2nd best shorediving?

[1_T_Submariner]

Curacao or Anilao Philipines would be #2 for me.

 

[Louie]

Having never been to Bonaire, I can't say second or third (or first) but for nice shore dives, I will say Dahab - with the Blue Hole being a must dive - and Gozo (something different) with its nice underwater formations.

 

[vladimir]

Sipadan had great shore diving, but you can't stay on the island anymore. I would love to hear from somebody who's been to Wakatobi.

 

[fishmother]

I have been to roatan 4 times now and it's where our youngest child "cut his dive teeth" The pic on this post is of the resort we always go to cocoview. not the cheapest on the island but the people there are true professionals , they want to make money like anyone else there but they will never compromise safety to do it. On out last trip there ( june 2010) I saw the neigbor resort leave guests snokeling a site across a main boat channel that they were supposed to swim back across to to get back to their dock. totally unacceptable saftey wise. i will continue to pay more for a place that maintains first class rental gear and a real dive shop with techs and parts, not to mention a first class photo professional !!! 2 walls and a wreck within shore diving distance and a true 24 / 7 dive op. They dont advertise and they are always full so they are really doing something right.

 

[fishmother]

oh and my profile pic was taken at a dive there called calvins crack, one of my alltime faves

 

[NotYetBent]

Bonaire #1, of course...the ease and number of dive sites make that an easy choice.

A long trip to Bali, but...up north in Tulamben area...the Liberty wreck (200' wreck in less than 80' of water) with a resident school of bumphead parrotfish, very, very nice school of jack with patrolling Giant Trevally...not to mention good chances to see Ornate and Robust Ghost Pipefish, Cuttlefish, Pygmy Seahorse, etc. The surf can make shore entry and exit a little bit interesting (wear a full wetsuit!) but I enjoyed it very much.

 

[dogatecat]

Is Bonaire really the top shore diving location in the world??? no... come on. For Real?

The Caribbean definitely has it's charms, convenient locale, and wondrous diving; but I just can't fathom that the diving in Southeast Asia is inferior.

I must admit I have not dove Bonaire, so I could most definitely be blown away when I finally do.

Of the fabulous yet limited shore dives I have experienced, Tulamben has got to be at the top. I completely concur with NotYetBent's post... though I'd take it a step further and place it above Bonaire(of course I'm assuming that Bonaire's underwater life is reflective of the rest of the Carribbean). In addition to NotYetBent's comments I'd add that Tulamben's shore diving is not limited to the USS Liberty. A wall dive, reef dives, and muck dives are also all accessible from shore.

And then Tulamben, in all it's glory, is probably surpassed by many other famous locales...

Wakatobi
Maldives
Antarctica (ice entry might be classified as shore diving)
Philippines
Australia
Bonaire (hahah)
Sulawesi

Soooo many places to dive....

 

[dogatecat]

After a bit of Bonaire googling, it appears the interweb really does like Bonaire. Therefore, I have no choice but to yield to the all knowing interweb.

Bonaire is #1

 

[MakingBubbles]

I've been diving throughout the Caribbean (including Bahamas, Cozumel, Bonaire, Curacao, and others) and all of the Hawaiian Islands. Sure, the volume and variety of fish species and coral on Bonaire is amazing. While other places may be able to trump Bonaire when it comes to pelagics, turtles, and other large creatures, Bonaire is far superior when it comes to one thing...Convenience. I've found nowhere else that provides the overall convenience combined with the quality of diving that Bonaire provides. With so many dive sites in such a small area and ubiquitous availability of Nitrox, it is one of few places in the world (if not the only place) where you can perform 5+ shore dives every day for more than 7 days and not dive the same location twice. Diving can be a 24x7 activity if you want it to be. The reefs are very close to shore and there are dives suited for all experience levels. Because you dive at your own pace and on your own schedule, it is perfect for beginners and experts alike. While I still enjoy visiting the South Pacific for the difference species it provides, you can't go wrong with Bonaire if you want to have a "dive, dive, dive" vacation. It's the closest thing I've found to the convenience of a liveaboard (but without the large expense) and yet still having the land-based amenities.

 

[NotYetBent]

Maybe another thought...if you are a US-based diver (or anywhere in the Americas / Caribbean area), Bonaire is your best shore-diving option. If you have lived (and dove) in Bali your whole life (or somewhere else in SE Asia), I'm not sure that Bonaire would be worth the long trip. I'm still not sure the 'dive-dive-dive vacation' idea holds up...I have dove in SE Asia 4 different times (3 countries / 7 different places) and just about everywhere that I've been to has catered to 4 dives/day with no problems...though most divers there don't seem to dive that much (I've been asked where my gills are - but seriously - I don't travel 24+ hrs to Asia not to do 4 dives a day). However...Bonaire gets major points in the 'feel/attitude' category. Nowhere is that simple to dive (as MakingBubbles states and illustrates). The rental trucks, the little yellow rocks along the road, the pairs of reef squid, the environmental quality of the reefs, the 'just grab a tank and go' policy, etc. all make a Bonaire trip an incredibly excellent dive vacation choice. That being said, I did have to bite my lip a little when a friend who I was recently diving with in Bonaire (first time diving) asked, "Is there really anywhere better to dive than this?" Nonetheless, a fantastic first dive location (shore diving or not) and probably your best bet for a week trip if you live in the US.

Though I think a week in Anilao (only 2 flights from Denver, I think) might be in my future...