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Bonaire vs Curaçao
- Thread starter Brodydog
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robint
Contributor
Curacao = population of thousands of people, traffic, cities, dense development, resorts, restaurants, people
Bonaire = a rock in the ocean with diving, a few hundred people, quiet, undeveloped miles and miles
Bonaire = a rock in the ocean with diving, a few hundred people, quiet, undeveloped miles and miles
chauncy19
Contributor
Curacao you are required to use a dive flag when diving. No such requirement in Bonaire. Bonaire is more about diving. Most of tourism is focused on it that is biggest difference to me. the actual diving is very similar from my limited experience.
drrich2
Contributor
How much do divers adhere to the dive flag requirement?
I've yet to dive where I'd have to use one and would be highly annoyed if I had to.
Richard.
I've yet to dive where I'd have to use one and would be highly annoyed if I had to.
Richard.
Damselfish
Contributor
Curacao is more populated overall, and more developed in some areas. But much of the island is as undeveloped as Bonaire. If you never leave the area around the city you will come away with a very different impression than if you get away from there. And the population and development does result in more options in good restaurants and other things, and perhaps better airlift. The catch is, most stuff is not so close to the best diving, so there's a location compromise. And there's not nearly as much choice in anything like dedicated dive resorts. I find more variety in Curacao diving though.
Solo diving is not forbidden on Curacao. Habitat Curacao (RIP) was fine with it. Some dive ops are more hung up about it than others.
Solo diving is not forbidden on Curacao. Habitat Curacao (RIP) was fine with it. Some dive ops are more hung up about it than others.
chauncy19
Contributor
Richard
was a bit stunned to learn of this "law" when I was there. Ask any operator. Was even told that they always inform clients and offer them the use of one. admit no one ever did or was I ever told but its held me back from returning. if anything ever happens it will be the fault of the person not following the law and using the dive flag, so it goes....
was a bit stunned to learn of this "law" when I was there. Ask any operator. Was even told that they always inform clients and offer them the use of one. admit no one ever did or was I ever told but its held me back from returning. if anything ever happens it will be the fault of the person not following the law and using the dive flag, so it goes....
jd950
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Bonaire is what it is. The dive experience is pretty much the same from one diver to the next no matter where you stay, with minor variations such as boat dives, staying at a condo vs. an op like Buddy Dive, etc. The dive sites exist within a fairly short strip and most people dive the same sites, drive the same roads, eat at the same selection of restaurants, etc. That is not a criticism; it works quite well for most people. and I really like most of the dive sites and many of the restaurants. I enjoy Bonaire.
Curacao is what you make of it. Some people have never been to the west end of the island, some people never spend time on the east end. Some people dive once a day and spend time at discos and casinos and playing golf and whatever, while others dive just like on Bonaire. Some people (actually I think a lot of people) go to Curacao and don't dive at all. But because Curacao IS a big island, I am unlikely to even see those people as I tend to stay in the dive areas. I typically see as many iguanas and goats as I do people. Generally, diving Curacao involves more road time. I enjoy Curacao.
Bonaire generally has rocky entries and short swims, Curacao usually has gentler entries and longer swims. Both islands lack many big fish. A number of dive sites on Curacao are at beach areas with on-site dive ops, showers and restaurants, and often charge a small fee, but there are plenty that are remote, much like Bonaire. I dive a number of dive sites on Curacao that are pretty much unmarked and there is often no one else there. The sites that charge a fee usually offer semi-safe parking if you want to leave a cooler or a change of clothes in the truck. I actually like some of the beach restaurants and find it makes a nice SI to have a quick fresh water rinse and then sit in the shade enjoying a mango smoothie and a sandwich while planning the next dive. Next trip I am thinking of going to one I like, doing a couple dives, having lunch and then hanging out at the beach for the afternoon, which is not much of an option on Bonaire.
Whether on Curacao or Bonaire, my typical day is: Get up and eat, load tanks and gear in pickup, do a dive, do a SI, dive again and then either get new tanks and dive more, or relax in the afternoon and do a night dive. On Curacao it is harder to get in 4 dives because driving distance is greater. On the other hand, there are several sites where I will do one dive going left from the entry point, and then the second dive I go right from the entry point. Not a lot of driving then.
I almost never see people towing a dive flag on Curacao, but I think the law requires it. On the other hand if you need gloves to keep warm no one cares if diving Curacao. This is small stuff for most of us.
From a diving perspective (without regard for a scenic downtown, casinos, etc., ) I think they are more alike than different and would tell someone to go where they can get best deal. For most of us, one place or the other is usually a lot cheaper to fly to. If price were the same, I would alternate islands one trip to the next, but for me Curacao is much cheaper so I usually go there.
Really, they are both fine places and I would gladly be on either island right now. If you have been to one and can economically go to the other, I think you should take the opportunity to go and then you can decide for yourself which you like more.
Curacao is what you make of it. Some people have never been to the west end of the island, some people never spend time on the east end. Some people dive once a day and spend time at discos and casinos and playing golf and whatever, while others dive just like on Bonaire. Some people (actually I think a lot of people) go to Curacao and don't dive at all. But because Curacao IS a big island, I am unlikely to even see those people as I tend to stay in the dive areas. I typically see as many iguanas and goats as I do people. Generally, diving Curacao involves more road time. I enjoy Curacao.
Bonaire generally has rocky entries and short swims, Curacao usually has gentler entries and longer swims. Both islands lack many big fish. A number of dive sites on Curacao are at beach areas with on-site dive ops, showers and restaurants, and often charge a small fee, but there are plenty that are remote, much like Bonaire. I dive a number of dive sites on Curacao that are pretty much unmarked and there is often no one else there. The sites that charge a fee usually offer semi-safe parking if you want to leave a cooler or a change of clothes in the truck. I actually like some of the beach restaurants and find it makes a nice SI to have a quick fresh water rinse and then sit in the shade enjoying a mango smoothie and a sandwich while planning the next dive. Next trip I am thinking of going to one I like, doing a couple dives, having lunch and then hanging out at the beach for the afternoon, which is not much of an option on Bonaire.
Whether on Curacao or Bonaire, my typical day is: Get up and eat, load tanks and gear in pickup, do a dive, do a SI, dive again and then either get new tanks and dive more, or relax in the afternoon and do a night dive. On Curacao it is harder to get in 4 dives because driving distance is greater. On the other hand, there are several sites where I will do one dive going left from the entry point, and then the second dive I go right from the entry point. Not a lot of driving then.
I almost never see people towing a dive flag on Curacao, but I think the law requires it. On the other hand if you need gloves to keep warm no one cares if diving Curacao. This is small stuff for most of us.
From a diving perspective (without regard for a scenic downtown, casinos, etc., ) I think they are more alike than different and would tell someone to go where they can get best deal. For most of us, one place or the other is usually a lot cheaper to fly to. If price were the same, I would alternate islands one trip to the next, but for me Curacao is much cheaper so I usually go there.
Really, they are both fine places and I would gladly be on either island right now. If you have been to one and can economically go to the other, I think you should take the opportunity to go and then you can decide for yourself which you like more.
To quote my non-diving wife:
"Bonaire is where divers go to vacation. Curacao is where vacationers go to dive."
Diving is the same. Not hard to do 4-a-day in Curacao, but easier to do so on Bonaire. This is mostly due to the fact that Bonaire is smaller, and has essentially a single road that runs directly around the island right along the coast. The topography of Curacao is such that it is hard to go directly from one site to another without going back inland to a main road, driving along to another side road, taking that back out towards to coast, and then along another coastal road to the next site. Google maps of each island and you'll get the picture immediately.
"Bonaire is where divers go to vacation. Curacao is where vacationers go to dive."
Diving is the same. Not hard to do 4-a-day in Curacao, but easier to do so on Bonaire. This is mostly due to the fact that Bonaire is smaller, and has essentially a single road that runs directly around the island right along the coast. The topography of Curacao is such that it is hard to go directly from one site to another without going back inland to a main road, driving along to another side road, taking that back out towards to coast, and then along another coastal road to the next site. Google maps of each island and you'll get the picture immediately.
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