fookisan
Guest
Heard that most of the diving in Bonaire is beach. What is the best way to proceed? Do you rent a car, rent your dive gear and go as you please? Or go with dive companies?
Thanks,
Dan
Thanks,
Dan
M.O. in Bonaire?
- Thread starter fookisan
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RICHinNC
Contributor
You can probably set up all you need and save money versus using a ''middle man''.
Most diving is shore diving and its the main reason people go to Bonaire in my book.
I recommend you go to www.goldenreefinn.com and contact Liz. She can set you up with a great place to stay and a truck comes with the deal.
The only "downside" is....the GRI is not right on the ocean. But I liked that as it was quiet when I wanted it to be and the hassle was much more at a minimum. She is set up with Buddy Dive so you can get your required class out of the way and can get all the tanks you want 24hrs a day.
I always take my own dive gear. Since I dive a bp and wing it fits easily into a carry on size bag and that is just what I do... carry it on with me.
Give a pm yell if you have any other questions.
One more thing.....dont set up any air reservations until you talk with Liz. Getting there is the 'fun' part. And whatever you do... dont book anything with Air Jamaica.
rich
Most diving is shore diving and its the main reason people go to Bonaire in my book.
I recommend you go to www.goldenreefinn.com and contact Liz. She can set you up with a great place to stay and a truck comes with the deal.
The only "downside" is....the GRI is not right on the ocean. But I liked that as it was quiet when I wanted it to be and the hassle was much more at a minimum. She is set up with Buddy Dive so you can get your required class out of the way and can get all the tanks you want 24hrs a day.
I always take my own dive gear. Since I dive a bp and wing it fits easily into a carry on size bag and that is just what I do... carry it on with me.
Give a pm yell if you have any other questions.
One more thing.....dont set up any air reservations until you talk with Liz. Getting there is the 'fun' part. And whatever you do... dont book anything with Air Jamaica.
rich
The following link might help. We just started with the BelMar and they helped with everything else.
Have fun
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=97803&highlight=bonaire+a+la+carte
Have fun
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=97803&highlight=bonaire+a+la+carte
rjchandler
Contributor
It sorta dependsfookisan:
There are a lot of threads here on this and you might check out Bonairetalk.com.
If you stay at a resort you can do plenty of shore diving on the "house" reef without renting a car.There is plenty of boat diving available if you prefer that. Most dedicated shore divers get a "shore diving package" from an operator/ resort which entitles them to unlimited tanks for a week. They rent a vehicle and go off on their own. No guide required - but you can hire one if you like. You don't have to stay at a resort to get a "shore diving package" from them.
Randall
Guest
I just got back from Bonaire. I saw several people that had rented trucks/jeeps etc. to do the shore dives. If this is what you like to do, it is readily available, but it sure seems like a LOT of work to me.....of course I'm a little past my prime too....ok, ok...a LOT past my prime!!
I stayed at the Divi Resort and I saw a fairly large group (6 to 8?) loading tanks and gear onto a truck a couple of times.....The truck was LOADED!!
I dove with the dive shop at the Divi Resort and found they are a great bunch of people and a good place to book a dive trip with. We dove several of the sites that are very popular with the shore divers and they are excellent places to dive.....and MUCH easier to get to by boat!! Of course I am a L-A-Z-Y scuba diver myself!!
Just DON'T book with Air Jamaica!! They are TOTAL idiots!!
I stayed at the Divi Resort and I saw a fairly large group (6 to 8?) loading tanks and gear onto a truck a couple of times.....The truck was LOADED!!
I dove with the dive shop at the Divi Resort and found they are a great bunch of people and a good place to book a dive trip with. We dove several of the sites that are very popular with the shore divers and they are excellent places to dive.....and MUCH easier to get to by boat!! Of course I am a L-A-Z-Y scuba diver myself!!
Just DON'T book with Air Jamaica!! They are TOTAL idiots!!
Damselfish
Contributor
It's not that most of the diving is beach, but that lots of beach diving is available - which is not true most places. You can do many of the same dives from boat or shore according to your preference. Myself, I don't do a lot of shore diving there except from my hotel, too much work on vacation.
Grajan
Contributor
We do pretty much all shore diving in Bonaire - in part because we like the peace and quiet of an empty reef and the lack of enforced schedule but mainly because we try and dive every night.
We loved buddy dive's Dive & Drive package with the truck included. the drive through fill station makes it really easy and the place was good. It will be interesting to see how the expanded version works when we go back in December.
We just managed to score a points trip to Bonaire over Christmas week on Continental. I was amazed we could do that over the holidays but it is all booked. Ye Ha!
Makes up for our busted trip to Coz last week.....
We loved buddy dive's Dive & Drive package with the truck included. the drive through fill station makes it really easy and the place was good. It will be interesting to see how the expanded version works when we go back in December.
We just managed to score a points trip to Bonaire over Christmas week on Continental. I was amazed we could do that over the holidays but it is all booked. Ye Ha!
Makes up for our busted trip to Coz last week.....
Our preference is to rent a truck and shore dive. Others like to solely boat dive and others are happy just diving the house reef. You can also get the standard package at most of the resorts which is 6 one tank dives and unlimited shore dive. For a first timer this may the best option. The choice is really up to you. We don't find the shore diving difficult and for us, the lack of a schedule makes up for any inconvience the shore diving may be. The sites are well marked and vary in ease of entry and exit. They are all marked by a yellow rock at the enterance to the site. Below is a typical nothern site, "Witches Hut". It is an easy entry and a nice site. The shots are of the enterance rock, off the tailgate of my truck and standing at the top of the stairs leading to the beach. The land shot though the trees is "Old Blue" site, another northern site. The other 2 shots are at "Alice in Wonderland", the surface shot is looking at our trucks from the water and the other is a couple of divers entering at "Alice in Wonderland".
RICHinNC
Contributor
Dang Herman....some of them pics look familiar !!
Sure you dont want to come on to Barbados???
Sure you dont want to come on to Barbados???
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