Learn More While You Dive – Bonaire’s Eco Package
Bonaire is one of the best places in the world to explore coral reefs — but some divers want more than exploration. They want understanding. If you’re curious about the reef, fish behavior, invasive species, or how you can contribute to a healthier ocean, our Eco Package is designed for you.
This learning-focused dive bundle combines several PADI specialties that help you recognize patterns, identify species, and dive with greater awareness. You’ll walk away with new knowledge, stronger dive skills, and a deeper connection to the reef.
Best of all? You don’t need to complete the Eco Package in a single week. You can spread the dives across your stay — whether you're on Bonaire for a few days or a few weeks.
📚 What’s Included in the Eco Package?
The Eco Package is a flexible bundle of 5 PADI specialties — each designed to deepen your understanding of marine life:
Lionfish Hunter
Underwater Naturalist
Sea Turtle Identification
Fish Identification
Dive Against Debris
Optional Add-On: Reef Renewal Diver
The package is built for divers who want to learn in small groups, at their own pace, with real-life context in every dive.
🐟 Fish Identification
Have you ever surfaced thinking, “I wish I knew what that fish was?” The Fish Identification specialty teaches you how to recognize common fish families, distinguish between similar species, and understand where different fish are likely to be found.
One of our favorite sites for this dive is Something Special — a reef known for attracting both larger species like tarpon and groupers, as well as smaller reef creatures like gobies, blennies, and shrimp. It’s an ideal location to practice spotting and comparing a marine life.
What you’ll learn:
Key characteristics of fish families like grunts, snappers, parrotfish, angelfish, and butterflyfish
Where to look — midwater vs. bottom dwellers, near sponges, or around coral heads
Tips for using your dive slate to record quick details: color, shape, tail type
How to navigate fish ID books after the dive using those notes
🐢 Sea Turtle Identification
Turtles are among the most iconic creatures on the reef — and learning to recognize them properly helps you dive more respectfully and confidently around them. The Sea Turtle Identification specialty focuses on understanding the different species and how to behave responsibly as a diver during encounters.
What you’ll learn:
How to distinguish hawksbill, green, and loggerhead turtles by shell shape, beak, and swimming style
Common habitats and behavior — like where turtles rest, feed, and how they move through the reef
How to approach and observe turtles without stress or disturbance
Best practices for positioning, buoyancy, and keeping a safe distance
Where we dive it:
Andrea II and Salt Pier are two of Bonaire’s most reliable spots for turtle encounters — with calm entries, sponge-covered coral heads, and plenty of space to observe without getting too close.
🧠 Underwater Naturalist
The Underwater Naturalist specialty teaches you to look beyond the surface — and start understanding how life on the reef connects.
This course isn’t about memorizing scientific names. It’s about noticing patterns: which species interact, which ones compete, and how different types of life — like algae, invertebrates, and fish — all play a role in the reef’s ecosystem.
What you’ll learn:
How to identify species from major marine life groups (algae, invertebrates, fish)
How to recognize interactions like cleaning stations, hiding behavior, camouflage, and food chains
Where we dive it:
Any dive site on Bonaire is perfect for this course. Whether it’s a calm sandy entry or a reef slope with fish activity, there’s always something to notice — if you know what to look for.
🧹 Dive Against Debris
The Dive Against Debris specialty isn’t just about picking up trash — it’s about learning how to remove debris safely and how your data can contribute to global marine research.
What you’ll learn:
How to safely dive with and use a mesh bag underwater
How to identify what can be collected and what might be part of marine life
How to record your findings and submit them to the Dive Against Debris Database, contributing to long-term global monitoring and conservation efforts
This course turns a single cleanup dive into something meaningful and measurable — helping you develop skills you can use anywhere in the world.
🦁 Lionfish Hunter
The Lionfish Hunter specialty is practical, hands-on, and focused on protecting the reef from one of the Caribbean’s most aggressive invasive species.
Lionfish can be found at nearly every dive site on Bonaire — which means this course isn’t tied to one specific location. Instead, we focus on teaching technique and safety wherever conditions are best that day.
What you’ll learn:
How to recognize lionfish behavior and where they typically hide
How to use the ELF tool (Eliminate Lionfish) to safely and effectively spear lionfish
How to handle the Zookeeper container to safely store lionfish underwater without harming yourself or the reef
How to maintain control, awareness, and perfect buoyancy while removing invasive species
Lionfish Hunter
Oh, and let’s not forget the lionfish filleting after the dive — it’s all part of the experience.
🌱 Optional Add-On: Reef Renewal Diver
If you're interested in going even deeper into reef protection, the Reef Renewal Diver course is a great addition to the Eco Package.
It offers hands-on participation in Bonaire’s coral restoration program, where you’ll learn how to care for coral nurseries and support real conservation work.
What you’ll learn:
How to clean coral trees and identify healthy coral fragments
How to outplant coral to restoration zones
Coral types used in restoration and how to recognize signs of stress
How reef recovery is monitored and supported long-term
🎯 Who Is the Eco Package For?
This package is for divers who enjoy being in the water — and want to learn more while they’re there.
Whether you’ve just completed your Advanced Open Water course or you’ve logged 200 dives already, the Eco Package gives structure to your curiosity. It’s for people who enjoy asking “What am I seeing?” and want practical, well-guided answers.
You don’t need to complete it all in one week. Some divers spread the dives over a two-week trip, others complete them back-to-back in a few focused days. The schedule is flexible, and we’ll help you make it fit your goals, travel plans, and energy levels.
If you’re the kind of diver who’s naturally observant, loves reef life, and prefers learning over ticking boxes — this is for you.
🔧 How It Works
Duration: Flexible — complete it across your stay
Included: All course materials, instruction, certification, gear rental (if needed)
Requirements: Open Water minimum; strong buoyancy required for Lionfish Hunter
Group Size: Max 4 divers per instructor
Optional Add-On: Reef Renewal Diver
We recommend at least 4–5 diving days to comfortably spread out the learning and enjoy the process. If you're visiting Bonaire for a short time, we can also tailor the Eco Package to your available dates.
📍Why Scuba Elite?
At Scuba Elite, we don’t believe in a big group operation — that’s why we work in small teams so that every specialty dive gets the time and attention it deserves. That means thorough briefings, time for questions, and post-dive reflection.
Our instructors specialize in eco-focused diving and know how to translate theory into simple underwater learning. Whether it’s your first specialty course or your tenth, you’ll feel supported without pressure.
Plus, we’re located just a few fin kicks from Something Special — a site we use regularly for Fish ID, Underwater Naturalist, and Dive Against Debris — and we choose dive sites based on real conditions, not a fixed schedule.
You’ll get a solid dive plan, practical takeaways, and a better understanding of the reef with every dive.
🔗 Want to Learn More?
If you’re ready to add depth to your dive experience — and learn more about the reef while enjoying some of Bonaire’s best sites — we’d love to help you plan your Eco Package.
📩 Message us directly with your travel dates and dive goals, and we’ll create a personalized schedule!
