Bonaire, recommended diving and places to stay

[jomcclain]

My wife and I are going to be in Bonaire in January. We are looking for recommendations of where to dive (or not to), and places to stay (or not to). Any other recommendations that you would deem helpful.
She is a very advanced diver, and I am an instructor if that helps with the diving recommendations.
Thanks
Steven

 

[tursiops]

There's a LOT of threads on this.
Worth doing a little searching and reading.....

 

[Trailboss123]

My wife and I are going to be in Bonaire in January. We are looking for recommendations of where to dive (or not to), and places to stay (or not to). Any other recommendations that you would deem helpful.
She is a very advanced diver, and I am an instructor if that helps with the diving recommendations.
Thanks
Steven

There are tons of threads in this forum for you to peruse and get some sense of what might work for you. There are no bad dive sights on Bonaire, but there are some must do's. I am going to assume that you have done enough research to know that there is ample opportunity to boat dive, but most people go to Bonaire for the ease and freedom of shore diving. As for places to stay, we will need some more info with regards to what you might be looking for and what is important to you (price point, waterfront, dive access from the place you are staying, pool, beach, in house cooking or not... the list goes on..)???
Who you dive with or who you get your tanks from can be highly dependent on where you stay or what is important to you as well. Give us some additonal info and we can help you more.

 

[Doctorfish]

Just look up Drrich2s research notes for Bonaire on an earlier thread. They are incredibly comprehensive.

 

[Trailboss123]

Just look up Drrich2s research notes for Bonaire on an earlier thread. They are incredibly comprehensive.

@drrich2

 

[drrich2]

My Research Notes for Bonaire - My Research Note For Bonaire

You being an instructor and your wife a 'very advanced diver,' do you guys do any technical diving? If so, Buddy Dive Resort might be a handy 'one stop' package deal. I like their pier ladders for shore entry and their stretch of house reef.

I last stayed at Sand Dollar in a condo. (was very impressed with what I got for the price) and dove through Dive Friends Bonaire (quite happy with them, and their multiple locations).

There are a range of good options. Even if you don't choose the theoretical best match possible for yourselves, odds are good you'll have an excellent trip.

 

[jomcclain]

There are tons of threads in this forum for you to peruse and get some sense of what might work for you. There are no bad dive sights on Bonaire, but there are some must do's. I am going to assume that you have done enough research to know that there is ample opportunity to boat dive, but most people go to Bonaire for the ease and freedom of shore diving. As for places to stay, we will need some more info with regards to what you might be looking for and what is important to you (price point, waterfront, dive access from the place you are staying, pool, beach, in house cooking or not... the list goes on..)???
Who you dive with or who you get your tanks from can be highly dependent on where you stay or what is important to you as well. Give us some additonal info and we can help you more.

Thank you very much.

 

[dmaziuk]

My wife and I are going to be in Bonaire in January. We are looking for recommendations of where to dive (or not to), and places to stay (or not to).

What @Trailboss123 said: it depends on what you want to do.

Buddy Dive is probably the easiest way out as you can get a package deal incl. the truck, and the boats, and the house reef all in one place. Last we looked it was more economical for a group of 4 or 6, not so much for 2.A-la carte is also a possibility: airbnb in town, truck from budget, air from a dive op. And all sorts of in-betweens, e.g. AB has a truck+air package, Sand Dollar may give you a discount voucher for Dive Friends and has probably the best house reef, and so on.

 

[USC8791]

We have A YouTube channel with informational videos on several Bonaire dive sites, as well as other Bonaire “tips n tricks.” https://bit.ly/kevinandlizyoutube We hope the videos will help you in your planning!

 

[Trailboss123]

We have A YouTube channel with informational videos on several Bonaire dive sites, as well as other Bonaire “tips n tricks.” https://bit.ly/kevinandlizyoutube We hope the videos will help you in your planning!

I am a very experienced Bonaire diver. Hundreds of dives all over the island and over many years. I love your videos. They are so on point and helpful to those who have no experience and even those with plenty. I especially loved your Jeff Davis video! So many people overlook it because it definitely appears intimidating at first glance. Thanks again!