Hi misdmnr,
We understand where you are coming from. We too think about diving new places, but, when it comes down to it, we are happy with our current diving interests, so, for us, we are content with not breaking the wheel
. I realize that you have not mentioned an interest in Bonaire, however my review below is to possibly give you another option to think about. We have never been to Curacao, or T & C. Have been to Grand Cayman and of course Cozumel, many times over the past 10 years.
Michael, (DH) and I have 3 weeks visiting and diving Bonaire over the course of two trips. (Letter B of the ABC islands) . We are actually heading back there for another 2 week stay this Friday ! :glad: Primarily known for shore diving, Bonaire offers a dive schedule to meet the divers needs. Want to dive before dawn ? Or, perhaps, you want to dive only once today, but 4 dives tomorrow ? Want to have 2 or 3 hour SI's ? Want only shallow ? How about a wreck ? Of course there are boat dive sites that are awesome as well. Bonaire is very flexible for divers and that is what we enjoy about it. Topside, there are some hikes, water activities and sightseeing. The island is not a shopping mecca nor is it a hot spot for nightlife. It is a very laid back and casual island. However, there are several nice spots for meeting up with folks, dining out or simply just relaxing.
Now, in comparison to Bonaire vs. Cozumel, well they are two different "aminals".
Cozumel: Drift diving, mostly boat, set schedule, valet/boutique service (we dive with BXT Sea diving), walk everywhere especially staying in town, Shopping (which we do not do much of, but great for those who enjoy it), and perhaps a better selection of places for some party hearty nightlife.
Bonaire: Not known for current, shore diving is awesome, set your own schedule, managing your own tanks, a truck rental is needed to visit shore sites, walking to places is limited, Shopping limited, very laid back/quiet/casual nightlife.
As far as Critters and Coral, similar yet different. Both places, for us, have similar marine life, however, different quantities. Cozumel for instance has Spotted drum fish, Trumpetfish, and Flamingo tongue, however, on Bonaire, we find them everywhere. Bonaire also has schools of Tarpon which Coz does not. Then on the other hand, Coz has the Huge Corals, swimthroughs and walls. Bonaire does, but not as much. Sadly, both places have been invaded with Lionfish, however, both seem to be making an impact on decreasing the population, at least in the Marine Parks with hunting/killing programs.
When in Coz, our top choice is to stay in town at Villa Escondida B & B. We also like Vista Del Mar Boutique Hotel. We have also often stayed as far south as El Cid and Park Royal as well. Mainly, we enjoy walking everywhere and only use taxi's to visit the East side on an off day. We meet our Dive op, Blue XT Sea diving at the town pier. Bonaire, we rent a truck from Telerin (aka Poppy). We walk out of the airport and our truck is waiting for us. We drive all over the island to dive sites and places to visit and eat. On Bonaire, our top choice is the Deep Blue View resort, B & B. Deep Blue View has its own Dive op, Air/Nitrox, awesome gear storage lockers and rinse tank area, a dedicated dive boat. The facility itself has only 5 rooms and offers a hearty breakfast every morning plus a BBQ night and rum punch cruise once a week for guests. The owners offer fantastic breakfasts, dive instruction/DM and captain the boat as well. They have direct hands on service for their resort. The Deep Blue View is located a short drive up in the hills so to speak. There are resorts and condo rentals however that are on the waterfront as well. Buddy dive and Capt. Don's is very popular for instance. We stayed at the Bellevue apartments once and enjoyed that too, however, our first choice is Deep Blue View.
As far as costs, when we compare apples to apples, Coz or Bonaire come out about the same.
Lodging Bonaire vs. Cozumel ......... similar
Food Bonaire ..can be slightly more.... not much. Cozumel....budget dining very easy
Diving Bonaire - if shore diving much more affordable and unlimited. Boat dives, Bon vs. Coz- similar in cost.
Transportation Bonaire Truck rental/full insurance around $350.00 ish per week Coz-a bit higher, although if using taxi not needed.
Airfare Bonaire- a bit higher than Coz.
Overall, when factoring in the higher costs, primarily for air and transportation, plus the lower cost for diving on Bonaire, vs Cozumel's slightly cheaper food costs and higher dive costs, the two destinations come out about the same.
Safety- it is again similar. The biggest concern on Bonaire is theft of items from parked trucks at the dive sights. However, if people follow the rule of not leaving anything in the truck and the windows rolled down, the chances are low that there will be any problems. We actually take everything with us on the dive...keys, cash, sunglasses, quick dry t-shirt or cover up, etc. We just tuck the stuff in a dry bag and put in in a small tank backpack. We wear our dive booties to and from the site so no shoes are left behind. Tanks can be left on the back of the truck. They all have identification and can be tracked easily if stolen, therefore, theft of tanks is not a huge concern. Cozumel of course has issues, but, frankly, where do we go anymore that does not have issues. Frankly, I feel safer in Cozumel than I do in my own town. I also travel enough to Cozumel to know that the doom and gloom stories are hyped up....most of the time. Both destinations have Hyperbaric and medical services.
Regardless of where you dive, Best Wishes to you and yours !
Sue
