Wayaka 2 Bonaire Snorkeling Guide [Rated + Reviewed]

The best way to differentiate all of our snorkeling sites is through a rating system. I’ve created snorkel ratings for all of our snorkeling destinations, including Wayaka, 2 to help you compare.

Please see the rating key below.

OVERALL SNORKEL RATING KEY

🤿 🤿 🤿 🤿 🤿   =   World-class snorkeling and worth traveling just for the snorkeling alone!

🤿 🤿 🤿 🤿   =   Incredible snorkeling and should be on your list of top things to do!

🤿 🤿 🤿   =   Decent snorkeling and worth the effort!

🤿 🤿   =   Worth consideration if you are running out of things to do!

🤿   =   Not worth it!

We’ve snorkeled every nook and cranny of Bonaire, and these are our 14 all-time favorite snorkel sites.

You’ll want to hit every one!

Wayaka 2 is tucked inside Washington Slagbaai National Park, and trust me, you’ll want to plan for a full day to explore.

Before you head out, be sure to check out these 9 things to know!

It takes around 30 minutes to reach the park’s visitor center from downtown Kralendijk. From there, give yourself another 45 minutes or so to navigate the (very!) bumpy park roads to get to Wayaka 2.

Getting there is part of the adventure!

There is a Wayaka 1, 2, and 3. We first stopped at Wayaka 1, but there’s not a great place to enter for snorkeling.

Park at Wayaka 2, and then you can snorkel up to Wayaka 1 and down to Wakaya 3 to explore all the “Wayakas.”

There is plenty of parking at Wayaka 2, but the lot fills up quickly. Wayaka 2 is a popular spot for snorkelers!

The snorkeling at Wayaka 2 is nice and shallow, which is perfect for getting a close-up view of all the colorful fish and coral.

Since it’s so shallow, you won’t be able to snorkel directly over the reef.

Instead, the reef naturally guides your route. You’ll need to swim around it rather than over it.

We headed straight out from the beach (away from where most snorkelers were gathered), then turned right and snorkeled north toward Wayaka 1.

After that, we made our way back south toward Wayaka 3, enjoying the reef the whole way.

Wakaya 2 is one of my favorite snorkeling beaches in Bonaire.

The sand here is incredibly soft, which makes getting in and out of the water really easy.

Just a tip: be sure to place your flip-flops or towel up on the rocks, well above the waterline. The waves can sneak up and carry them off if you’re not careful!

Be sure to bring your own snorkeling gear. It really makes a difference. Having gear that fits well can totally change your experience in the water.

We’ve been testing gear since 2007, and over the years we’ve narrowed it down to our favorite tried-and-true essentials.

These are the snorkel gear items I personally pack for every one of our “snorkations.”

Get ready for some serious fish soup at Wayaka 2.

We swam through multiple large schools of blue tang, and there were plenty of parrotfish around too. You could actually hear them crunching on the coral before you saw them.

We also spotted French angelfish, a few Bermuda chubs, and plenty of sergeant majors cruising around.

One of the coolest finds was a batwing coral crab!

Okay, my husband actually spotted it. I never would have noticed it tucked so deep in the lettuce coral.

He’s like my own personal snorkeling guide, always spotting the tiny, hidden creatures I would totally miss.

All of the photos from this snorkel were taken with my favorite underwater camera, which I never travel without.

Spending a day at Washington Slagbaai National Park is one of my favorite things to do in Bonaire, and snorkeling at Wayaka 2 should definitely be on your list while you’re there.

If you’re already exploring the northern part of the island, don’t miss a snorkel stop at Boca Slagbaai too. It’s well worth it.

With soft sand, easy water access, and plenty of fish to keep you entertained, it all adds up to a pretty perfect day in Bonaire.

Happy snorkeling!

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Questions about our Wakaya 2 snorkeling experience? 

Let me know in the comments below!