Bonaire - where to stay with 10yo new diver

[ldt]

Hello! We are traveling to Bonaire in the summer with our ten year old son. He will be completing his PADI OW classwork here in Texas but we're planning to do his dives in Bonaire. Once he's certified, we plan to dive as much as possible (and as much as he wants to). I'm having trouble deciding on a place to stay and hope someone can help! Due to availability when we're going, we're currently looking at Captain Don's, Sand Dollar and the Plaza (we had hoped to book Buddy Dive but it's not available). I like Captain Don's and the Plaza because they have a pool for when our son wants a break from diving but it's not required. The Plaza was my first choice because it looks like a great place for kids (big pool, etc) but I read that you have to walk a long way to their house reef with your gear. What would you all recommend? We're mainly concerned with a good house reef with EASY access and diving. He will only be certified to 40ft and we'd like to make sure his first real diving experience is a positive one! Secondary would be other amenities to keep a kid happy like a pool and nearby restaurants.

thanks!

 

[Bonaire11]

I think you should look at Hamlet Oasis. Next to Buddy Dive but a condo and has a pool and dive shop (Dive Friends) on site with a really good house reef at 40ft (The Cliff) for diving - also great for snorkeling too.

 

[arew+4]

How do you feel about a condo/VRBO? Also do you plan on renting a car or truck?

 

[ldt]

We're fine with a condo/VRBO as long as it's in a safe area for kids. We are planning to rent a truck to go to other sites but would like the convenience of a nice house reef if possible. I suspect we'll spend a lot of time there just letting our son get comfortable diving. We looked at Hamlet Oasis but nothing is available at the time we are planning to go

 

[Bonaire11]

We're fine with a condo/VRBO as long as it's in a safe area for kids. We are planning to rent a truck to go to other sites but would like the convenience of a nice house reef if possible. I suspect we'll spend a lot of time there just letting our son get comfortable diving. We looked at Hamlet Oasis but nothing is available at the time we are planning to go

We've stayed at Sand Dollar a number of times. No pool but great place and Dive Friends at the pier next door with lockers. So, will not require a long walk.

 

[arew+4]

We're fine with a condo/VRBO as long as it's in a safe area for kids. We are planning to rent a truck to go to other sites but would like the convenience of a nice house reef if possible. I suspect we'll spend a lot of time there just letting our son get comfortable diving. We looked at Hamlet Oasis but nothing is available at the time we are planning to go

We got our three kids certified on Bonaire, they were 15, 12, and 12 at the time. Never felt unsafe any where on the island at any time. We are headed back this July. When we were there we got our tanks from Buddy's and the kids did the pool work and check out dives through them. Buddy's would let you take two tanks per diver at a time, and we could use Buddy's as a house reef. The house had a pool, and we could walk down to oil slick in like five minutes to jump, swim, and snorkel in the ocean.

 

[scubadada]

Sand Dollar has a pool, not the most deluxe. It is next to a Dive Friends location. If you stay at Sand Dollar, you have use of their very nice gear storage room and their pier, with easy access to one of the best house reefs, Bari Reef. Tanks are available on the pier for the dive. Dive Friends boats pick up at the pier if you are doing any boat dives to Klein Bonaire or North sites not reachable from shore.

Do you already have the referral dives for you son planned, Dive Friends could do that, they do a lot of teaching at that location. My wife and stayed at Sand Dollar 3 times before switching to Den Laman, located on the other side of the Dive Friends operation.

I have several reviews posted for Den Laman and Dive Friends, some with photos of the facilities

Trip Report - Bonaire: Den Laman and Dive Friends, October 20-November 3, 2021

It’s been a little over two years since our last trip report for Bonaire. This visit was scheduled for April 2020, we all know what happened to that. This was our eighth visit to Bonaire. For the first three, we stayed at Sand Dollar and dived with Bonaire Dive & Adventure between 2004 and 2008...

scubaboard.com

The yellow Frogfish were located at a depth of 35 feet, about a 5 min swim north of the pier

@drrich2 stayed at Sand Dollar in 2019 and we met there briefly. He is a wealth of information Trip Report - 8 Day Trip Report: Sand Dollar, Dive Friends

Regarding your Junior diver, we have done many dives on Bari Reef, day and night. We usually go north deeper on the wall, but the return is often between 30 and 40 feet. In fact, the shallows at many of the dive sites are about the same depth, some even shallower. Seems like Bonaire would be great for a new diver.

 

[ldt]

We got our three kids certified on Bonaire, they were 15, 12, and 12 at the time. Never felt unsafe any where on the island at any time. We are headed back this July. When we were there we got our tanks from Buddy's and the kids did the pool work and check out dives through them. Buddy's would let you take two tanks per diver at a time, and we could use Buddy's as a house reef. The house had a pool, and we could walk down to oil slick in like five minutes to jump, swim, and snorkel in the ocean.

Sounds great! So, you stayed somewhere else but used Buddy dive facilities? No issues with parking, etc? Where did you stay - would you recommend it?

 

[drrich2]

I haven't stayed at Captain Don's; I've stayed at Buddy Dive Resort and headed north, so I've dove Captain Don's reef area, and really like it.

Sand Dollar Condo.s has Bari reef, also quite nice. If you stay at either of these, there are restaurants (e.g.: Eddy's, Between 2 Buns, Captain Don's has one on site) and up the road is Zung Kong Supermarket. Sand Dollar Condo.s has a small but nice sandy beach, and I think I recall them having a pool.

Either of those is a good location for the northern dive sites. Between Captain Don's and The Cliff, you'll already have good diving close at hand. You can get to Bari reef (Sand Dollar's reef) via a turn off a round-about. Something Special is in town; Andrea I and II are nice, as is Oil Slick Leap.

The Plaza Resort Bonaire is at the south end of Kralendijk. I haven't stayed there; I stayed at nearby Aqua Viva Suites. It's a good base if you want to focus on southern dive sites. From past looking around online, I go the impression it might have some sandy beach; if that's a draw, ask someone who's stayed there.

House reefs sometimes have handy piers/ladders to ease entry/exit, and especially with a 10-year old, that could be useful. Some of the non-house reef sites I recall for easy entry/exit to the south are Windsock (by the fueling pier), Bachelor's Beach, the Lake (by a wall) and Aquarius.

they have a pool for when our son wants a break from diving

Once he gets used to the sea, a pool may look incredibly bland, boring and 'sterile.' Snorkeling offers the same benefits plus the excitement of finding living creatures here and there.

My Research Notes for Bonaire - My Research Note For Bonaire

8 Day Trip Report: Sand Dollar, Dive Friends

 

[arew+4]

Yes we stayed in a house in El Pueblo, rented it thru "island time rentals" with a family of 5 it's Often cheaper going this route and you can get lots of space and amenities. We booked unlimited air packages for my wife and I, and the kids after they were certified. I don't know if they offer day passes for the pool and such but use of the pier was included with the air. This trip coming up we will probably go with Dive friends just for the multiple tank locations. We are staying up in the same area but across the road so we can save a few bucks and stay for two weeks.

Would definitely recommend Buddy's, Island Time, and we rented the truck from Avis Bonaire they were good too.

From the deck overlooking pool, coffee spot, and ocean.