Bonaire vs Curacao

[wildbill9]

Been to Bonaire, loved It! Except for the entries...maybe it was the time of year (April), maybe just a bad week but even the 'easy' entries were very challenging. We had the Bonaire shore diving book, tried to watch others (usually weren't any), walked entry prior to kitting up but we just seemed to have a very hard time getting in. Once we made it the diving was fantastic, second only to LC. Been looking at Curacao - how does the diving compare? Some posts say very much so, others slam it. Seems most say entry, once found, is easier which we need. Others say fish life/reef health is not good. Boat dives or all shore dive? See many places that have guided shore dives which I can't see paying for, is it worth it? About us, early 50s, good to excellent shape, her 400+ dives, me 800+ dives, latest trips- little cayman (3 times), bonaire, roatan, Costa rico, belieze cozumel , key largo (all in last 36 months, we aren't newbies). We love corals, fish (big and small), sharks, walls. We don't like drift diving (hence why we aren't looking at Cozumel)..We plan on at least 2 and hopefully 3 tanks a day (min depending on travel time between sites). I was concerned about posting on the Bonaire board but so many seem to have been to both I thought I would try. Mods, if I choose unwisely feel free to move. Please let me hear your input and suggestions, we need a dive trip by April.....having withdrawal symptoms from lack of bubbles. Thanks Bill and DeeDee

 

[oldschoolto]

I'm 55 and have a really bad back and loss of motor skills on the left side... I don't understand your hard time with diving Bonaire... Do you have balance troubles ? Some sites are a little trickier than others, But all are doable... Maybe you just need a little help on reading the site and waves... I'll be in Bonaire for 6 weeks around that time...

Jim...

 

[uncfnp]

Hey DeeDee,

I'm 5'3 and late 50's with a lot of joint issues. If you love Bonaire otherwise maybe we can help. Entries can be challenging and I found some things that help me at least. Harder for me are the exits but I have a few tricks there as well. Anything we can do to help let us know. And of course some sites are easier than others.

As for Curaçao, haven't been there yet and interested to see what others have said to say.

 

[diversteve]

If you want better diving with 95% Beach entries you want to go to Curacao.

Here's pictures of about 1/2 the entries - Scuba Shore Diving Site Listing for: Curacao, ABC Islands What you won't see is that most have on-site dive facilities, food, lockers/showers/bathrooms also at almost every dive location. We did over 20 dives and only one location had nothing. I did 25 dives on Bonaire and only one location had something not counting our resort

Any of the others on ironshore - there's maybe 1/2 dozen - almost all have facilities on-site including a dive dock. At some you do pay a small usage fee - $5 or so - to use their facilities - seems fair to me. My total expenditure in usage fees was under $20 and we only did one boat dive.

Slightly longer drives between sites so it's better to dive either east or west twice b4 returning to your rental/resort. Some of the resorts also have on-site dive operations ala Bonaire. If you look at a dive site map it's pretty apparent how to pair sites to minimize travel/surface interval time.

www.curacao.com lists everything you need.

Playa Kalki in Westpunt, Curacao is probably the best shore dive I've done on either island and we made it a point to dive the best of both. It's a completely different dive in either direction so plan a morning out there - about a 45min. drive from town. If you go in at GoWest, you can use their dock. One where I'd rent tanks, they keep theirs 20' from the dock, ours were up the hill over a bad flight of stairs. 5 years earlier their tank trolley probably worked, - it was rusted in place.

At some sites we did 4 dives, easy if you doubled at a location. A few 5 but the 2nd afternoon dive was the same spot, we ate dinner on-site then a night dive. Operator left tanks out for us since they closed at 6. One had a bad valve so the custodian called his boss (he lived 5mins. away) and he came over and replaced it. Try doing that on Bonaire...

The reason for the low dive count was 2 e/r night visits plus a planned day off mid-week. Otherwise we'd have been 2 dozen+. Also we changed resorts mid-week (planned) so that was a 2-tank day. Don't believe what you read about no solo diving either - I did at several locations. I film so a lot of my dives wind up being solo. At one I geared completely up but forgot my air so I walked 50' back up the dock to where a shop employee was filling tanks. His comment after turning my air on - have a nice dive.

I didn't understand your "escorted dives" comments since afaik the only people doing that on Curacao are the Dive Bus, Atlantis Diving/Apts. or a private guide whose name escapes me now. Probably some of shops do also but no one pushes it.

At least for us, Curacao was better flights also. I was on Curacao around 1pm, Bonaire it was dark plus a 2nd stop in San Juan. Pretty sure both were American and we connected in Texas.

 

[drrich2]

You may find some relevant content in these other threads:

Curacao vs. Bonaire - http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/lesser-antilles/473036-curacao-vs-bonaire.html
Curacao 1st Timer Trip Report - Curacao 1st timer Trip report
Place to stay in Curacao - Place to stay in Curacao See Damselfish Post #3.
Curacao Trip with Teenagers in June - Curacao Trip With Teenagers In June

 

[morecowbells]

Call me a wimp, but I think Bonaire entries are far more challenging than Curacao. Navigating moss covered ironshore, stepping up, down, sideways, until I get waist deep(while praying I didn't get my leg wedged in between fissures)was indeed a challenge. Definitely not a deal breaker, but Curacao entries are far milder, especially sites where there are docks and beaches. Bonaire seems to have more abundant quantities of fish, but the underwater topography and coral vibrancy of Curacao is amazing. My own highly unscientific fobservations are that Bonaire has more tarpon, chain morays, sea horses and frogfish. Curacao seems to have more turtles, tons of green morays and more stingrays.

I am a 5'3" female who just turned the big fifty(oh the humanity!). Personally, I enjoy surface intervals at the beach clubs more than hanging around the bed of the truck. I love both places, but tend to lean towards Curacao.

 

[oldschoolto]

Call me a wimp, but I think Bonaire entries are far more challenging than Curacao. Navigating moss covered ironshore, stepping up, down, sideways, until I get waist deep(while praying I didn't get my leg wedged in between fissures)was indeed a challenge. Definitely not a deal breaker, but Curacao entries are far milder, especially sites where there are docks and beaches. Bonaire seems to have more abundant quantities of fish, but the underwater topography and coral vibrancy of Curacao is amazing. My own highly unscientific fobservations are that Bonaire has more tarpon, chain morays, sea horses and frogfish. Curacao seems to have more turtles, tons of green morays and more stingrays.

I am a 5'3" female who just turned the big fifty(oh the humanity!). Personally, I enjoy surface intervals at the beach clubs more than hanging around the bed of the truck. I love both places, but tend to lean towards Curacao.

I think most people could learn a few pointers about shore diving Bonaire.. I know I've helped more than a few at dive sites.. What looks like the right way or the easy way... May in fact, Be the harder way.. Most of the dive sites on Bonaire have one or two "EASY" spots to get in and out and the rest can be a real pain in the a$$.. My wife has a hard time getting in if she does not follow me.. I'll talk her through it, Step here.. Watch out for this.. Stop and let the next set of waves go by.. And I hold her hand.. Dare I say, Shore diving Bonaire is a ART FORM..

Jim....

 

[choiahoy]

I've been to both islands and diving is great on either. You'll notice the biggest difference is the 'infrastructure' in terms of how the diving is set up. On Bonaire, most people get an unlimited air package and a truck. On Curacao, I rented tanks from the shops that were on the different sites.

I would say that the entries are generally very easy on Curacao. On Bonaire they can range from super easy to difficult.

We enjoyed both islands, but if this tells you anything, we've been to Curacao once and Bonaire three times (and planning our fourth trip).

 

[lmorin]

Here is a previously posted photo of my wife and me returning from a dive on Bonaire. We are 68 and the canes are part of our solution to difficult entries. The canes are collapsible and each fits into a home-made holster on each BC. FWIW, my wife is not an athlete and never was. I was, but now have a major neurological impairment that affects my legs and balance. The canes do a great job of offsetting our issues. We now have incorporated a large carabiner that attaches our fins to the BC leaving one arm free which, if needed, we use to hold on to the other person's BC for even more stability. Then, we enter/exit hips toward the waves, if needed.

 

[oldschoolto]

Here is a previously posted photo of my wife and me returning from a dive on Bonaire. We are 68 and the canes are part of our solution to difficult entries. The canes are collapsible and each fits into a home-made holster on each BC. FWIW, my wife is not an athlete and never was. I was, but now have a major neurological impairment that affects my legs and balance. The canes do a great job of offsetting our issues. We now have incorporated a large carabiner that attaches our fins to the BC leaving one arm free which, if needed, we use to hold on to the other person's BC for even more stability. Then, we enter/exit hips toward the waves, if needed.

And if you look at the picture.. They are both looking down at where they are stepping.. I see to many people walking without looking at their footing or were their next step should be... And a large carabiner for your fins is a big help..
Jim..