What's as good as Bonaire??

[Diver477]

Hey All!

My son and I are looking to take a dive trip this June but we're conflicted on where to go. I've done mountains of research, but sometimes these travel agents give you the run around so I figured I'd ask you fine folks too.

We went to Bonaire a few years back and it was fabulous!! So in essence, we're looking for somewhere with just as great (if not better) diving that also has some touristy spots to visit. For example, we've been looking into St. Maarten for the multitude of beautiful beaches/bays, the vast amount of additional activities (like Maho beach)....but a lot of the diving reviews seem a little conflicted on if its good/not so good. We've also considered the day trip to Saba too.

So if there is anywhere like St. Maarten above land and like Bonaire below the water that I'm not thinking of in the Western hemisphere, let me know and share your thoughts!

Thanks!!

M.

 

[drrich2]

If you read a number of threads about St. Maarten on the forum, I suspect the overall consensus will be that the diving there tends to be 'blah' compared to mainstream Caribbean diving. I haven't dove there; you can do a search & hear directly from people who have.

Saba is famous for pinnacle diving which tends to be deep, from what others have posted. How old is your son? If he's young enough for recommended depth restrictions, might not be your place. Also, from others' trip reports, I'm under the impression Saba is rather 'rustic,' natural and lush, not all that developed (though it does have a medical school), so a lot of touristy attractions I doubt.

Grand Cayman is known for boat diving, and some shore diving, but is said to be a costly destination. You could see what a 1 week stay at Sunset House or Cobalt Coast would run you. I enjoyed visiting the Turtle Farm. Warm water, high viz., my 2 dives there were quite pretty.

Curacao is said to be similar to Bonaire, larger, sandier beaches with longer swim outs, not as focused on diving, longer drive times between dive sites - I've not been as yet. There are a number of 'Bonaire vs. Curacao' type threads on the forum. This could be your place, though.

Roatan has CocoView and Reefhouse Resort as reputable places with shore dive access at the resort. I've seen postings to the effect that most visitors don't roam all over the island like they do Bonaire, and the list of touristy things to do might not be real long. Then again, see some threads with trip reports. Sand fleas can be an issue.

Belize has topside activities; I've done the New River tour up to Lamani (? spelling), walked in the rain forest & saw 3 Mayan ruins (climbed atop 2). Really nice. From what I've gleaned from others' reports, best diving is via live-aboard here but charter boat op.s are possible.

If you've been to Bonaire, seems like Cozumel is the other top Caribbean dive destination for hordes of people. Aldora and Living Underwater are op.s that have big steel 120 tanks; Scuba Club Cozumel has a shore dive option I'm told (this will not be Bonaire, though; sorry). I did 2 tanks with Living Underwater; very nice dive at Santa Rosa.

Your best bet may be to stay in the U.S.; head down to the Florida Keys, get a room at the Courtyard Marriott, dive with Rainbow Dive Center at the end of the parking lot. I've got a trip report online here. Flew to Ft. Lauderdale, took a rental SUV (wife drove) to Key Largo, did 20 dives in 5 days with Rainbow, and if you want, you're not terribly far from the attractions of Miami and Ft. Lauderdale. Surely you can find some touristy fun somewhere! I saw more fish than Bonaire.

I've been to Bonaire 7 times. Love-love-love the freedom of independent shore diving. My questions for you:

1.) How old's your son?

2.) Is shore diving a big deal for you?

3.) What touristy attractions are you after? Zip lining? Dancing? Bar hopping? A zoo or nature preserve? Deep sea fishing? Water skiing? Rainforest tour? Girls gone wild?

Often built-up resort areas with lots of attractions aren't real close to great diving. I'm not saying never, but often there's environmental damage from development to consider.

Richard.

 

[KeithG]

How much diving do you want to do?

When we do not go to Bonaire, we go on a live aboard. Coco view is the other dive your brains out location.

But if you are happy with just 2 dives a day, then there are lots of interesting places to go that have something to keep you busy for multiple afternoons:
- Provo in the Turks and Caicos
- tortola in the British virgin isles
- bequia in st Vincent & grenadines
- grand cayman
- Dominica

Some other places have less to do in the afternoon (you can generally do it all in the first few days)
- grand Turk
- saba
- cayman brac
- little cayman
- Belize

and there are places with poorer diving but more to do topside
- jamaica
- Cuba
- Costa rica
- St Lucia

---------- Post added January 7th, 2014 at 09:52 PM ----------

Add curaçao to the lots to do topside list.

 

[diversteve]

Curacao is basically Bonaire diving that's spread out farther all over the island. So its harder to do the volume of dives that you can on Boaire - we managed 22? in 9 days with 2 afternoons off. Since you mentioned beaches, some of theirs are pretty good. Almost all of them are also shore dive sites with dive operators on site.

There's at least a dozen casinos, some excellent beaches - most are also shore dive sites. Lots more nightlife, Jazz is pretty popular there. Shopping downtown, the cruise port is there also and there's a dolphin dive at the Seaquarium. The best dive I've done on either island was Playa Kalki in Westpunt. And there's some nightclubs. Most of the population is in Willamstad so the west is very quiet at night.

Curacao Travel- Caribbean, Curacao, Dutch Caribbean

 

[Jersey]

We went to Bonaire a few years back and it was fabulous!! So in essence, we're looking for somewhere with just as great (if not better) diving that also has some touristy spots to visit. For example, we've been looking into St. Maarten for the multitude of beautiful beaches/bays, the vast amount of additional activities (like Maho beach)....but a lot of the diving reviews seem a little conflicted on if its good/not so good. We've also considered the day trip to Saba too.

So if there is anywhere like St. Maarten above land and like Bonaire below the water that I'm not thinking of in the Western hemisphere, let me know and share your thoughts!

M.

Welcome to SB M ~
The place that came to mind reading your post was Grand Cayman. The tourist folks have been marketing their shore diving over the last couple years, check out the Grand Cayman forum and websites. Sites may be a swim out, like southern Bonaire sites. Some have facilities like parking lots, restaurants, change rooms, fresh water showers. Very civilized shore diving! If the current cooperates, you can do the site both ways - 1 direction, grab a bite and off gas, the other direction, quick fresh water rinse, let the gear drain and grab a snack (and adult beverage). Eden Beach - swim throughs at Devils Grotto, Sunset House - the infamous Mermaid, and Cracked Conch (Macabuca North and South) shallow walls teaming with huge tarpon. Reef maps were posted at the dock/entry point at each site as well. Plenty of good boat dives on the North wall and USS Kittiwake for a wreck. I've seen more of the larger stuff not normally associated with Bonaire - turtles, rays, sharks, large parrot species. But the diving can be more challenging - deeper (100 foot can be the norm) and subject to currents. Plenty of pretty and shallow boat sites off 7 Mile Beach.

Topside beaches are beautiful, shopping from high end to tourist trinkets, plenty of grocery stores, restaurants, high end resorts. Non-dive time horseback riding, parasailing, botanical gardens, drive around the island and Stingray City. As others have said it can be expensive. I've lucked into condo's just off the beach to save money.

Good luck!

 

[Sorrows]

We were in Grand Cayman last May--stayed at Cobalt Coast. We went there to dive the Kittiwake (there is a plaque to my dad in the diving well) and it is a well-done wreck, but we were otherwise disappointed with the quality of the diving in GC--not to mention the cost! I would, however, go to Little Cayman again. But there isn't much to do besides dive.

This would be a good time of year to visit Cozumel, Roatan or Belize, yes? Roatan has the zipline and the dolphin meet-and-greet.

 

[scubadada]

We were in Grand Cayman last May--stayed at Cobalt Coast. We went there to dive the Kittiwake (there is a plaque to my dad in the diving well) and it is a well-done wreck, but we were otherwise disappointed with the quality of the diving in GC--not to mention the cost! I would, however, go to Little Cayman again. But there isn't much to do besides dive.

This would be a good time of year to visit Cozumel, Roatan or Belize, yes? Roatan has the zipline and the dolphin meet-and-greet.

Did you get to dive the North wall in Grand Cayman? In general, I would not describe it as disappointing. There are some very good sites on the West side but I could more easily understand your comments. Who did you dive with? The shore diving at the resort and at Lighthouse Point is also quite good, did you have chance to do that?

Personally, I'm not in favor or supportive of dolphinariums, wish others weren't either.

Good diving, Craig

 

[rbahr]

Hi M.

My wife and I have been to most of the big destinations (multiple times) Bonaire has always been our go-to favorite. Our second best is Saba - love that place. Bw aware that there can be some current though - if you are comfortable with that, well worth the trip. Others - Little Cayman or Vaymen Brac are fun - not in the same league as Bonaire / Saba. Dominica is always good esp if you like to explore - beautiful landscape...

HTH

Ray

 

[Sorrows]

Did you get to dive the North wall in Grand Cayman? In general, I would not describe it as disappointing. There are some very good sites on the West side but I could more easily understand your comments. Who did you dive with? The shore diving at the resort and at Lighthouse Point is also quite good, did you have chance to do that?

Personally, I'm not in favor or supportive of dolphinariums, wish others weren't either.

Good diving, Craig

Scubadada, we dove with CC, and yes, we dove both their house reef and Lighthouse Point several times. It's wasn't terrible or anything like that, just not as good as it could have/should have been--and it was expensive for what we got. Of course, this is JMHO, and obviously not yours! Equally obvious, diving the Kittiwake (my dad's last ship) was wonderful.

I did write a report, which you can find here, if you are interested:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ca...ort-cobalt-coast-divetech-may-6-may-10-a.html

I'm not a big fan of dolphinariums nor the shark dives with chum and I also thought the ray feeding was a little too Disneyesque. Again, JMHO.

---------- Post added January 14th, 2014 at 08:07 PM ----------

Hi M.

My wife and I have been to most of the big destinations (multiple times) Bonaire has always been our go-to favorite. Our second best is Saba - love that place. Bw aware that there can be some current though - if you are comfortable with that, well worth the trip. Others - Little Cayman or Vaymen Brac are fun - not in the same league as Bonaire / Saba. Dominica is always good esp if you like to explore - beautiful landscape...

HTH

Ray

Rbahr, Saba has been on our shortlist for years. Do you use an agency to make your arrangements? The flights seem problematical. What time of year did you go? How was the viz? If you are also a big fan of Dominica, you must be something of a naturalist/botanist/hiker?

 

[DeputyDan]

Hey All!

My son and I are looking to take a dive trip this June but we're conflicted on where to go. I've done mountains of research, but sometimes these travel agents give you the run around so I figured I'd ask you fine folks too.

We went to Bonaire a few years back and it was fabulous!! So in essence, we're looking for somewhere with just as great (if not better) diving that also has some touristy spots to visit. For example, we've been looking into St. Maarten for the multitude of beautiful beaches/bays, the vast amount of additional activities (like Maho beach)....but a lot of the diving reviews seem a little conflicted on if its good/not so good. We've also considered the day trip to Saba too.

So if there is anywhere like St. Maarten above land and like Bonaire below the water that I'm not thinking of in the Western hemisphere, let me know and share your thoughts!

Thanks!!

M.

St. Martin/Maarten is not a dive destination. You will be disappointed if the focus is to dive.
Saba has less non-diving activities than Bonaire.

I would probably recommend Cozumel. Good diving and other things to do as well - prices are friendly to the wallet.

If you are staying longer than a week you should consider Belize - split into two parts a diving part and an inland activities part. Belize offers a multitude of "naturalist type" activities.