Is Bonaire worth it for a solo trip if I plan on doing guided shore dives?

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Location
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I have gone to Cozumel multiple times as a solo traveler and liked it but would like to try something new in the Caribbean. I am still a fairly inexperienced diver (~15 dives) and Bonaire has always seemed super interesting to me for the diving, land activities, and I have a bit of dutch heritage. I am planning on going this winter and just doing guided shore dives everyday through a shop which does not seem more expensive than guided boat dives on other Caribbean islands. That being said, I have seen advice that Bonaire is not great for a solo scuba trip so am curious to get other people's thoughts. Thanks!
 
The best thing about Bonaire is that you can dive your own dives on your own schedule as much or as little as you want.

Setting up guided dives sort of defeats that concept.

Bonaire is great, but find a buddy.
 
The best thing about Bonaire is that you can dive your own dives on your own schedule as much or as little as you want.

Setting up guided dives sort of defeats that concept.

Bonaire is great, but find a buddy.
That is what I have read. With my experience level and lack of practice navigating dives I would still feel most comfortable diving with a professional guide.
 
At your experience level using a guide is a great idea and great way to advance your skills and comfort kevel
 
If you have 100 logged dives, you might consider taking the SDI solo course while there...... Captain Dons is a good option.

Also, you might think about staying a place like Buddy's where you can buy an unlimited shore diving package along with 6 boat dives. Chances are that you'll meet up with like minded folks that'll be happy to dive with you.

Plus..... Navigating shore dives on Bonaire could not be any easier....
 
Probably.

Especially if you can afford the local professional oversight.

I think I had around 25 dives when I went to Bonaire and took a course. No way I would have been able to undertake that trip at that point solo, or even with experienced divers that had never done Bonaire before.

NOTE: The "Who needs a dive buddy and wants to dive with me" chalk board at Buddy Dive was totally non-helpful... Had picked up a potential buddy on this list - and we met up briefly down there - but my class and boat schedule didn't pan out for shore diving together.
 
While I whole heartedly agree with those who say the best thing about Bonaire diving is the freedom to dive where, when and how you want, with buddies or solo, I think you are wise to initially go the guided route.

While you may be lucky enough to find an "insta-buddy" that works out, the likelihood is at your low level of experience is you would be a severe drag on him, or worse, have someone incapable of providing the support you need in the steep part of your diving learning curve. So your initial judgement of going with the pros is bang on and maybe later in the trip you may have developed the knowledge and confidence to venture out with a buddy you met along that path.

But in any event, Bonaire is a great place to come either by yourself or in a group.
 
Worth it? Absolutely!

As mentioned above, a guide for shore dives can get you started on the right path while keeping you off the sometimes overly pasturized boat dives (or so I've been told, we've only done one and it was a free-range experience).

They will show you a ton of stuff you would otherwise miss and make it a minimum stress experience, which will be the norm after a while.
 
Plus..... Navigating shore dives on Bonaire could not be any easier....
Could you say more about this, for those of us who haven't been yet? Why is the navigation easy? No currents? No places where the exits are difficult/impassible?
 
Could you say more about this, for those of us who haven't been yet? Why is the navigation easy? No currents? No places where the exits are difficult/impassible?
Navigation is easy because you are shore diving, basically, in ninety degree angles...

You enter the water from a parking lot and usually swim straight out to a marker buoy that marks the center of the dive site. Take note of your compass heading as you swim to the marker buoy.

There is usually very little, if any, current. You start your dive at the marker buoy by descending along the line and take note of your depth when you get to where the buoy is anchored to the reef (this is important).

You continue your descent along the same compass bearing that you took to get out to the buoy until you hit your target depth. Then you either go left or right along the reef.

When you decide to turn around, you make a gradual ascent back to the same depth as you noted for the buoy anchor and keep swimming along the reef until you inevitably run back into it.

At the surface you will have a visual of the parking lot. But just in case you want to conduct a swimming safety stop, just reverse course from your bearing to the buoy and you will find yourself swimming right back to your car.

You can always also use your finger spool to lay a line from the buoy anchor along your descent just to make sure you don't miss it on the return. This technique is sometimes helpful on dive sites where the buoy anchor is in a flat patch of reef where there isn't a distinct drop off.

Bonaire is that easy.
 
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