Caribbean Shallow, Accessible and Abundant Sea Life

[edwants2dive]

So if medical care and such is a big concern then I would stay from the DR. They are still 3rd world. Bonaire however is considered second world but it is very close to first world IMHO. I have not been to the Cayman Islands yet but from my research and talking to folks at my LDS the cost would be similar. Cayman may even be a little more expensive over all. The advantage i would give Bonaire is the sheer number of dive sites. I did 22 dives in the week we were there and each different site had something unique to it. Even the multiple dives at Buddy Dive's house reef where we stayed were different each time ( and reasonably shallow if you want). It's your $$ spend it how you want. I wish you safe travels and diving.

 

[KathyV]

So if medical care and such is a big concern then I would stay from the DR. They are still 3rd world. Bonaire however is considered second world but it is very close to first world IMHO. I have not been to the Cayman Islands yet but from my research and talking to folks at my LDS the cost would be similar. Cayman may even be a little more expensive over all. The advantage i would give Bonaire is the sheer number of dive sites. I did 22 dives in the week we were there and each different site had something unique to it. Even the multiple dives at Buddy Dive's house reef where we stayed were different each time ( and reasonably shallow if you want). It's your $$ spend it how you want. I wish you safe travels and diving.

We love Bonaire and enjoyed several trips there, the "it's all about scuba" vibe of the island is really unique and fun and the diving is cheap! But as we have gotten older we find it more difficult to schlep all our gear and tanks around the island to visit the many shore dive sites.

I agree that they have good quality medical care on Bonaire, my husband got an ear infection once and had to look for medical care, and I once fell and put my hand down on a sea urchin so I also needed care - and we both had good experiences.

No place is absolutely perfect but there are a few things about Bonaire that I don't care for:

• The air travel can be expensive and difficult
• We prefer to rent an apartment or condo and often they are not fully air-conditioned (only the bedrooms have AC) but you can find places with full AC if you look
• Thievery of parked cars is commonplace so you can leave nothing of value in the car while you dive and you have to leave the car unlocked and the windows rolled down. That means that we cannot bring a cell phone with us to dive sites and I worry about the possibly of illness, injury, or car trouble in a remote location and no way to summon help.

Bonaire is a special place and the diving is great but I don't know if it is the best option for a nervous new diver, maybe, because you are always close to shore and the dives usually start shallow, but you and your buddy are all alone.

BTW, the Cayman Islands proclaim that they have 365 named dive sites across the 3 islands, see the link below, so there are lots of options to choose from. Most of them are boat dives, but there are also some nice shore dives in Cayman (and they are cheap!) but not nearly as many as on Bonaire.

Dive 365

 

[chillyinCanada]

Does your wife already swim and snorkel? Or is she already uneasy in the water before she took up scuba?

 

[Joneill]

So if medical care and such is a big concern then I would stay from the DR. They are still 3rd world. Bonaire however is considered second world but it is very close to first world IMHO. I have not been to the Cayman Islands yet but from my research and talking to folks at my LDS the cost would be similar. Cayman may even be a little more expensive over all. The advantage i would give Bonaire is the sheer number of dive sites.

Actually, as Kathy V said, the Cayman Islands have over 365 marked dive sites - but most are boat access only! - so Bonaire loses big time on the sheer # of dive sites!

https://www.visitcaymanislands.com/...CI_main_site/PDFs/CaymanIslands_DiveGuide.pdf

However, Bonaire has way more shore diving (and great boat diving as well - including Klein Bonaire ) - so, it really depends on how you want to dive.

I would add that, based on my 1 trip to Bonaire last fall, the corals looked somewhat healthier on most sites in Bonaire and there seemed to be generally more fish life on the reefs in Bonaire than on most sites in Grand Cayman. However, Grand Cayman has more dramatic landscapes and walls - especially East End and North.

In the end, you can't go wrong with either place!

 

[KathyV]

Does your wife already swim and snorkel? Or is she already uneasy in the water before she took up scuba?

That's a great point, I took an "adult learn to swim" class before attempting dive training - many years ago. My husband grew up loving the water, his family had a cottage on a lake and he was on the swim team in school.

I was very nervous at first but he was patient and I stuck with it and I am so glad that I did! We have enjoyed many wonderful trips and dives together.

 

[htatton]

I recommend Isla Mujeres, 15 miles off the coast of Cancun. There is a family owned dive show Casa del buceo (www.Casadelbuceo.com) that has taken great care of my family for 5 years. The island is life at the speed of a golf cart, and the diving is EASY. Very little current, most dives 30-40 ft and lots of interesting sea life. I did a discover dive with them on my 70th birthday, loved diving and came home to Montana and became certified. Went to Isla Mujeres to finish my OW certification. Since then they have trained 5 members of my family. We love to dive with them.

 

[Suppresst]

I've been absent from this forum for awhile because of commitments (and I still don't get notifications, but working on it), but I've just looked over the most recent posts I hadn't seen and they were very helpful. Thanks so much. I intend now to bore down into everything that's been posted and start making decisions.

 

[KathyV]

I've been absent from this forum for awhile because of commitments (and I still don't get notifications, but working on it), but I've just looked over the most recent posts I hadn't seen and they were very helpful. Thanks so much. I intend now to bore down into everything that's been posted and start making decisions.

Is it possible that you might have used a different email address when you originally registered for SB? In that case the notifications will be going to that account which is why you are not seeing them. I just mention it because that happened to me regarding a different forum.

Good luck with your decision and please let us know where you decide to go!

 

[Littorally Diving]

I can recommend Aruba. Very interesting wrecks, lovely reefs, much of it within basic OW limits and difficulties. Rather more to do on the island than, say, Bonaire if you guys feel like staying dry for a day or two. If interested feel free to message me - I just got back from a trip there.

 

[Kharon]

I can recommend Aruba. Very interesting wrecks, lovely reefs, much of it within basic OW limits and difficulties. Rather more to do on the island than, say, Bonaire if you guys feel like staying dry for a day or two. If interested feel free to message me - I just got back from a trip there.

Another advantage is that you go through US customs (very quickly) on Aruba as you are leaving and don't have that hassle and long lines in a US airport hanging over your head.