Bonaire vs Cozumel

[DiveMaven]

It's very UNlikely you'll be "robbed" on Bonaire. I'd venture to guess that Bonaire doesn't have many (if any) robberies in the course of a year. We heard of one robbery many years ago of people that came over from Venezuela on a cigarette boat, robbed a bank before it opened, and were 1/2 way back to Venezuela before the police on Bonaire had even responded.

There's definitely a petty theft problem with people leaving attractive stuff in trucks at dive sites, but if you're smart and leave nothing of value, you won't lose anything. People have been burglerized in their condos/rooms, but that is the exception, not the rule.

 

[llqwyd]

grew up diving in cozumel and have always thought it to be some of the best diving available. great people, great dives. it depends on what your looking for as to whether its a good fit for you or not. worst moment - far side of the island out on the beach and had someone take everything we had (jewelry, money, id...everything). had it not have been for some of the great people there, we might still be stuck on that rock!

 

[herman]

Driftin by, there was/is no intent to bash Coz, I just call it like I see it. I take it from your responce you have never been to Bonaire. My impression of Coz was based on comparisons to Freeport Bahama, Bonaire and since then Roatan, all of which I enjoy. I have plans to return to Freeport, Bonaire and maybe Roatan this year. The entire experience on Bonaire is much differnet than Coz. I see Coz as more of a vacation place where you dive a little as opposed to Bonaire which is a dive vacation. By that, I mean the main reason I am there is to dive, eating and sleeping are secondary. I do believe that a lot of the negatives I have towards Coz are a direct result of the cruise ship industry. Instead of repeat customers, they rely on one shot at hundreds of day tourist. Bonaire is the opposite, they live and die by the repeat customer. This is the reason many Bonaire regulars are concerned with the increasing cruise ship traffic.
I don't expect to get robbed in either place and most likely you won't. I never felt threatened on Coz. In 11 trips to Bonaire I have had zero problems. I have no doubt that the occasional room gets broken into on Coz, just as it does on Bonaire. The difference is for what ever reason it gets reported on Bonaire. To my knowledge, no one on Coz drives to remote locations and dives which is the norm on Boniare. Therefore, you would not see reports of thieft of items from a vehicles.
Like I said before, I am not a picky eater, actually I like and seek out the small mom and pop places. The entire week I was on Coz I honestly did not find a place I thought was good - with the exception of the pizza place, something I can not say for the Bahamas, Bonaire or any other place I have traveled. One of the few reasons I would like to go back to Coz is to see if I just had a bad week with restaurants, it happens.
If this is your first trip to Bonaire, I encourage you to search the board, read all the hints, tips and suggestions. And when you return, give us your impression.

 

[seaducer]

Bonaire is one, big happy liveaboard. If that is bashing Cozumel well, consider me a troll!lol

 

[Hemlon]

Thanks for all of the advice. I have booked a week in Cozumel for this summer. Maybe Bonaire will be next year.

 

[driftin' by]

Alright already! I tried retracting the word "bash" so everyone can simmer down. And who called anyone a troll? Since I've only been to Coz, it's kinda like you're talking about my mama so I got a little defensive. I appologise.

I know the two places are different... otherwise why would I be going to Boanire? And I'm positive I'm going to have a great time. I know it's unlikely I'll get robbed but I was simply using that as an example of how I've set my expectations for our trip to Bonaire. I do the same going to Coz... only gonna get 12 dives, have to drink bottled water and only eat cooked food, avoid town when overran by pod people, etc, etc, etc. Having realistic expectations, I'm assured to have a good time. I've done enough research to know what to expect.

I will absolutely provide a full and detailed report upon my return and I hope you all will read it. But until then there is no other reason to speculate the differences on my part and I believe this thread has run it's course.

 

[Martha]

Thanks for all of the advice. I have booked a week in Cozumel for this summer. Maybe Bonaire will be next year.

Hope you have a wonderful trip!

 

[DiveMaven]

Isn't it wonderful when you find a place that draws you so strongly!? I have to admit that I feel that way about Bonaire now. More power to you that you found a place you love.

To contrast Hemlon's inability to book somewhere other than Cozumel, I have to admit that I've tried to book a trip to Cozumel about 6x and always picked another location. We've been there three times (on cruise ships--no diving) and now are turned off by the whole cruise ship crowd. Ironic since we were part of that crowd, eh? In our own "defense" it was before there was a cruise ship dock and passengers had to be tendered to the island, we never had more than 3 ships in port, and the ships back then were MUCH smaller (typically 1,200-1,600 passengers). Now the ships are upwards of 3,000 passengers each, and there might be 6 ships in port...GADS! The only "cruises" we do now are liveaboards!

 

[donnad]

well, i'll put my little two cents in. First time to Cozumel was on a short little cruise out of Galveston, where,once at cozumel.......we did a little quickie course to be able to do one dive to see if we like it and wanted to get certified. We loved it, and then about 6 months later got certified. First dive trip was with a dive shop group to Cozumel. Had a fabulous time. Did twelve dives including a couple night dives. It was great, and we found great litle 'hole in the wall' places to eat. I'd go back there no problem, and in fact it was in the running for this summer, but ulimately we chose to go somewhere we had not been yet, and that is Bonaire. Bonaire has been a definite on our little mental list of places we want to go to. I'm very excited about it and suspect we're gonna love it! went to little cayman this last year, and it was great! and Saba/St. Maarten before that, and really, would go back to either of those too! man, i would love to not have to work, and have all the $$ needed to just do nothing but go on dive trips!! but i'll take what i can get!!

 

[cowburn]

I did like Mexico, Cancun and Cozumel and dived there a couple of times, but the slipshod attitude of a lot of the local operators really got to me. I guess the last straw for me was watching the mate "mechanic" on a boat out of Cozumel beating on the motor with a wrench trying to get the motor to restart for the third time that day, so we could try again to get back into port, and overhearing the crew talking about this happening several times before. Careless DM's, poor maintenance and half-assed attitudes got to me. Not to mention an instructor nearly losing my gf on her first ow dive when he "adjusted " her buoyancy!
I guess I'm spoiled by Bonaire where I control my diving and can dive till I drop and am not dependent on boat crews and DM's.

I agree, some dive operators in Coz are not safe to dive with. I was matched up with a "dive buddy" and the DM asked him when the last time he dove, the answer was yesterday when he took his refresher dive and his last dive before that was 17 years ago ??? This guy should not have been let on the dive boat, they will sell anyone a dive. The DM almost went in shock when he heard this and I said I would solo dive before I dove with him. Anyway all 3 of us dove with the rest of the group and at 40 feet this diver inflates his BC and takes the express train to the surface because this was only the second time he had ever worn and used a BC. The dive boat picks him up.