If you could only do.....

[Doctorfish]

I think it is impossible to get a full "Bonaire experience" in one 8-5 day.

I would stick to central and either south or north and not try to do north, south and central. If the OP takes his friend for a few good relaxed dives, he will undoubtedly come back again for a week or two.

 

[RJP]

I think it is impossible to get a full "Bonaire experience" in one 8-5 day.

Obviously I meant a "sampler platter" version of a Bonaire experience. (It's impossible to get a good experience ANYWHERE on a cruise... which is why I avoid them.)

A cruise passenger can do "two relaxed dives" at any and every stop on their cruise itinerary. Doing so on Bonaire will give the same experience there as anywhere else on the trip.

If the OP takes his friend for a few good relaxed dives, he will undoubtedly come back again for a week or two.

I love Bonaire - and went again recently - but let's be honest: there are not any two dive sites on the island that would ever get anyone to say "Wow - I really need come back here!" over anyplace else.

I believe that folks that have been to Bonaire - and know what it's like - aren't considering that a one-day dive visitor who only does "two relaxed dives" will completely miss the point if they don't get to run around in a truck the whole time they're on the island. That's what Bonaire is about.

 

[rmorgan]

Agree re. Oil Slick and Salt Pier (be sure there's not a ship docked). For the pier you do have to navigate through town--not a big deal, on the right end of town for the cruise dock, and you can detour ~5 min. down to watch the kiteboards for a few minutes. Do Salt Pier last--the afternoon light is exceptional. Two others worth considering are Jeff Davis and Weber's Joy, both of which are north ~10 min. from Hamlet (just past Oil Slick, before the one-lane, but a bit less "crowded"). Weber's I think is the easiest in-and-out of the three. Given surface intervals anyway, I think you could do Hamlet (9:15-10:15), go north and dive (11:30-12:30), then head south, stop at Between Two Buns on the way, dive the Pier (2:00-3:00), scope things out for a few minutes, and get him back to the dock with time to spare. I agree with skipping the wreck.

 

[darook]

As many said, do a couple of dives on Cliff. With a little patience you can see most of what Bonaire has to offer. Head south to Garden or any of the sites in that area. They are wonderful.

 

[Reidkon]

There have been lots of recommendations for Salt Pier. We dove it on our last trip and I was underwhelmed. I found it to be a long swim against some heavy surf and the only thing unique was an octopus. Maybe we picked a bad day with heavier than average surf, but that spoiled it for me.

 

[RJP]

There have been lots of recommendations for Salt Pier. We dove it on our last trip and I was underwhelmed. I found it to be a long swim against some heavy surf and the only thing unique was an octopus. Maybe we picked a bad day with heavier than average surf, but that spoiled it for me.

I've also done it two more times than anyone needs to, as far as I'm concerned.

 

[uncfnp]

There have been lots of recommendations for Salt Pier. We dove it on our last trip and I was underwhelmed. I found it to be a long swim against some heavy surf and the only thing unique was an octopus. Maybe we picked a bad day with heavier than average surf, but that spoiled it for me.

Obviously its a matter of dive preferences.

I did the pier once. Like Hilma Hooker, for me it was underwhelming as well. But then I dive the Blue Heron Bridge, a well known muck diving site. So diving the pier has less interest to me than Bonaire's reefs. Same goes for the Hooker. If I do wrecks, I'll do it elsewhere, unless I am running out of other interesting Bonaire dives.

 

[gbf]

I'm with you on HH, but do it one time at night. It's a gas. Careful, it is DARK.

And it's not a cavern anymore.

 

[RJP]

I'm with you on HH, but do it one time at night. It's a gas. Careful, it is DARK.

And it's not a cavern anymore.

I like it at sunset or dawn.

 

[Doctorfish]

I agree re Hooker as being a meh dive. I've seen some good critters at Salt Pier however, frogfish, octopus, lots of eels and good macro on the pillars.