In Reply to: Bonaire Trip posted by David V on January 15, 2007 at 11:11:33:

Depends on what you are looking for in a Bonaire dive trip. Personally, I like having my own apartment, with kitchen (stove fridge etc) and doing all of my dives from the shore (via rental truck). Boats are a waste of money in Bonaire, except for some of the remote sites (Klein Bonaire, Rappel, etc)

Buddy Dive has really convenient shore diving, but I think their reef is pretty torn up since Hurrican Ivan. If you dive out to the right past Buddy Dive towards Habitat, the reef gets better (a good one-way dive if you can get someone to drop you off at small wall or around there). Buddy Dive all has convenient drive-thru tank swapping - but I think people can be rude by overstaying their welcome in the drive-thru. Buddy Dive is also a pretty big property, so you may have a but of a walk from room to shore diving, and definately from room to parking lot.

Buddy Dive's sister resort, Bel-Mar Apartments, is my preference. I've been there four times, and plan to keep going back. Bel-Mar is much more simple, no restaurant, no bar etc. But it's right on the water, has a decent house reef, and has really access to cars and to shore dives.

I've also stayed at Plaza resort. Plaza is a full scale resort. They have everything on site: three bars, two restaurants, breakfast buffet, spa, etc. etc.) But the resort is BIG. Too BIG. Too much walking, especially if you are schlepping camera gear back and forth. However, if you have to have all the amenities...

Anyway, enough rambling. I recommend checking out scubaboard and some other places (esp. since this is a So Cal board :) )

Have a blast on Bonaire! Bon Bini!