Bonaire vs. Cozumel ($- comparison)

[the sharkman]

In researching a vacation, I figured Cozumel was way cheaper that anywhere else, without comparison. I half-heartedly checked Bonaire (due to a friends suggestion) and it really did not seem that much more expensive. Am I seeing this right? By the way, I checked Buddy Dive, which seemed like really good rates, am I missing something here?

Are prices comparable?

Sharkman
:guitar:

 

[scorpionfish]

Hi, Sharkman!

It has been awhile since I went to Bonaire, but I think the following comments are still valid.

Not surprisingly, it depends on what you do and where you stay. You can do a real cheapy on Coz, if you find a single room somewhere or if you stay in one of the very inexpensive "residence hotels" downtown. I have known folks who just hop a plane to Coz, look around for a room and go diving. The only reservations they made are for the airplane and the diving. Rooms have been known to go for as little as $25.00 per night. But if you stay in a "regular" hotel, Coz and Bonaire are about comparable.

Airfare used to be more expensive if you went to Bonaire, but the rates to Coz have risen lately and, so, that may no longer be true.

However, the diving was usually where any higher costs on Bonaire compared to Coz evened things out. If you did mostly shore diving on Bonaire (and most folks do since it is so great and the sites are so well marked), it was much cheaper per dive than boat diving on Coz.

So, there you are: it is probably still a push these days.

The reason I would chose Coz over Bonaire are purely personal:

(1) Coz is a shorter plane ride and, if you fly Continental, much more reliable than the plane rides to Bonaire, especially the final leg.

(2) I happen to like the diving on Coz better, but that is just me!

(3) I happen to REALLY prefer live boat drift diving--and that is what you have on Coz.

(4) I like shore dives, but, given a choice, I prefer boat dives. There is boat diving on Bonaire, but now the price differential normally shows up--at least, in my experience.

All that said, I strongly recommend that you experience Bonaire because it is wonderful diving. The system at Buddy's, if you choose them, is very diver friendly, too. This is one scuba diver's ticket that should be punched!

Scorpionfish

 

[the sharkman]

great reply, thanx. You raise some great points. Many people just love those drift dives. Looks like I'll have to do them both. Sweet.
sharkman
:guitar:

 

[herman]

I have stayed at Buddies the last 3 year and intend to return this summer. Coz is on my list to try however. I am opposite of SF, I much prefer shore diving. My style tends to be a very slow pace, looking into cracks and nitches and doing macro photography. When drift diving it's almost impossible to do and you need to keep up with the group. If you want a lot of night life then Coz may be better. I much prefer to do dives on my sched and not the boats. I agree with SF that even if the cost of hotel/air is somewhat more to Bonaire and if your objecive is like mine eat/dive/eat/dive/eat/dive/dive/sleep and repeat in the morning, the cost per dive on Bonaire really comes into play. We drop the boat dives off our dive packages which saves us $100pp and just do shore diving which is unlimited and comes with our package. I usually take the $100 and use it for unlimited Nitrox, not a bad idea when you are doing 4-5 dives a day. And don't forget the night diving as well, it's a totally different world. We do the "Dive and Drive" package at Buddy. WWW.buddydive.com Includes all you need.

 

[scorpionfish]

herman once bubbled...
My style tends to be a very slow pace, looking into cracks and nitches and doing macro photography. When drift diving it's almost impossible to do and you need to keep up with the group.

We do the "Dive and Drive" package at Buddy. WWW.buddydive.com Includes all you need.

Hi, Herman and Sharkman!

Remember the "Sons of the Pioneers"? Probably not! At any rate, one of their best songs was "Tumbling Along with the Tumbling Tumbleweeds" and that is kind of how I like to dive. Herman and I would be fine buddies because his description of his MO is exactly how I would describe mine--but without a North Carolina accent. I have been diving with the same outfit on Coz, seemingly, since tierra (dirt) was new; so he lets my buddy (spelled, W-I-F-E) and me go at our own pace. As long as there is not a Yucatan Express blowing through, we can "tumbleweed" our way along, too. However, I would agree with Herman, shore diving in your own group is more "empowering" in general and Coz is not noted for its shore diving.

I also agree with Herman about Buddy's: I called it "diver friendly" in my first post and I really meant it. I must note, though that I have heard lots of positive things about other dive ops on Bonaire: this island is a destination tailored with the diver in mind!

Scorpionfish--known in some parts of the South as SF

 

[kdietz]

Just returned from a week at Buddy Dive Resort on Bonaire........a great experience and I'll go back anytime.........

Still like the structure and color of Cozumel.........

That's what make this sport fun..........lots of options and none of them are bad!

Karl

 

[herman]

I am not quite that old but I do know who the Sons of the Pioneers are, I like "Cool Clear Water" also. How about "Riders in the Sky", know them? USVI hummmmmm, you take boarders? I have never been there, hows the diving? I am starting to go into dive withdrawal, I need to get wet somewhere, Y'all.

Happy Trails

 

[scorpionfish]

Hi, Herman!

Of course, I know those songs: I even have a cassette with all the great SOP songs on it! Did you know that the late Roy Rodgers was one of the original SOP guys?

Diving in the USVI is not quite in the same league as Coz. However, it is very nice, indeed. The west end of St. Thomas is pretty nice and St. Croix has some spectacular wall dives. I will probably offend some soul, though, when I say that the shore diving in the USVI is not on a par with Bonaire, either. But, then again, what is? I guess Matangi Is. in Fiji is, but that is a long way to go from NC, y'all!

Scorpionfish

 

[herman]

scorpionfish once bubbled...
Hi, Herman!

Of course, I know those songs: I even have a cassette with all the great SOP songs on it! Did you know that the late Roy Rodgers was one of the original SOP guys?
Scorpionfish

Yep, I knew Roy was a member, that was the reason for the "Happy Trails" at the end, Roy and Dales theme song. If you like SOP and Roy, check out this collection http://www.rhino.com/features/75722p.html?P= Talk about way off subject, sorry sharkman.

 

[Cherry]

Just outta curiosity why not Belize? And how does a place like Ambergis Caye compare to Bonaire or Coz?

That blue hole looks great