Sitting on a small peninsula in southwestern Bonaire, 18th Palm—so named for the eighteen palm trees bordering the site—is a superb house reef right off the Plaza Resort beach.

Entry is a pleasant, smooth affair directly from the shore—just fine coral rubble, with no sharp rocks or protrusions to tip toe through. A short kick later, you’re gliding down a gentle slope bedecked with hard and soft corals—crinoids, tube and brain corals studded with colorful polyps. A sand chute dips to the south, a unique feature among Caribbean reefs, which runs into another reef about 80-feet down. The site might reach depths of nearly 120 feet, but this dive’s ease of entry and proximity to the shore make 18th Palm ideal for novice and non-divers.

Then there’s the marine life: a sleepy neighborhood of frogfish, octopus, Spanish hogfish and southern squid. Eels of every stripe twist and turn between the tube corals. As the reef descends divers can spot lobsters, manta rays and species of crab kicking up sand along the floor. Curious tarpons and grouper often come to greet divers and make their acquaintance.

Want a nice look at the 18th Palm? Visit plazaresortbonaire.com/ to book your next Caribbean dive and escape

Plaza Beach Resort Bonaire

Plaza Beach Resort Bonaire is less than five minutes' drive from Flamingo International Airport and, with its more than 300,000 tropical plants and trees, blends harmoniously in the gorgeous surrounding area of natural beauty. Situated on a peninsula, at the mouth of a lagoon, bordered on the entire length of one side by a pearly-white sandy beach, the Plaza Beach Resort Bonaire is a true paradise for people who love the sun, sea and unspoiled nature.

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