Cayman islands or bonaire
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buisonkoss
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You don't say how old your daughter is.
I took my 2 sons to Bonaire when they were 12 and 9. The 12 year old dived and the 9 year old snorkeled off the dock and saw almost everything we did diving. Bonaire is particularily easy diving. Gear left on the dock, get in the boat for a 10 or 15 minute trip, or gear up and step forward and jump off and dive. Bottom is about 100 feet. Small animal life is great. It was easiest diving I have done.
Cayman is very good too. Seven mile beach diving can be quite shallow and is like diving in an aquarium with many beautiful fish such as French angels and squid. We did some deeper diving as well. Diving was all boat diving.
If your daughter is young and you want to do lots of diving I would go to Bonaire because they make it so easy to get into the water. If she is older either is great.
I took my 2 sons to Bonaire when they were 12 and 9. The 12 year old dived and the 9 year old snorkeled off the dock and saw almost everything we did diving. Bonaire is particularily easy diving. Gear left on the dock, get in the boat for a 10 or 15 minute trip, or gear up and step forward and jump off and dive. Bottom is about 100 feet. Small animal life is great. It was easiest diving I have done.
Cayman is very good too. Seven mile beach diving can be quite shallow and is like diving in an aquarium with many beautiful fish such as French angels and squid. We did some deeper diving as well. Diving was all boat diving.
If your daughter is young and you want to do lots of diving I would go to Bonaire because they make it so easy to get into the water. If she is older either is great.
Can't help with Caymans but I know Bonaire well.
The diving on Bonaire is very easy. You can do boat dives if you choose but there are over 80 shore diving spots you can drive up to and dive. With shore diving, you are at your own schedule and can take your time gearing up with none of the pressures of boat diving. Because of the gental slope of the bottom, it's very easy to control depth. While it is possible to do 200ft+ dives on Bonaire, 99% of my dives are under 40ft and there is a lot to see in 20ft or less.
Topside, the food on the island is very good, reasonably priced and the people are friendly. PM me and I can recommend several places to stay.
The diving on Bonaire is very easy. You can do boat dives if you choose but there are over 80 shore diving spots you can drive up to and dive. With shore diving, you are at your own schedule and can take your time gearing up with none of the pressures of boat diving. Because of the gental slope of the bottom, it's very easy to control depth. While it is possible to do 200ft+ dives on Bonaire, 99% of my dives are under 40ft and there is a lot to see in 20ft or less.
Topside, the food on the island is very good, reasonably priced and the people are friendly. PM me and I can recommend several places to stay.
RICHinNC
Contributor
I agree with Herman...Bonaire is a great place. But if memory serves me correctly....some of the shore entries can be a little shaky...but negotiable. Just watch the slippery rocks. And gettting the tanks up and down 1000Steps.... my back is still sore on that one !!
You might take a look at this web site... www.goldenreefinn.com ... nice place ...good prices.... and works with Buddy Dive for tanks. You can get a truck as well which is a good idea as the island is nice to drive around on. You can go south and probably see flamingos and donkeys. And there is some beautiful scenery up north as well. If you have never seen Bonaire....pm me..and give me an email address and i will send you a url that you can go to and see some pics Herman and I took.
And one of the best dives there , surprising to me, is to go off the pier at Buddy's...and head left....and get out around Eden resort. Take your car and leave it at Eden then you have a ride back.
Have fun....Rich
You might take a look at this web site... www.goldenreefinn.com ... nice place ...good prices.... and works with Buddy Dive for tanks. You can get a truck as well which is a good idea as the island is nice to drive around on. You can go south and probably see flamingos and donkeys. And there is some beautiful scenery up north as well. If you have never seen Bonaire....pm me..and give me an email address and i will send you a url that you can go to and see some pics Herman and I took.
And one of the best dives there , surprising to me, is to go off the pier at Buddy's...and head left....and get out around Eden resort. Take your car and leave it at Eden then you have a ride back.
Have fun....Rich
Drewpy
Contributor
I have not been to the Caymans..but Bonaire would be my choice to take a newly minted diver. The shore diving is outstanding,much to be said about making your own schedule/dive plans.
Its a very interesting island topside as well! A unique mix of people and cultures. Great restaurants too!
Good luck in your quest!
Its a very interesting island topside as well! A unique mix of people and cultures. Great restaurants too!
Good luck in your quest!
munkispank
Contributor
Gotta vote for bonaire too- its great for new divers- Don't worry about entries, although some can be rougher, there are tons on the island and you can just avoid those. It's great to dive off of the dock at the resorts- would be really good for a new diver.
I actually took my first OW post cert dives in Caymans and although marine life was great, the deeper dives off the wall were very nerve racking. I would rather have started in Boanire and return to Caymans when I was a bit more confident.
As for marine life- both are great, but for value for money- Bonaire wins due to the number of dives you can get in for a shore package. Oh- and yo ucan also do boat dives if you choose and want her to experience that for practice
enjoy!!!
I actually took my first OW post cert dives in Caymans and although marine life was great, the deeper dives off the wall were very nerve racking. I would rather have started in Boanire and return to Caymans when I was a bit more confident.
As for marine life- both are great, but for value for money- Bonaire wins due to the number of dives you can get in for a shore package. Oh- and yo ucan also do boat dives if you choose and want her to experience that for practice
enjoy!!!
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aquasport:
As other posters have touched upon: "Better Diving" isn't necessarily Better For Her!
1) What is her overall experience, ability and cofidence level?
2) Does she have sufficient buoyancy skills to actually enjoy all that Baonaire has to offer?
3) Would she be better served with the (over) "attentive" DM's that Cayman is known for?
4) Is she really ready for shore diving entries over iron shore coral with mild current with the potential for wave action while walking?
5) How much money did you want to spend/save, Cayman vs. Bonaire?
We've been to Little Cayman, Grand Cayman, the Brac, Florida Keys and Bonaire with 2 daughters, 14 & 16. Bonaire is their (and my) hands down choice, and we're headed back to Bon this summer. We didn't do any boat dives on Bonaire, and did all boats (except swimming out to Bloody Bay Wall one PM and diving the shallows at Point of Sand) on the others.
They really liked just walking in (the ironshore entries are no big deal) whenever we wanted to - or not. If they don't like the ironshore, go to the resorts or places like bachelors beach. At the plaza you either walk down steps into the water or wade out behind a breakwater from a sandy beach. Most of the other resorts have docks/steps/ladders for entry.
Most of all, I don't have to concern myself with others - i.e., intrusive divemasters - just my kids.
In this case, the hype is true - Bonaire is diving freedom.
They really liked just walking in (the ironshore entries are no big deal) whenever we wanted to - or not. If they don't like the ironshore, go to the resorts or places like bachelors beach. At the plaza you either walk down steps into the water or wade out behind a breakwater from a sandy beach. Most of the other resorts have docks/steps/ladders for entry.
Most of all, I don't have to concern myself with others - i.e., intrusive divemasters - just my kids.
In this case, the hype is true - Bonaire is diving freedom.
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