Bari Reef Bonaire Snorkeling Guide [Rated + Reviewed]

Every one of my snorkeling sites is rated from 1-5 snorkels to help differentiate them, including Bari Reef.

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!

My husband and I are obsessed with snorkeling in Bonaire.

After countless adventures, these are our 14 absolute favorite spots, all in one easy guide.

There are three ways to reach Bari Reef:

You can buy a $25 day pass per person, with $10 of that going toward food or drinks at the restaurant and bar.

The pass gives you access to the pools, lounge chairs, lazy river, and direct beach access to Bari Reef.

Just a heads-up. You’ll need to bring your own towels. Also, day passes can’t be pre-booked and sometimes sell out, so it’s best to arrive early.

We went with this option back when the public park was still under construction.

The service was hit or miss, and the drinks weren’t the strongest.

That said, if you’re looking to relax in the pool or float down the lazy river after snorkeling, Chogogo can still be a fun spot to spend the day.

It’s also a great option if you’re visiting Bonaire on a cruise.

Eden Beach Resort offers a $10 day pass per person, which includes access to the beach, lounge chairs, and the pool.

The reef right in front of the beach is called Front Porch, but it’s an easy snorkel heading north to reach Bari Reef.

We haven’t tried the day pass ourselves, but my in-laws did and really enjoyed it. They had great service and said the staff was super friendly.

The public park next to Bari Reef was under construction for a while, but I recently discovered it’s now open to the public.

It’s called Isidel Beach Park, and it’s a great new access point for snorkelers.

This is the best option for reaching Bari Reef. Park and hop right in to snorkel! I haven’t seen it yet, but the park photos look nice.

If you’re starting from the beach at Chogogo Dive & Beach Resort, snorkel straight out in front of the resort, then head to the right (north).

A fun route is to keep going all the way up to Buddy Dive Resort before turning around.

For longer snorkels like this, I definitely wear my favorite sun shirt and swim leggings.

Protect your skin. It only takes one bad sunburn to throw off your whole vacation.

If you begin at Eden Beach, check out the Front Porch reef just offshore. That’s actually where we saw a massive bait ball. It was incredible. From there, head north toward Bari Reef for even more to explore.

We like to snorkel along the back reef on the way out, then hug the shoreline on the way back in for a change of scenery.

Entry is easy.

You have to navigate over some rocks but nothing challenging.

Always wear dive booties to avoid stubbed toes.

I highly recommend bringing your own well-fitted snorkeling gear. It really makes a big difference in comfort and overall experience in the water.

These are my go-to snorkel gear picks, tested and loved across countless snorkeling adventures around the world.

One of the most unforgettable moments of our snorkel was witnessing a massive bait ball with predators on the hunt.

We saw a peacock flounder spring up from the sand to snatch a small fish and a barracuda weaving through the school in pursuit.

It felt like we were watching a live scene from an underwater nature documentary.

We also spotted a white-spotted filefish, French grunt, spotted moray eel, blue tang, parrotfish, trumpetfish, needlefish, four-eye butterflyfish, porcupinefish, and a sand diver.

The tarpons were especially cool.

We saw them hanging under the pier at Buddy Dive Resort, and again while snorkeling beneath the pylons at Salt Pier.

Bonaire is home to so many incredible snorkeling spots, all easily accessible from shore.

A few of our personal favorites are 1000 Steps and Angel City.

That said, Bari Reef still stands out in its own way. Thanks to the typically calm conditions, it’s a smooth and enjoyable snorkel with a nice variety of sea life.

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Questions about our Bari Reef snorkeling experience?

Let me know in the comments below!