Bonaire National Marine Park protects waters around Bonaire and Klein Bonaire.
Klein Bonaire is a small, flat and uninhabited islet just off Bonaire’s western coast in the Caribbean. The marine park includes waters around both islands, extending from the high-water line to a depth of about 60 metres, and protects coral reefs, seagrass beds, mangroves and coastal habitats.
The park was established in 1979 and is one of the world’s older marine reserves. Klein Bonaire was added as a legally protected nature reserve in 2001, after a major conservation campaign helped prevent development. Before that, the islet had been privately owned and proposals had been made to build on it.
Klein Bonaire is especially important for snorkeling and diving because fringing reefs surround its largely undeveloped shoreline. It is also habitat for green and hawksbill turtles and a nesting area for loggerhead turtles. A common mix-up is confusing the islet with Bonaire itself: “Klein” means “little” in Dutch, and the island lies within the crescent-shaped outline of the main island. The park is managed by STINAPA Bonaire.