Divebuz
New
Hi every body. I'm new to this forum. I am looking for recommendations for Bonaire. Where to stay , what dive company to use, etc.
bonaire recommendations
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CT Sean
Contributor
We spent our first week in Bonaire last week with Buddy Dive - loved pretty much everything about it. We will definitely stay with them again when we return
You're now my second favorite Canadian
Buz, most people find a set up and stick to it. I have a friend that's been almost 40 times and always stayed at Buddy. If you ask him for advice, he'll suggest buddy and everyone else sucks. Except he's never been anywhere else.
Lots of people are like that.
So to help, what are you looking for? You and a significant other looking to dive a couple times a day, with a little romance? Solo trip looking to dive like a fish? Big group with some non divers ?
Lots of people are like that.
So to help, what are you looking for? You and a significant other looking to dive a couple times a day, with a little romance? Solo trip looking to dive like a fish? Big group with some non divers ?
drrich2
Contributor
There are many choices; for a 1st timer, it may be helpful to look at just a few of the most popular.
I've stayed at Buddy Dive Resort 3 times, and was fine with it. It's fairly central in location as far as heading to northern vs. southern sites (actually north of central), a north of town but not bad and there's a small but good supermarket across the street & north a bit, they include shuttle service to & from the airport, you rent your truck right on grounds, the shore dives is fine with a couple of pier entries to make it easy, if you boat dive, well, they do it from right there, and for a fee, there's a breakfast buffet option. I have found wifi in the rooms to be poor, and had to go elsewhere on the grounds for good wifi, but it's been awhile since I was there. Onsite restaurant compares reasonably to some others on the island.
For a budget option that's not ocean-front but can save you money, there's Dive Hut. Stayed once (2012 trip report); that was fine. It was what it was represented to be, and that was what I wanted that trip; Bonaire on a tight budget.
Speaking of which, your rental truck will be manual transmission (stick) unless you arrange otherwise in advance, and pay a significant uncharge.
If you've got thin-soled 'booties,' you want thicker soles on your boots. Iron shore is hard, rough and can be jagged. In gear, you've got a lot of weight on your feet. Don't even think about fins that aren't open-heeled. If you like regular bath wash cloths instead of hand towel-sized ones, might want to bring them with you. Bring a supply of over-the-counter meds.; don't expect a 24 hour Walmart with such med.s available if you want to put Neosporin on a cut, etc... When you eat out, don't assume soda refills are free. Guzzle soda back at the room and have water at restaurants to save money. Not only are they on 'island time,' but culturally the mindset is not to rush a check to you as soon as you're finishing a meal. If you aren't the leisurely meal type, and you're used to American service patterns, ask for the check.
Plan to leave your windows down & doors unlocked, so if opportunistic petty thieves come by, they can see there's nothing to steal & move on without breaking your windows. Don't leave anything of value in your rental truck when shore diving; if it would bother you to find it gone, don't leave it. Spare tanks are okay. You have the option to start yet another thread bemoaning the petty crime situation, but you might save yourself some aggravation if you just accept the reality, make the accommodations & move on.
If you want another reputable operator to consider, I hear good things about Dive Friends Bonaire, which is one of your options if you stay at a condo. at Sand Dollar, just south of Buddy Dive and home to Bari Reef, which is popular. Another option at Sand Dollar is Bonaire Dive & Adventure, which leases a pier you can use for entry/exit shore diving Bari Reef, only if you're a BD&A customer. You can do something searching for discussions about BD&A; it's been my experience reviews are more, um, 'mixed.' Dive Friends gets strong reviews, plus you can dive Bari Reef without using that pier.
I've dealt with WannaDive dive op. at Eden Beach Resort; liked them fine. Stayed at Eden Beach 4 times, but that was under prior management. WannaDive serves different locations.
If you just want a simple, reliable, 'turn key' simple Bonaire dive trip without a lot of extra hassles/decision-making, I say book with Buddy Dive Resort your 1st time, then split hairs with the options planning return trips.
If you like spending hour upon hour carefully weighing the pros, cons & details of various options, well, you can read about Beachcomber Villas, Hamlet Oasis, Caribbean Club, Belmar Apartments, Divi Flamingo, the Plaza, Den Laman...
Richard.
I've stayed at Buddy Dive Resort 3 times, and was fine with it. It's fairly central in location as far as heading to northern vs. southern sites (actually north of central), a north of town but not bad and there's a small but good supermarket across the street & north a bit, they include shuttle service to & from the airport, you rent your truck right on grounds, the shore dives is fine with a couple of pier entries to make it easy, if you boat dive, well, they do it from right there, and for a fee, there's a breakfast buffet option. I have found wifi in the rooms to be poor, and had to go elsewhere on the grounds for good wifi, but it's been awhile since I was there. Onsite restaurant compares reasonably to some others on the island.
For a budget option that's not ocean-front but can save you money, there's Dive Hut. Stayed once (2012 trip report); that was fine. It was what it was represented to be, and that was what I wanted that trip; Bonaire on a tight budget.
Speaking of which, your rental truck will be manual transmission (stick) unless you arrange otherwise in advance, and pay a significant uncharge.
If you've got thin-soled 'booties,' you want thicker soles on your boots. Iron shore is hard, rough and can be jagged. In gear, you've got a lot of weight on your feet. Don't even think about fins that aren't open-heeled. If you like regular bath wash cloths instead of hand towel-sized ones, might want to bring them with you. Bring a supply of over-the-counter meds.; don't expect a 24 hour Walmart with such med.s available if you want to put Neosporin on a cut, etc... When you eat out, don't assume soda refills are free. Guzzle soda back at the room and have water at restaurants to save money. Not only are they on 'island time,' but culturally the mindset is not to rush a check to you as soon as you're finishing a meal. If you aren't the leisurely meal type, and you're used to American service patterns, ask for the check.
Plan to leave your windows down & doors unlocked, so if opportunistic petty thieves come by, they can see there's nothing to steal & move on without breaking your windows. Don't leave anything of value in your rental truck when shore diving; if it would bother you to find it gone, don't leave it. Spare tanks are okay. You have the option to start yet another thread bemoaning the petty crime situation, but you might save yourself some aggravation if you just accept the reality, make the accommodations & move on.
If you want another reputable operator to consider, I hear good things about Dive Friends Bonaire, which is one of your options if you stay at a condo. at Sand Dollar, just south of Buddy Dive and home to Bari Reef, which is popular. Another option at Sand Dollar is Bonaire Dive & Adventure, which leases a pier you can use for entry/exit shore diving Bari Reef, only if you're a BD&A customer. You can do something searching for discussions about BD&A; it's been my experience reviews are more, um, 'mixed.' Dive Friends gets strong reviews, plus you can dive Bari Reef without using that pier.
I've dealt with WannaDive dive op. at Eden Beach Resort; liked them fine. Stayed at Eden Beach 4 times, but that was under prior management. WannaDive serves different locations.
If you just want a simple, reliable, 'turn key' simple Bonaire dive trip without a lot of extra hassles/decision-making, I say book with Buddy Dive Resort your 1st time, then split hairs with the options planning return trips.
If you like spending hour upon hour carefully weighing the pros, cons & details of various options, well, you can read about Beachcomber Villas, Hamlet Oasis, Caribbean Club, Belmar Apartments, Divi Flamingo, the Plaza, Den Laman...
Richard.
drrich2
Contributor
Oh, link to an old thread from a Buddy Dive Resort stay in 2014, last time I was there. Got a pic or two that might be of interest, but some discussion with pics of some of the dive sites/areas.
Eden Beach Resort is under new management & has changed a lot since 2009, when I wrote out this thread, but some of the 'intro. to Bonaire' content might still be a little useful.
Richard.
Eden Beach Resort is under new management & has changed a lot since 2009, when I wrote out this thread, but some of the 'intro. to Bonaire' content might still be a little useful.
Richard.
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