Bonaire, the area around Munk's Haven

Bonaire · Caribbean Netherlands · Reef · Sand slope

Munk's Haven

A gentle terrace of coral and sand at Klein Bonaire's west end

Area photo: Michal Strzelecki, Wojtek Strzelecki & Jerzy Strzelecki · CC BY 3.0

Munk's Haven is the most westerly dive site on Klein Bonaire, and it is reached by boat. The bottom slopes gently from the shallows and only steepens from about 12 metres, which makes it as workable for snorkellers and new divers as for anyone wanting the deeper slope down to 30 metres.

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Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Munk's Haven: typical dive 9–30 m (30–100 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit9 m30 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

12.1535° N, 68.3300° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

Drop onto the shallow terrace, which is a mix of coral and sand rather than solid reef, and take it slowly. This is where the burrowing fish live: yellowhead jawfish hovering over their holes, and the harder-to-spot sand tilefish, which build dens by carrying small pieces of rubble into a pile and dive straight into the opening if you crowd them. Hold position off the bottom and wait rather than swimming closer.

From about 12 metres the reef slopes more steeply and you can follow it down to 30 metres if the plan calls for it, or simply stay on the terrace for the whole dive — it is shallow enough that snorkellers work the same ground overhead. Turn on gas, come back up the slope and spend the last part of the dive on the rubble patches where the tilefish dens are, then surface at the boat.

Marine life and season

  • Macro critters
Month-by-month season rating for Munk's Haven
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PrimePrimePrimePrimeGoodGoodGoodGoodGoodGoodGoodPrime

Season follows Bonaire: Bonaire sits south of the hurricane belt, so conditions stay calm and diveable all year; trade winds pick up slightly June–November.

Questions divers ask

How do you dive Munk's Haven?+

By boat. It is the most westerly site on Klein Bonaire, which has no road access, so it is dived from a boat trip rather than from the leeward shore road.

Sources

  1. Munk's Haven dive site — Bonaire Island
  2. Munk's Haven — Scubago

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