Bonaire
Climate: Sunshine year-round with great air temperatures at 28°C / 84°F in the winter (Dec. to Mar.) and 31°C / 89°C in the summer (Apr. – Nov.)
Water Temperature: 25 – 29°C / 78 – 84°F
Time: UTC -5:00 (ET)
Language: Dutch is the official language. Local Papiamentu, English and Spanish are widely spoken.
Currency: NA Florin or Guilder. Travelers checks, credit cards and the US Dollar also accepted everywhere.
Electricity: 127 Volts. U.S. appliances will work; converters are available at some hotels.
Marriage Requirements: Please contact the local tourism board for instructions and requirements.
Airport(s): Flamingo International Airport (BON)
Hyperbaric Chamber: Foundation Recompression Chamber Bonaire
BONAIRE CONTINUALLY DOMINATES SCUBA DIVING MAGAZINE’S READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS
**Bonaire Excels With Multiple Awards Including #1 Top Overall Diving in the Caribbean/Atlantic** The island of Bonaire has repeatedly swept top honors receiving more #1 Ratings than any other destination in the Caribbean, while continuing its reign as one of the world’s top dive destinations. Among the multiple awards received are: Top Health of Marine Environment, Top Macro Life and Top Shore Diving, Overall Destination, Value for Diving Dollar, Beginner Diving, Snorkeling, Visibility, Marine Life and Underwater Photography.
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Taylor
Overall our trip was a great experience. This was our first dive after getting open water cert in the US. Dive Friends Bonaire was accommodating and very gentle with us newbie divers. I would definitely go with them again. The Sand Dollar was conveniently located next to Dive Friends which made it easy to get there in the mornings. While not the most modernly furnished, we were not left wanting anything else. The front desk attendant seemed to be slightly confused and unable to answer the few questions we had, but we eventually figured things out on our own. The only downside to the trip was the difficulty we had finding places to dine. Many closed during the day and hours seems random. Ingredients at Buddy Dive was bar far the worst meals we had. Poor quality food and terrible service (they forgot to put in our entrees and then avoided our table after realizing their mistake, making no effort to rectify) Coco Beach on the other hand had friendly staff with surprisingly good food.
Taylor
Overall our trip was a great experience. This was our first dive after getting open water cert in the US. Dive Friends Bonaire was accommodating and very gentle with us newbie divers. I would definitely go with them again. The Sand Dollar was conveniently located next to Dive Friends which made it easy to get there in the mornings. While not the most modernly furnished, we were not left wanting anything else. The front desk attendant seemed to be slightly confused and unable to answer the few questions we had, but we eventually figured things out on our own. The only downside to the trip was the difficulty we had finding places to dine. Many closed during the day and hours seems random. Ingredients at Buddy Dive was bar far the worst meals we had. Poor quality food and terrible service (they forgot to put in our entrees and then avoided our table after realizing their mistake, making no effort to rectify) Coco Beach on the other hand had friendly staff with surprisingly good food.
Neil
All and all our scuba trip was good.
FYI for future reference Sand Dollar was okay. However you should be aware that they no longer serve breakfast, even though Sand Dollars website indicates they do. Also Capt Dons appears much nicer and I am very surprised Sand Dollar is more expensive than Capt Dons. Capt Dons is much more well kept, (drastically) has more activities Sand Dollar has none and serves 3 meals a day. Not sure why Sand Dollar is more??? Also our room was not quite as "waterfront" as I was lead to believe.
Also, Total Rental of Bonaire. Our truck was very old and highly rusted. No spare tire, a broken clutch, broken windshield wiper, no water for wipers, appeared unserviced, broken bumper, broken passenger side shock, broken tail light, broken rear cab hatch....and so on. Overall, it was not safe, where as all of the other rental vehicles we saw (Avis, Budget, Buddys) appeared much more well kept.
All and all, the total experience did not live up to our expectations. However the diving was good.
Destination Spotlight: Bonaire
Just 50 miles north of Venezuela and about 38 miles east of Curacao, lies a 24-mile long island with some of most beautiful and well protected dive sites in the world. We’re talking about Bonaire, of course. And if you haven’t experienced it for yourself just yet, this post might be the nudge you’ve been waiting for!
We’ve got the skinny on real 24/7 diving (we knew you’d love that), ...
Read BlogPicture Yourself Scuba Diving in Bonaire!
PICTURE YOURSELF IN BONAIRE!
The growth of digital photography has changed everything, especially for recreational scuba divers (and Kodak shareholders). Seems like just a few years ago, underwater photography was a luxury. It cost a lot of money. The equipment was big and bulky. And, most photographers relied on trial and error when shooting print or slide film making it rather cumbersome t...
Read BlogWhy QiGong On Bonaire?
Why QiGong On Bonaire?
How do you define wellness? How is it beneficial to all we do? Do you practice it?
We support all efforts to help divers enhance their skills and enjoy every underwater experience. But in our opinion, the most important factor is being healthy as this alone allows you to continue diving. So to assist your diving longevity and capability, we want to acquaint you with a ...
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