Hawaii or Bonaire...HELP PLEASE.

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bdizzle

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Don't know where to post this so I thought I was get a consensus.
Here's the situation:
Friends are going to Hawaii in June, staying at the Wyndham Mauna Loa Village (timeshare) and will most likely be diving with Jacks Diving Locker. June 1-8. Looking at 3-4 days diving. I've express an intent to do more diving.

My dive shop is headed to Bonaire June 1-8. Staying at an all inclusive (meals, drinks, alcohol, beer) with 11 boat dives, unlimited shore diving, free nitrox, etc.

I really am torn. Time with friends and girlfriend with few dives or time with girlfriend with dive shop people but with more diving?

I don't know what to do. What are your thoughts? What would you prefer? What would you choose?

I've also thought about going my own way and a live aboard Turks/Caicos or belize...I really dont know. Budget is about 2500 with airfare per diver.

Searched through photos of both places and I still can't decide. Was in Hawaii back in '99, never been to Bonaire.
 
Simple ... if you want more diving, go to Bonaire ... if you want more time with friends, go to Hawaii.

Of the two, my personal opinion is that Bonaire has superior diving to Hawaii ... but I've only been to Maui once, and Bonaire five times.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)
 
Just got back from a trip to Maui and Kona. I dove with Kona Diving Company. Both KDC and the diving was amazing. Lots of fish, eels, coral. And the Manta Ray night dive is just awesome. But, you still have to factor in cost of each dive. I would have done more diving except the bill for both me and my daughter was adding up quickly. The most I could talk my wife into was 2 dives in Maui and 2 dives in Kona. I've never been to Bonaire but of all the places I've been diving (Great Barrier Reef, Molokini Crater, Turks n Caicos, and Kona) Kona so far is my favorite.

Last year we were at the Beaches in Turks n Caicos. All inclusive with meals, diving (2 tank am, 1 tank pm), and alcohol included in the package. That was easily best vacation with the family. And for what it cost with rentals and dive charters now looks like even better deal. You also have to factor in rental car, meals, tips, etc for Hawaii. Advantage of all inclusive is you don't have to leave the resort for meals.

Personally, I would pick the all inclusive if diving is the most important part of the vacation. If not, then I'd spend the time with GF and friends.
 
I agree with NWG above.

To add, if budget is a concern, IMHE Hawaii is more expensive than Bonaire once you get there, especially if you compare number of dives to money spent. That said, Hawaii is way better topside than Bonaire for the most part. I could go on and on about how amazing Hawaii is.

Another generalization is that Hawaii is going to offer more pelagic encounters and Bonaire is going to offer very slow paced shore diving with tons of fish life and macro subjects to explore with all the extra time you will have underwater. Hawaii offers lots of shore diving but not as plentiful as Bonaire, as easy as Bonaire, and as RELIABLE as Bonaire. I have NEVER been blown out of a shore dive day in Bonaire.

If you do choose Bonaire, skip most of those boat dives and crowded boats and head out in a truck with a smaller group. Nothing beats a shore dive where the only person you see for over an hour is your buddy. That's what makes Bonaire special to me. Honestly though, Hawaii can ofer that possibility too depending on beach conditions.

Hard decision really. It's a nice problem to have! :)
 
The cost really isn't the issue. Its that I've been Inception'ed by my OW/AOW/etc teacher that Hawaii diving wasnt anything spectacular. "Yes you'll see manta rays, but other than that, its not high on my list."
The friends aspect of Hawaii is my main issue as we have a blast diving together and just being together.
Going somewhere new...or going somewhere I haven't been in years...but with friends. As you said, its a nice problem to have I do admit...but still difficult.
I guess it just comes down to pros and cons. I think really its a matter of going with friends...the Bonaire trip will always be there through different travel companys, but the friendship trips, those may not.
Thank you guys for your thoughts...I really do appreciate the input!
 
I love diving both Bonaire and Maui, and have several trips to each. Lots of things to do in Maui, and decent (and very different) diving, boat dives pricey. On a cost per dive basis, Bonaire is about the best value there is. If you have not been diving in Bonaire before, then I say go there. Especially since girlfriend will go to either location. Other people in the group are incidental, and all will become your friends. You'll find a reason to go to Hawaii sooner or later. I have found a reason to go ten times over the past 14 years.
DivemasterDennis
 
I have to agree that if you want to dive a LOT, go to Bonaire (and skip most of the boat dives). We've been to Bonaire 3x (2 week trips, and have a 4th trip planned) and own a condo in Maui, so spend about 6 weeks a year there.

I often use the analogy that Hawaii is like the desert....there are so many cool creatures to see and spectacular topography, but it's hard coral and rock and the creatures can be very hard to find and see (but they are there!). Bonaire is like a tropical rain forest....everywhere you look there is a lot to see and critters aren't hard to find, with a lush soft surrounding (sponges, sea fans, gorgonian coral, etc).

If you want to check out photos of creatures we've seen in both Bonaire and Hawaii during the past few years, please check out our website: http://divetraveladventures.shutterfly.com/ Maybe it'll help you decide.
 
If the friends are people you can socialize with back home, I'd go to Bonaire.

If these are far flung friends you rarely see but friendships you cherish greatly, I'd consider Hawaii.

Diving is more important to me than to some people. Water's significantly warmer in Bonaire than Hawaii, from what I understand (I've been to Bonaire 5 times; a buddy of mine did a little shore diving in Hawaii but I haven't been).

Richard.
 
I vote Bonaire. Never been to Maui or any of the other islands, just a disclaimer. I can count the number of friends I would give up a week of diving in Bonaire to go visit and dive elsewhere( unless it had cave diving then I'd be cave diving). If the friends are that small handful I say go to Maui otherwise I would be headed to Bonaire.
I am looking forward to my next trip to the Island eventually.
 
If you are diving with Jack's, you won't be on Maui, you will be on the big island near Kona. Dove there in February with Kona Huno Divers, the night manta dive was so cool, did it twice!
 
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