Bonaire National Marine Park - KLEIN BONAIRE - HOME

Klein Bonaire (Dutch for “Little Bonaire”) is an uninhabited islet not quite two and a half square miles in size, which lies only half a mile from the closest point on Bonaire. Klein Bonaire is extremely flat: its highest point is less than one meter above sea level.

Klein Bonaire’s value as a diver’s paradise was first recognized in 1939, when diving pioneer Hans Hass explored and photographed its reefs. He and his friends stayed on the island for six weeks living on the fish they caught.

Klein Bonaire had been in private hands for almost 130 years when a group of divers began working on assuring the islet’s continued undeveloped condition. Their goal was realized in December of 1999, when the government purchased Klein Bonaire for US$ 5 million. The management of Klein Bonaire was assigned to the Bonaire National Marine Park; thus, Klein Bonaire may be the only terrestrial area in the world which is managed by a Marine Park.