Cocoview vs. Buddy Dive, Bonaire

[Randallr]

I just discovered I can get good flights to either Roatan or Bonaire from Miami in late March, so I'm considering either Cocoview in the former or Buddy Dive on the latter. Anyone have experience at both who can compare them for me?

The most important thing: I'll be traveling on my own, so I'm looking for a place where it's easy to find buddies not just but to dive with, share photos with, etc. I know these are different types of places - Cocoview more self-contained, Buddy with more transients - but I'm still eager for opinions of both or either.

 

[drrich2]

I've been to Buddy Dive once (Bonaire 6 times); haven't been to CocoView but hope to go someday.

Can you drive a manual transmission truck? It takes around $150 extra (& you ought to request in advance) to get an automatic on Bonaire.

On Bonaire, you will probably do some driving up & down the coast line hitting shore dive sites and eating out. I'm told Roatan stays are often somewhat more 'self-contained' with divers not getting 'off the reservation' as often, so between CocoView offering an all-inclusive meal plan, boat dives and some shore dive action you wouldn't have to drive around (though you may want to). Buddy Dive does have boat diving, if you want that.

Given your dive count, have you considered the SDI Solo course? I mention it because I took it in part for situations like you're facing, and the mainstream Bonaire west coast sites are mostly pretty benign in conditions.

Richard.

 

[parrotheaddiver]

been to both you will have better luck at CCV finding a buddy you dive the same boat all week so you will find someone to dive with... sometimes I just ask if i can tag along when people shore dive...to me Buddy is more of a hotel dive resort... groups and couples...plus since Bonaire is mostly shore diving I would rather have some one I know diving with me...but to each his own...

 

[Doc]

...Anyone have experience at both who can compare them for me?

I wonder what deal you are considering at Buddy. The final costs can vary considerably depending on which package you buy.

If you were to select Bonaire, I would get a breakfast only package and go to local restaurants for evening meals, grocery store for lunch food. You are going to want a rental vehicle for shore diving. Get the FULL insurance package. I believe the Resort shore dive has a cut-off time at night.

At CocoView. it is on its own private island, so the benefit of an AI gets used pretty well. You can get easily 5 dives in a 24 hr period~ it's 24/7. I think that CCV's house reef is a better experience than Buddy Dive because of the nearby walls and intact wreck.

Bonaire is a great dive experience as well, but know that the better diving I believe is off of Klein Bonaire, which is a regularly daily scheduled boat dive. The holy grail of the NE coast is extremely dependent upon weather and compared to the wonders of the regular dive sites, nothing unique in the Caribbean~ similar to Roatan's North Coast.

Bonaire has an amazing selection of local restaurants and if you're adventurous- you'll have a ball. If you go to Bonaire and go to the busy places where all of the tourists eat, I wouldn't bother to weigh restaurants in as part of the equation.

Cocoview's price is as stated, not much way to spend money other than the original price paid. There really is no other Roatan shore diving than CCV, and if you really want to go out for dinner, hire one of the resort's English speaking drivers... do NOT rent a car, driving there is hazardous to your health and wallet.

You should dive both islands, you will eventually.

 

[herman]

Tough choice.
I have been to both...and as a matter of fact am going to both this year. If you want good and a wide varity of food then Bonaire. To me the food at CCV is OK but not much more than a typical industrial caferiteria, OK and plenty of it but not gormet by any means. Boat diving on both is good and I think I would give that to CCV, I am not overly taken by walls but the reef is nice. If you are happy with doing a few sites over and over, 2 of the boat dives each day is the same dive day after day....and there is way more than you will ever see in a week on the close in/house reef at CCV if you spend the time to look, then I would give the diving to CCV. If you want to spend long dives on your schedule at many different sites then the diving would go to Boniare. If you want any kind of night life other than sitting at the bar, then Bonaire.
I really like both and can't wait to get back to them. I think if I was going by myself, based on the all inclusive nature and almost total boat diving with one group for the week, I would chose CCV. On the other hand if you can team up with another diver of similar likes then Bonaire. If cost is a major factor, then again Bonaire wins hands down as you can keep the flight cost down, you go to a different hotel than Buddy (you can still dive with them) and use some tricks to keep the food cost down.

One minor correction to Doc's post, there are no time limits at Buddy, you can get tanks 24/7.....unless it has changed since last July. Oh and Nitrox is no additional charge pretty much everywhere on Bonaire, it's a good bit higher at CCV. You don't really need it but still it's a nice safety buffer.

 

[Damselfish]

Late March is not far away. You might want to check availability during the times you are interested in before getting too set on a place.

 

[Randallr]

Thanks all! Really helpful. I should clarify: I've been to Bonaire, and stayed and dived at Bruce Bowker's Caribe Inn. I thought the Bonaire diving was fine, although the reefs tended to look like each other after a while - none of the drama and diversity of Cozumel. But because I was on my own, I did everything from the boat, and didn't get a chance to do the shore dives. (I won't dive solo, only travel that way.)

So what I was wondering was, if I go to Buddy, how likely would I be to find people I'd be ablevto shore dive with, and maybe try some of the restaurants with. And at Cocoview, how interesting and diverse is the diving - does it compare to a Cozumel or a Saba? And is Cocoview a friendly place where I'll find people to share meals and drinks and photos with? Basically, I don't want to dive by myself or eat by myself.

 

[lsorenson]

My 2 cents... I love CocoView and me and the wife do it once or so a year... Been to Buddy Dive @ Bonaire and its fine... Both "Dive locations" (Bonaire or Roatan) have there stanch supporters... To chose one over the other is a coin flip in my opinion but when were diving Bonaire, I am just looking for a good cheep safe place to stay... In Roatan; I stay at CocoView, Bungalow A or C (they have the King size bed with C being my preference of the two!!!)

You will have no problem at CCV finding someone to dive with and all boat dives are led by a DM... Bonaire will not be difficult to hook up but not as easy as CCV. At CCV, you want to do a night dive; stand up at dinner and shout out "Anyone up for a Night dive?" and I am sure you will have 3-4 or more folks chime in...

To be fair; I am partial to CCV but once you go there I think you will understand why...

I will end this with one last thought; which ever location you choose, you will have a blast!!! lee

---------- Post added January 18th, 2013 at 02:00 AM ----------

Ok, just read the thread and saw you last post... I will take a shot and say I believe your a guy... Chicks always have it easier when it comes to finding a dive partner

I have been wanting to check out the Caribe Inn myself... and unless I am wanting to dive Kline, I skip the boats... We have a small group heading over at the end of March (23rd-30th) and several of us are diving the previous week in Curacao... Staying at the Plaza and you would be more than welcome to dive with us if you like...! I dive alot when I am there and the wife is happy with her token 4 or so dives.

If you stay at buddy and find yourself there the same weekend, feel free to look me up and we can hit some dives...

Wana dive (I am not a fan) has a cheep/inexpensive hotel/bunkhouse arrangement where they all hook up at the bar and may cater to singles better. I had a friend stay there while we were staying at the Yacht Club (a story in itself) and he found it OK. More of a crash pad but like I said, not a fan; not of the hotel but their rental tanks... lee
Bonaire- March 23rd - 30th,

 

[Randallr]

Lee, you're right - I'm a male human! And thanks for the info and invitations. But based on what I've been reading (and heard from a buddy I dove with at Sunset House in Grand Cayman) I think I'm going to try Cocoview.

Another question for you all: What's the best way to book CV - go direct, or use a travel agent? If the latter, is there an agent you use who specializes in it and knows how to arrange the best arrangements?

My 2 cents... I love CocoView and me and the wife do it once or so a year... Been to Buddy Dive @ Bonaire and its fine... Both "Dive locations" (Bonaire or Roatan) have there stanch supporters... To chose one over the other is a coin flip in my opinion but when were diving Bonaire, I am just looking for a good cheep safe place to stay... In Roatan; I stay at CocoView, Bungalow A or C (they have the King size bed with C being my preference of the two!!!)

You will have no problem at CCV finding someone to dive with and all boat dives are led by a DM... Bonaire will not be difficult to hook up but not as easy as CCV. At CCV, you want to do a night dive; stand up at dinner and shout out "Anyone up for a Night dive?" and I am sure you will have 3-4 or more folks chime in...

To be fair; I am partial to CCV but once you go there I think you will understand why...

I will end this with one last thought; which ever location you choose, you will have a blast!!! lee

---------- Post added January 18th, 2013 at 02:00 AM ----------

Ok, just read the thread and saw you last post... I will take a shot and say I believe your a guy... Chicks always have it easier when it comes to finding a dive partner

I have been wanting to check out the Caribe Inn myself... and unless I am wanting to dive Kline, I skip the boats... We have a small group heading over at the end of March (23rd-30th) and several of us are diving the previous week in Curacao... Staying at the Plaza and you would be more than welcome to dive with us if you like...! I dive alot when I am there and the wife is happy with her token 4 or so dives.

If you stay at buddy and find yourself there the same weekend, feel free to look me up and we can hit some dives...

Wana dive (I am not a fan) has a cheep/inexpensive hotel/bunkhouse arrangement where they all hook up at the bar and may cater to singles better. I had a friend stay there while we were staying at the Yacht Club (a story in itself) and he found it OK. More of a crash pad but like I said, not a fan; not of the hotel but their rental tanks... lee
Bonaire- March 23rd - 30th,

 

[large_diver]

Based on my "vast" CCV experience (n=1, March 2012), it is very easy to find a buddy, people to eat with, etc.. I took my then 15 year old daughter there last year...and during the beginning of the week she was doing her checkout dives with an instructor while I went boat diving 4x/day. As mentioned above, you typically end up on the same boat all week and make fast friends with the folks on your boat. I buddied up with a couple that had been there many times before and a husband who was taking pics (as was I).....worked out very nicely.

After diving, it is very easy to sit down with folks either from your boat or elsewhere for meals....everyone there is there for the diving, very friendly...some of the times we ate alonge (normally breakfast when people trickled in), but usually sat with others for lunch and dinner. There do often seem to be larger groups there that tend to stick together, but this doesn't seem to tbe the majority of the folks there (obviously depends on the week).

So...long story short...if you are reasonably friendly and outgoing....easy to find friends/buddies/meal partners

Chris