The votes have been tallied and the results are in…Bonaire has been voted your favorite dive destination in the world in the About.com Favorite Dive Destination Reader Poll!

In round five of the poll Bonaire was voted the favorite dive destination in the Caribbean, beating out other well-known Caribbean dive destinations such as Bahamas, Cayman Islands and the US Virgin Islands.  In the final round, Bonaire went head-to-head with seven other dive destinations from around the world including The Philippines, Galapagos Islands and Cozumel, and won with an overwhelming 51% of the total votes!

“The most rewarding compliment is one that comes directly from our visitors,” said Ronella Tjin Asjoe-Croes, Director of Tourism Corporation Bonaire.  “We are honored to have been recognized by those who took the time to vote in About.com’s Favorite Dive Destination Poll and want to ensure our visitors that we are continuing to take measures to protect our underwater environment to keep Bonaire sustainable as well as the favorite dive destination.”

About.com, part of the prestigious New York Times company, is a Top 10 web property used by one out of every five people on the Internet, reaching nearly 21 million unique visitors per month.

Located eighty-six miles east of Aruba, the Dutch Caribbean island of Bonaire offers year-round sunshine, low annual rainfall, pristine coral formations and the most thriving fish population in the Caribbean.  Ideal for adventurers, explorers and sun-worshippers alike, Bonaire offers myriad eco-adventure activities including world renowned scuba diving and snorkeling, windsurfing, kiteboarding, landsailing, mountain biking, sea and mangrove kayaking, horseback riding, nature tours, hiking, bird watching, sailing and deep sea and bone fishing.  And with a selection of accommodations ranging from full-service oceanfront resorts and condominiums to guesthouses and small inns, Bonaire has something for every lifestyle and budget.

Bonaire is the recipient of the prestigious Islands Magazine/Caribbean Tourism Organization 2008 Sustainable Tourism Award and continues to be recognized as one of the top destinations worldwide for its sustainable tourism as reported by National Geographic Traveler (March 2004) and Islands Magazine (December 2007); as one of the top diving destinations in the Atlantic/Caribbean for six years in a row in the Scuba Diving magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards (2003-2008); and was designated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as having the healthiest reefs in the Caribbean (January 2008).