Watersports Bonaire
Eighteen Palms is Plaza Beach & Dive Resort Bonaire’s house reef. It is one of the best dive sites for seeing turtles, rays and big fish. Large schools of curious Barracuda, Gray Snappers and Tarpon are often seen here and come to greet divers and make their acquaintance. The dive site is named after the eighteen palm trees that grace the garden next to this dive site. You can enter it by boat or from the sandy beach of Plaza Beach & Dive Resort. The shallow bank right in front of the resort consists of sand and coral remains. Octopuses and different species of Gobies are often spotted here. The coral, which starts to grow from a depth of 4 meters (13 ft), offers home to Spanish Hogfish, Parrotfish and Southern Squid. The reef descends to a depth of around 35 meters (115 ft), where Caribbean Stingrays and Manta Rays are sometimes found on the deep sandy floor.
Around the buoys that anchor the swim line an enormous sponge grows at a depth of 18 meters (59 ft). Along this reef divers can spot Lobsters, Hermit Crabs and other species of crab and shrimp. Although this dive site is the house reef of a busy resort, which offers a beach bar, restaurant and swimming pool, it’s an amazing dive site. This dive’s ease of entry and proximity to the shore make 18th Palm ideal for novice and non-divers.