Where is bonaire national marine park

The waters surrounding this small paradise in the Caribbean are no exception, proof of it is our National Marine Park, one of the oldest marine reserves in the world. From the moment you are arriving by plane to Bonaire, the first thing that strikes you is the contrast of the impressive blue tones that surround the island, all of them part of the Bonaire National Marine Park, including those that bathe Klein Bonaire Little Bonaire , the small island that you can see in front of Kralendijk, the capital of Bonaire.

The Bonaire Marine Park was created in , and covers 2, hectares of beautiful coral reefs full of life, seagrass and one of the best preserved mangrove areas in the Caribbean. Beyond the ocean that surrounds the island, Bonaire also has Ramsar areas such as Lac Baai, a small nursery for Bonaire reef fish, and a wetland of international importance, especially as a habitat for waterfowl. From this care for our waters and reefs, derives the fact that Bonaire is the paradise of divers and has won for more than 20 consecutive years the award for the best shore diving in the world.

With around 86 dive sites, most of them accessible by boat or directly from the coast, divers or snorkelers that visit Bonaire, will be able to choose from a wide variety of places to plunge into the water and meet over 57 species of soft and stony coral and more than recorded fish species.

In order to keep the Bonaire National Marine Park in optimal conditions, an annual Nature Fee is required to all those willing to access the sea. The price of this tag varies depending on the activity you want to practice, snorkel, diving etc…. This is the way to help in the work performed by Stinapa , the organization responsible for the management and protection of the two Bonaire National Parks, the National Marine Park and the Washington Slagbaai National Park.

Airport Transfers. Shore excursions Handling. Accommodations in Bonaire. This fee goes toward park upkeep and maintenance, law enforcement, information and education, and research and monitoring. Activities that have been essential in preventing the severe degradation of the Bonaire coastal area.

Using tourism as a source of funding could be a solution for many MPAs in tourist areas. Indeed, a central issue to the success of a marine protected area is its ability to secure funds for its running costs. Tourists can represent an excellent source of income for MPAs and enable self-financing.

There are various mechanisms to capture tourism revenues such as user fees, concession fees, sales and royalties, taxation and donations Table 1 :. User fees are charged to people who use an area or facility. Examples include admission to parks or monuments, fees charged to divers, special fees for accommodations, trophy and hunting fees, or even special fees for rescue services in case of mountaineering.

Concession fees are charged to individuals or groups licensed to provide services to visitors at selected sites. Common types of services include food, lodging, transportation, guide services, and retails stores. Sales and royalties are a percentage of earnings from activities or products of a site tourists visit. Examples are sales and royalties from books, photographs or postcards, films, or pharmaceutical products made at or from products at the site.

Taxation of goods and services used by tourists are a common way to generate revenue. Hotel, food, and airport taxes are among the most common. Diver-fees are the most common kind of user fee in marine protected areas and one of the most successful tools for securing funding.

Studies conducted on divers have shown that they are often willing to pay higher fees than the actual rate. In general, divers prefer to travel to good quality reefs and are willing to pay for this. A study compiled by Rudd at al in Turks and Caicos have indicated that high fees can be sustained if the marine site is comprised of high quality reefs Lindberg, Therefore, an MPA with high quality reefs could significantly benefit from the introduction of diver fees.

Hotel and airport tax are another widely used method for collecting revenue from tourism. Bonaire does have such taxes but not for conservation purposes. These could be a further means of obtaining funds for MPAs. There are various examples of countries that charge a conservation fee as part of their airport tax.

Hotel taxes have the same effect. The bill generally explains that the surcharge goes toward conservation projects in the area and that it is an optional fee. The Turks and Caicos, for example, have recently raised their hotel room taxes from 8 percent to 9 percent. The additional amount is placed in a trust fund supporting protected-area conservation Spergel, According to the Bonaire Marine Park, individual donations significantly boost their income.

Finally, adoption programmes can attract funds for the conservation of particular species, such as turtles, dolphins, seahorses, etc. The Sea Turtle Conservation on Bonaire has an adoption program. Although tourism may bring in important funds to an MPA, it is also important to consider the impact tourism may have on local communities.

In order to attract tourism, local communities may decide to get involved in the management of the MPA and exploit its economic potentials.

Badalamenti et al suggest an array of activities connected to tourism that can be profitable to local residents. In their study, they concentrate on two local groups: resident fishers and resident young people. In their view, resident fishers could diversify their trade and consider tourism-related activities to supplement their income such as leading boat tours and fishing trips, producing handicrafts, providing holiday accommodation and meals for tourists, and offering services such as tank refilling for divers.

Resident young people could cater for tourism in a similar manner, seeking opportunities in fields such as diving centres, diving and snorkel guiding, tourist boat trips, hotels and hostels, conference centres, outdoor equipment, shops, local natural products, handicrafts, books, photography, films and restaurants offering local cuisine. Badalamenti et al also support their involvement in educational activities such as sea-watching, nature trips and fieldwork courses.

Although Table 2 indicates that hotels, dive operations, restaurants, souvenirs shops in Bonaire profit substantially from tourism, it is important to note that most of these operations are foreign owned. Furthermore, visitors to Bonaire usually buy their holiday via offshore travel agents in the form of package deals, also referred to as voucher sales. Along with the airfare, the package will include a number of goods and services such as hotel accommodation, ground transportation, diving tours, meals and beverages.

These goods and services are paid to the hotel or dive operation in the form of a voucher. Tourists will then only make a limited amount of additional purchases once they are on location. They explain how only a small portion of tourist revenues are retained in Bonaire:.

There are instances of non-payment on the part of the agent. Before remitting the funds to Bonaire, the marketing office offsets operating expenses and costs of procurement of goods to be imported to Bonaire. Furthermore, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Bonaire DROB , local involvement in conservation matters is low, with the exception of local dive staff that attend yearly Bonaire Marine Park orientation courses.

However, in the past five years, environmental awareness programmes have been set up for schoolchildren and these have been proven to be fairly successful. In recent years there has been an increasing recognition that the coastal environment cannot be effectively managed without the co-operation and participation of resource user groups Box 1.

Involving local communities in coastal resource management has proven to be extremely effective in many regions of the world. There are several benefits to doing this, among these are: reef users tend to have an extensive knowledge of local ecology based on observation and experiences; community participation helps to ensure that traditional management systems are documented, respected, and built upon; response to community needs is more immediate when there is a process of community participation and communities are more likely to accept a solution when they are involved in the decision-making process White et al, However, tourism in MPAs may also have a negative effect on local communities.

Although there is no evidence of tourism having a negative impact on local communities in Bonaire, it is important to note that this has proven to be an important issue in other marine protected areas around the world Box 2. Tourism may impact local social and cultural norms in several manners. Indeed, tourism may bring about coastal urbanization in the vicinity of the protected area eroding local traditions and welfare. In Egypt, for example, workers in resort towns often have to live apart from their families, as facilities are too scarce to accommodate them.

Tourists may also impose their cultural values on local communities. Indeed, a study of the Komodo National Park, Indonesia, established that "local people do recognise some cultural impacts, most noticeably an incompatible style of dress among international mainly Western visitors" Walpole and Goodwin, Another impact of tourism is coastal development.

Human expansion and development in coastal areas can lead to construction projects, such as the building of airports, harbours and shipping channels, which encroach on reef communities and ultimately destroying coral reef habitats. Furthermore, in many areas, coral ecosystems are mined for construction material - sand and limestone - for new buildings - including hotels and tourist facilities. On a localised level, hotels can produce a substantial amount of waste, including the disposal of rubbish, energy consumption, and sewage.

According to Hawkins and Roberts , hotels in the Red Sea are degrading marine life in several manners. Many hotels irrigate their gardens with wastewater, which gradually seeps into the sea, increasing the nutrient levels in the area. Desalination plants and generator water are another problem, as the hot brine that they produced is dispelled onto local reefs. They also refer to rubbish as a problem: "plastic bags can smother corals and rubbish litters the seabed in the Eilat Coral Reserve".

Tourism in MPAs may also have a significant impact on an environmental level. Several environmental measures have been taken in Bonaire to reduce the negative impact of tourism. Divers and snorkellers may break, crush or abrade living surfaces, as well as kick up sedimentation that may then settle on coral.

Anchors from tourist boats can further aggravate this damage, if the marine park has not installed mooring buoys. The Bonaire Marine Park imposes a compulsory orientation briefing for all new divers and publishes information leaflets on specific issues such as diving, snorkeling, underwater photography and filming, sailing, CITES the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora protected species.

The use of anchors was banned in and mooring facilities introduced. Another problem confronted by Bonaire and other marine protected areas is the demand for fish in restaurants and tourist curios shells, starfish, seahorses, etc that often result in the overfishing and overharvesting of key reef species.

Overfishing has led to a significant decrease in reef fish populations in many areas of the world. Bonaire Marine Park Snorkeling Excursion star-5 Explore the beautiful reefs of Bonaire on a 3-hour snorkeling adventure from Kralendijk. Sail across the crystal clear waters and snorkel in two different spots to observe the local marine life.

Bonaire National Marine Park is home to over species of tropical fish and a number of different seagrasses and mangroves. Enjoy unlimited soft drinks, juice, and snacks in between your snorkel sites. Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff. Social distancing enforced throughout experience. This five-hour lunch cruise and snorkeling trip via catamaran is especially designed for cruise-ship passengers on Bonaire for a short time. Back on board, relax as you indulge in a delicious lunch and drinks while watching the island scenery drift by.

Face masks provided for travelers. South Island tour and Snorkel combo star-5 9. Explore the southern end of Bonaire on this combination sightseeing and snorkeling tour.

See the solar salt flats and Salt Pier, as well as the historic slave huts. Keep an eye out for flamingos and donkeys along the way.

Double Dip Snorkel Trip star-5 Explore the underwater world of the Caribbean Sea on this guided drift snorkel trip. Visit two different snorkel locations, observing the abundant marine life in each. Your host serves homemade snacks along the way, and when the snorkeling is done, break out the rum punch for the ride back to the marina.

Charter your own private yacht to sail across the turquoise-blue waters of the Caribbean for a half-day snorkeling adventure. Set an itinerary with your captain depending on your interests and the weather conditions for the day.

Then spend your time swimming, snorkeling, and soaking up the warm Caribbean sun and enjoy tasty snacks and an open bar onboard the yacht. Guided scuba dive on Bonaire - Private 1 person shore dive star-5 Admire the Bonairian underwater world guided by a dive guide. We will go to one of the many beautiful dive sites of Bonaire.

Discover scuba diving on Bonaire - Max. Make a first discover dive and experience breathing under water! Usually a discover dive takes place in a swimming pool. But Bonaire has got a lot of dive locations with confined water. Now you can make use of this unique opportunity. You can immediately enjoy the beautiful underwater world of Bonaire! Explanation and maximum 1 hour diving in shallow confined open water. Bonaire Island Tour with or without Beach Escape your choice! A relaxed way to see all the scenic and historic highlights of Bonaire in a half day and take a dip in the water!

Later in the North discover what an island of contrasts is Bonaire, with the rustic northern coastline, see Steps, Rincon and Goto Lake, a natural salt-water lake and one of the most beautiful places of Bonaire where you can spot flamingos. We'll greet you with a fruity salad a beach bed and a towel, so relax and be sure to have experienced the most of Bonaire with this 5,5hour tour. Discover Bonaire and Beach Escape star-4 5.

Travelers in Bonaire for a short time will enjoy this easy highlights tour of the island. Spot wild flamingos at Goto Lake and tour the coastline and towns of north Bonaire. Spend a couple of hours at a beach bar, from where you can swim and snorkel. Face masks required for travelers in public areas.

Face masks required for guides in public areas. Guided scuba dive on Bonaire - Max. Admire the underwater world of Bonaire on this guided dive trip. Known as one of the best diving destinations in the Caribbean, the island boasts coral reefs and shipwrecks.

We have everything you can imagine for diving. The moment you walk through our doors, you will feel the passion that our whole team has for showing you the best time possible. We have a private training pool on site. This way you can take your first breaths underwater in a completely safe and comfortable environment.

The group will be no more than 4 divers per guide or instructor. After a few simple exercises in the pool, you will make a real dive on one of Bonaire's stunning reefs that are part of the Bonaire National Marine Park. With an on-site training pool, a fantastic house reef, and the most experienced instructors on the island, we can train you to be the best diver possible.

Instead of doing all our dives on the house reef, we choose to take you to a whole range of stunning dive sites both North and South of town, giving you not just a great course but also a very diverse and beautiful dive experience. With a group of a maximum of 4 students per instructor, you will get plenty of personal attention making it very safe and super fun. Certified divers visiting Bonaire will want to head out on this all-day customizable catamaran excursion and explore the waters surrounding this Caribbean island.

Participate in two guided dives at different dive spots in the Bonaire Marine Park. Plus, enjoy lunch and a four-course dinner onboard the boat. End the day with sunset views as you return to shore.

Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas. Discover scuba diving on Bonaire - Private dive 1 person shore dive star-5 1. We will select the most stunning dive sites with you and for you. We do our utmost best to match you up with other divers of similar experience and certification level. And groups are never more than 4 divers per guide.

This gives you a very personal, safe and fun experience with memories to last a lifetime. Suitable for both beginner and experienced divers. In between dives we'll show you some of the top-side highlights of Bonaire and our guides will use their local knowledge to give you the appropriate background information so that you will likely learn something new every day you dive with us.