Recommendations for Diving Centers on Bonaire

[sytech]

I am leaving for Bonaire on Saturday night and will be renting a place on Bonaire so I already have accomodations.

I have stayed at the Divi and the Sand Dollar Hotels.

The Divi has the best all around dive operation I have seen to date and I know that they have repaired the damage caused by the storm last fall, but I think I am on a first name basis with every fish off their pier so I need a change. The Sand Dollar is pretty good but I don't particularly care for storing my expensive equipment on open drying pegs and would prefer a locker that I can lock.

The spot must also have:

Jump in off their pier diving
night diving on site
no hassle about solo diving
restaurant nearby
near Kralendijk (within a few miles)

Any recommendations?

Thanks,


Sy

 

[El Orans]

I don't know about their views on solo diving but the Plaza Resort should be a nice location for you.

 

[flatwood]

Buddys has a wonderful house reef and it's great for night diving. Can you sneak me in your carry on bag?

 

[BDSC]

Buddys has a wonderful house reef and it's great for night diving. Can you sneak me in your carry on bag?

Buddys is nice but if he is leaving Saturday night and doesn't have a reservation to stay at Buddys, the chance of getting a room there is slim to none this time of year.

 

[Straegen]

I would give Den Laman. I haven't stayed here but Captain Don's is the other "upscale resort" in Bonaire if you can call any of them that. Buddys is probably the best, but also the biggest. Den Laman is my pick though.

 

[diversteve]

Buddy's or Capt' Don's Habitat - both have restaurants on-site, good dives off their dock, esp. CDH, both LaMachaca and Cliff are accessible from their dock. CDH has lights on the water at night also. And their dive lockers are 40' or so from their divedock.

Plaza doesn't have a shoredive off a dock, their site 18Palms is a beach dive. Their dock is off the lagoon. All of their facilities (tanks, shop, boat, lockers etc.) are to the far south there while the dive is on the north end of the resort.

 

[oly5050user]

I am leaving for Bonaire on Saturday night and will be renting a place on Bonaire so I already have accomodations.

I have stayed at the Divi and the Sand Dollar Hotels.

The Divi has the best all around dive operation I have seen to date and I know that they have repaired the damage caused by the storm last fall, but I think I am on a first name basis with every fish off their pier so I need a change. The Sand Dollar is pretty good but I don't particularly care for storing my expensive equipment on open drying pegs and would prefer a locker that I can lock.

The spot must also have:

Jump in off their pier diving
night diving on site
no hassle about solo diving
restaurant nearby
near Kralendijk (within a few miles)

Any recommendations?

Thanks,


Sy

Try Buddy dive.You should be able to get a dive package there even if you are staying elsewhere and that will give you access to gear lockers and shore dives from the resort.Very good/excellent restaurant on site-Lions Den .
We are going 1st week of June.I have stayed Divi-Habitat-Plaza-Sand Dollar and others..Buddy Dive is the easiest hassle free of them all.I am sure Flatwood on this board will agree too ..

 

[sytech]

The more I read about Buddy Dive the better it sounds.

Can you give me a point of reference as to where it's located? Isn't it about a half mile north of the center of Kralendijk and a bit south of Den Laman condos or am I confusing it with Captain Don's?

Thanks

Try Buddy dive.You should be able to get a dive package there even if you are staying elsewhere and that will give you access to gear lockers and shore dives from the resort.Very good/excellent restaurant on site-Lions Den .
We are going 1st week of June.I have stayed Divi-Habitat-Plaza-Sand Dollar and others..Buddy Dive is the easiest hassle free of them all.I am sure Flatwood on this board will agree too ..

 

[BDSC]

You said you have stayed at Sand Dollar so Buddys is right beside Sand Dollar. North side of SD.

 

[flatwood]

Buddys is nice but if he is leaving Saturday night and doesn't have a reservation to stay at Buddys, the chance of getting a room there is slim to none this time of year.

I didn't catch the saturday night part. I would not rely on emails this late, You need to get on the phone.