1st time to Bonaire..questions!

[LimitedSlip7]

What kind of sharks and how many? I ask because from what I understand (and experienced in 8 trips to Bonaire, where I've never seen one - but only 2 real east coast dives), seeing a shark diving the mainstream west coast sites is rare.

From the east coast dives at Cai, I recall a lot of eel grass (? correct name) and a whole lot of anemones, plus the fish seemed to average larger. Definitely a different experience from west coast diving.

Richard.

Just reef sharks, but several of them. Also quite a few eagle rays. At one point, there were 7!! eagle rays circling below us on a safety stop. We didn't see any sharks or eagle rays on the west side while diving the rest of the week.

 

[DeputyDan]

A big thumbs up on the salt pier pilings.
A lot of stuff to see there.

 

[dmaziuk]

First timer looking to take a trip to Bonaire sometime next May/June for a 7 days

1. From reading through lots of posts it seems that there are quite a few options for accomodations. I think we are leaning towards Buddy Dive, but also open to other suggestions. We would like a place where we can relax after our dive, but not too far off the beaten path. I have also heard the mix remarks regarding the vehicles at Buddy, but also heard of nightmares of renting them at the airport.

2. We are totally intrigued in a dive vacation that is "laid back" and it sounds like Bonaire is the spot! We are both AOW, but have not done the self guided diving, so that is a little daunting. Do any shops provide guides that we can use (obviously for a fee). Are any of the shore dives marked underwater or is it all just compass and navigation?

If you're OK with shopping and cooking at home, Sand Dollar is next to Buddy, same house reef with easy entries off the beach or the pier or the stairs and easy navigation: sand and rubble is South (Den Laman, Front Porch), steeper with lots of coral is North (Buddy side).

 

[scubadada]

...If you do stay at Buddy's 2 resorts south is Bari Reef one of the better dives for fish life. Also if you drive out then drive back into Den Laman - there's stairs off their dive dock - and Dive Friends on-site....

https://www.divers-guide.com/en/salt-pier

The pier is only for the use of guests at Den Laman and Sand Dollar and for catching Dive Friends boats. The entry for Bari Reef for all others is the dirt parking lot just to the south of Den Laman

 

[Ray and Pam]

Go for two weeks, it takes us about 3 days to get on island time, then seems like it's time to go home.

Buddy Dive is an excellent choice, then while there check out other places you may be interested in for next trip. After 6 trips or so we actually stayed at Buddy Dive and next door at Capt Dons on several occassions without renting a truck, just diving the house reef (it's that good) and boat diving.. Whatever you need is in walking distance.

There are many threads on truck rentals.

You won't need a guide, do the house reef first, you'll see it starts out about 15' gradually slooping down to about 35' where the dropoff is, then go right or left depending on current if any. That's the way it generally is at all sites from there down to the south end of the island. As you go north the shoreline is higher and the dropoff is closer to shore.

I love the salt pier, didn't dive it until about our 10th trip then dove it about 4 times one week. Only confussion is when you get out to the end it splits off into somewhat of a crooked "T" shape. I've seen an overhead drone pic of it that cleared all that up. Sometimes we would think we were at the end of a "T", to find out next dive that there were more pilings further ahead.

I haven't done it yet, keep saying next time, but I would save east side diving for another time. You're going to be busy enough your first trip and it will go by very fast, but don't worry, you will be back.

 

[Diver-6873]

The pier is only for the use of guests at Den Laman and Sand Dollar and for catching Dive Friends boats. The entry for Bari Reef for all others is the dirt parking lot just to the south of Den Laman

Anyone can use the beach in front of Den Laman to enter, although not the pier. Just go around the rock wall at the water line entering from the dirt parking lot. Makes for an easy entry/exit and lots of critters live in the rubble.

 

[scubadada]

Anyone can use the beach in front of Den Laman to enter, although not the pier. Just go around the rock wall at the water line entering from the dirt parking lot. Makes for an easy entry/exit and lots of critters live in the rubble.

Correct, easy entrance/exit, right beside the pier