1,000 Steps
Depth is the range from the top of the site to its usual maximum; "recommended cert" is the mainstream-agency level operators usually ask for, not a legal rule. Currents and visibility change daily — treat everything here as planning ranges.
Bonaire's most photographed entry starts with a staircase cut into the seaside cliff, sixty-seven steps that the climb back out inflates to the advertised thousand. The reward is one of the north coast's healthiest terraces: hillocks of star coral stepping down from the bright shallows, with hawksbill turtles working the slope and the odd eagle ray passing along the sand line. The site suits everything from a first fun dive to a long photography soak, and its white-pebble beach makes the surface interval part of the attraction. Go early; the small roadside parking fills by mid-morning.
The moment you come for: Iconic staircase entry, star coral hills, dependable turtles
Topography: Coral terrace sloping to sand, dominated by mountainous star coral
Entry: Sixty-seven limestone stairs descend the cliff from the coastal road; they feel like a thousand on the climb back with gear.
Know before you splash
Hazards: The stair climb with full gear is strenuous in heat; plan gas and energy for the exit.
Conservation: Inside the Bonaire National Marine Park: no touching, no gloves, no collecting.
Who you'll meet
Christmas Tree Worm
Green Sea Turtle
Hawksbill Turtle
Porcupinefish
Spotted Eagle Ray
For photographers
Wide angle: ★★★★☆ · Macro: ★★★☆☆ — editors' 1–5 rating of what this site gives each style of shooting