New Diver's Bonaire Question

[jquest1]

Hello All! I'm a new diver with what looks like a great oportunity for my first "real" dive outside of a quarry. The local dive shop is having a trip down to Bonaire, and I'm putting serious thought into going... However there's a couple things holding me back that I was hoping someone could give me advise on.

After reading up a little on Bonaire, the diving looks incredible, the weather is obviously much more appealing than Januarys here in the New England states, and the cost is definately reasonable. Bonaire looks like the perfect place for a new diver in my position to fall in love with SCUBA. However, what's holding me back has nothing to do with diving...

After reading several reviews it sounds like Bonaire has little to nothing to offer as far as a nightlife goes. As a 20-something single male and a recent college graduate, I'm reluctant to spend so much money and use so much vacation time if my first trip to the carribean is going to be ruined by a mediocre-at-best nightlife (especially when the other people going are in all likelyhood couples and families). Is what I've read about Bonaire's nightlife, or rather lack thereof, true? Should I leave Bonaire for couples and families, and maybe someday when I'm in a serious enough relationship go then? And if so, where might a better place for someone in my situation be to go for a similar diving experience, but with an actual nightlife?

 

[johnny_bravo]

Not much in Bonaire for a single guy I went with a group of 6 guys last year and we always wound up just hanging out at the hotel bar. I would suggest Cancun/Cozumel as an alternative.

Cheers.

-J.-

 

[Damselfish]

On your first dive trip you might find you don't stay awake late enough to care about nightlife anyway. And if you do you should be diving.

 

[SpiderSense]

i was about the same thing as damselfish. i just had my first dive trip and it was at bonaire. spent most of the energy diving and slept any chance i got.

i would go to Bonaire for pure diving. there are activities, but i wouldn't go there for them. just go and enjoy diving.

 

[Martha]

I think you would be hard-pressed to find a better first dive destination for a beginner. The shore diving is fantastic and the reefs are easy to navigate, so you can dive morning, noon, and night if you want. I definitely don't think you'd feel like you wasted your money by going there, even if there isn't a nightlife. If this is your first dive trip, you'll probably be diving so much you won't have much energy left for a nightlife anyway, but that's just my opinion and I could be totally wrong about what you're looking for. Hope you have a good time, wherever you decide to go.

 

[lazyturtle]

I lived in Bonaire for a while, and I agree: no nightlife. Here's a suggestion; try the next island over Curacao. The diving is still really good, the conditions are similar and you have a big city to play in at night.
Still I'd go back to Bonaire in a heartbeat, it was the coolest place ever.

 

[herman]

I pretty much agree with the rest. You can party at home, go to Bonaire to dive. Besides, late night partying and excessive drinking are not practices that go well with safe diving.

 

[jquest1]

On your first dive trip you might find you don't stay awake late enough to care about nightlife anyway. And if you do you should be diving.

Haha trust me, there's always energy left for the bars in a rugby player!

As for saving the partying for home... well The nightlife here in Amish-land is few and far between. Just one of the many reasons that when I do end up vacationing somewhere, being able to get out and enjoy a real nightlife is pretty high on the priority list.

 

[DeputyDan]

I think you need to rethink your reason for going on the trip.

ARE YOU GOING ON A VACATION AND DO SOME DIVING OR - ARE YOU GOING ON A DIVE VACATION? These are two entirely different things. Its very important to understand this, this understanding can prevent alot of frustration in the future.

If you are doing the former then there are better choices, if you are doing the later then it does not get much better than Bonaire.

Besides, after a couple of night dives a beer and good nights sleep are the way to go.

 

[scubaaaronh]

Totally agree with herman and deputydan. cant say anymore than what they have said already.