: before breakfast, after lunch or as the sun goes down.

Anyone entering the water pays the Nature Fee, the mandatory conservation contribution for the park: 40 USD per calendar year. Your first dive is always the Marine Park orientation with a check dive. After that, you dive independently or with a guide. You can find more dive sites by level in our overview Where to dive on Bonaire?

Dive site Cliff: a wall dive from the shore

Most of Bonaire's west coast slopes away gradually. Cliff is different. You walk down the steps behind the dive shop. After a few fin strokes, the reef drops away almost vertically to beyond 20 metres. It is one of the few true wall dives you can do from the shore on Bonaire. Divers also call the site Small Wall.

The wall is covered in whip corals, sponges and sea fans. In the crevices, look for shrimp and crabs. With a bit of luck, you'll spot a moray eel. In the blue water along the wall, creole wrasse swim by, and sometimes a turtle. Macro photographers love coming back here.

The shallow reef edge lies at 2 to 5 metres. That's where you can make your safety stop in comfort. Snorkellers have plenty to see here too. Right next to Cliff lies La Machaca, in front of Captain Don's Habitat. This way, you can combine two dive sites in one dive.

Night dives at Cliff

After sunset, you can join a guided UV night dive at Cliff. Under the blue light, corals and small creatures glow in fluorescent green and orange. Many divers call it the highlight of their trip.

Dive Friends Bonaire on site

Dive Friends Bonaire @ Hamlet Oasis is a PADI 5 Star IDC dive centre on the waterfront. You are welcome there even if you are not staying at Hamlet Oasis.

You'll find:

• air and nitrox tanks, which you can pick up and swap at any Dive Friends Bonaire location;
• rinse tanks, storage for your equipment, rental equipment and a shop;
• courses from introductory dive to instructor, in a dedicated classroom;
• guided and independent dives at Cliff, plus boat dives to Klein Bonaire from Port Bonaire.

Guests of Hamlet Oasis receive a 10% discount voucher at Dive Friends Bonaire on air and nitrox, dive packages and courses (terms and conditions apply).

Staying at a seaside dive resort

Hamlet Oasis is a small-scale dive resort on the coast, about 3.5 kilometres north of Kralendijk. The airport is roughly 6.5 kilometres away. Instead of hotel corridors, you'll find 24 cottages in a tropical garden, just a few steps from the sea.

You can rent an entire two-bedroom cottage or part of one: a one-bedroom apartment or a studio. Every accommodation has its own kitchen, air conditioning, wifi and a terrace or veranda. That way, you set your own rhythm: a dive before breakfast, another after dinner. Between dives, you can relax by the magnesium pool. Parking is available on site and children are welcome.

If you also want to dive elsewhere, Buddy's Reef and Bari Reef are less than a kilometre away. By car, you can quickly reach the north of the island. Hamlet Oasis is also committed to the underwater environment: every year, the resort adopts a turtle nest through Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire.

Frequently asked questions about diving at Hamlet Oasis

How deep is dive site Cliff?

The reef edge lies at 2 to 5 metres. After that, the wall drops away almost vertically to beyond 20 metres.

Can you dive at Hamlet Oasis if you're not staying there?

Yes. The Dive Friends Bonaire dive centre is open to everyone. You can pick up tanks, rent equipment and enter the water with a guide.

Can you also snorkel at Hamlet Oasis?

Yes. The shallow reef edge of Cliff lies close to the shore and is great for snorkelling.

Plan your dive trip to Bonaire

With a wall dive on your doorstep and a dive centre next to your cottage, Hamlet Oasis is a great base for a dive trip to Bonaire. You can find availability and rates at hamletbonaire.com.

Dive Friends Bonaire will be at Duikvaker 2027, on 5, 6 and 7 February at Expo Houten. At stand 2D23, the team will tell you more about diving at Hamlet Oasis and on the rest of the island. With the code DV27, you get 20% off your tickets: order your tickets for Duikvaker 2027.