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Bonaire Diving Reviews:
Dive Resorts & Liveaboards

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Average Overall Ratings
(over last 3 years, 81 of 580 reports
Advanced:  4 stars Beginner:  4 stars
UW Photography:  4 stars
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Belmar Bonaire/ private home rental - Kas Daas Full report   south of airport   "Bonaire Family Thanksgiving"
We had a family reunion 4 decades after our first family dive trip to Bonaire; 15 people with 13 divers in the water. While the p... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
11/2019   Bobby Munno
1000+ Dives 		 
Buddy Dive Resort Full report       "First trip to Bonaire - not disappointed"
I had avoided Bonaire for 2 reasons, my wife wasn't interested in diving there and since I fractured my heel a few years ago, I'm ... Full report  
4 stars
3 stars  
11/2019   Phil Hamilton
1000+ Dives 		 
Dive Friends Bonaire/ Courtyard by Marriott Full report       "DIVE FRIENDS – NOT DIVERS’ FRIENDS"
The Dive Friends locations on Bonaire are able to process divers like cattle, but they do not know how to provide customer service... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
5/2019   NEAL LANGERMAN
1000+ Dives 		2Helpful vote(s) received
Buddy Dive Resort Full report   Bonmaire   "Bonaire always fun, resort great, diving getting tired"
Third visit to Bonaire, first stay at Buddy's. We were a group of 8 divers, and Buddy Dive provided us a dedicated boat and DM fo... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
3/2019   Rick Bates
1000+ Dives 		 
Buddy Dive Resort Full report   BONAIRE   "THE DIVE THAT NEVER HAPPENED"
6 WEEKS Before departing Los Angeles I called the BUDDY DIVE RESORT to book a 2 tank dive in Bonaire I was told on the phon... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
12/2018   ALEX VASILIU
<100 Dives 		 
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Buddy Dive Resort Full report   BONAIRE   "THE DIVE THAT NEVER HAPPENED"
6 WEEKS Before departing Los Angeles I called the BUDDY DIVE RESORT to book a 2 tank dive in Bonaire I was told on the phon... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
12/2018   ALEX VASILIU
<100 Dives 		1Helpful vote(s) received
Dive Friends Bonaire Full report       "Courtyard Marriott/Dive Friends "
[In 2016 I attended the SCUBA Show in Long Beach, Ca. The Courtyard Marriott Resort (CM) had recently opened in Bonaire, I spoke ... Full report  
4 stars
3 stars  
10/2018   Bob Pennal
1000+ Dives 		 
Bruce Bowker's Carib Inn Full report       "Good shore diving"
Some of the shore diving sites were really great, especially Angel City, Margate Bay, and Karpata. Of course the parking lots at t... Full report  
4 stars
3 stars  
9/2018   Burro Station
<100 Dives 		 
Belmar Apts - Buddy Dive Full report       "Wonderful Bonaire"
6th trip to Bonaire and the Belmar Apartments. We love diving there. Also enjoy some Dutch culture (family is Dutch). We do all... Full report  
4 stars
3 stars  
8/2018   Robert Van Calcar
1000+ Dives 		 
East Coast Diving Full report       "Great operation to dive the east coast"
Harris and I got off our duffs and went diving on the east coast with East Coast Diving last week, and really enjoyed it. I'd know... Full report  
4 stars
3 stars  
6/2018   Mary McCombie
1000+ Dives 		 
Divi Flamingo Full report       "Very Disappointing Diving"
Divi Flamingo dive operation is well- run. Easy boat entry, easy tank pick up to do shore diving. Both of us were VERY disappointed... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
6/2018   Sheri Ray
250+ Dives 		1Helpful vote(s) received
Buddy Dive Resort Full report       "Good Resort, Shame about the Dive Operation"
I traveled to Bonaire as part of a dive shop group. Our package included airfare, airport transfers on Bonaire, accommodation, bu... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
2/2018   Mr Brent Woods
500+ Dives 		3Helpful vote(s) received
Captain Don's Habitat Full report       "Bonaire Captain Don's Habitat. Less than Expected and Fading"
My third and last trip to Bonaire. My most recent trip before January 2018 was June 2010. What a fall from prominence. Arrived mi... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
1/2018   David B Cain
1000+ Dives 		3Helpful vote(s) received
Captain Don's Habitat Full report   Near Downtown   "Captain Don's Resort"
I have been taking one or two dive trips per year for over 20 years and this was by far the worst trip ever. The lodgings, restau... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
1/2018   Gary N. Ring
500+ Dives 		3Helpful vote(s) received
Bonaire East Coast Diving Full report   [East Coast   "Bonaire's Other Side"
This was the 3rd time my wife and I made the short trip to Lac Bay on Bonaire's East Side to take a two tank morning dive trip wit... Full report  
5 stars
3 stars  
11/2017   Blake Hottle
250+ Dives 		2Helpful vote(s) received
Buddy Dive Resort Full report       "Bonair Buddy Dive resort visit"
The resort has a full dive facility with drive thru air, their fleet of vehicles, restaurants, pools for kids, and a good reef off... Full report  
4 stars
3 stars  
10/2017   Mark Berger
500+ Dives 		 
Divi Flamingo Full report       "Easy diving, great location, iffy food"
Once again a repeat visit for us. The only real difference was we were late to book and so ended up in one of the more expensive t... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
3/2017   Ken
500+ Dives 		3Helpful vote(s) received
Buddy Dive Resort Full report       "Should've Been Better!"
My wife and I booked our trip to Buddy Dive through a group seminar. This group of 20 or so has travelled together to many dive re... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
3/2017   Bruce J Levine
500+ Dives 		6Helpful vote(s) received
Dive Friends Bonaire/ Belafonte Chateau de la Mer Full report       "Great diving and staying in Bonaire"
We (14 of us) love Bonaire. This is our second trip and we stayed at a different hotel than the first time. The Belafonte does n... Full report  
5 stars
3 stars  
5/2016   Don Jennings
1000+ Dives 		 
Bonaire Dive and Adventure Full report       "Bonaire Dive and Adventure"
I am an experienced dive Pro who has taken my family of novice divers to Bonaire a number of times, this was our fourth and last... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
4/2016   David Smith
500+ Dives 		 
Dive Friends Bonaire/ VRBO Full report       "Great Dive Operator, Sparse Marine Life and a Healthy Crime Rate"
We just spent a week diving in Bonaire and can't say enough about the very unique and convenient approach with which Dive Friends ... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
9/2015   Kent O. Bonde
1000+ Dives 		 
Buddy Dive Resort Full report       "Great shore diving in Bonaire"
We stayed at Buddy Dive as part of a REEF group of 20+ divers. We had a package that included our condo, a rental car (pickup tru... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
8/2015   Alice Ribbens
500+ Dives 		2Helpful vote(s) received
Belmar Bonaire Full report       "A Nice Way to Spend the Week"
Visibility was less than expected. This could be due to consistently high winds blowing dry coral dust into the water. Winds also ... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
6/2015   Robert Hanson
1000+ Dives 		 
Captain Don's Habitat Full report       "Bonaire in November 2014"
Bonaire Trip – November 2014 I arrived after a lovely flight via Delta Airlines in Bonaire on November 8th. I got unpacked and... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
11/2014   Patricia A. Sinclair
250+ Dives 		 
Buddy Dive Resort Full report       Bonaire diving is almost always outstanding but noticed with the aging of divers the various shore entries getting progressively h... Full report  
4 stars
3 stars  
5/2014   D.Demming
1000+ Dives 		 
Buddy Dive Resort/ SunRental Ocean Front Apartments Full report       Bonaire is quite nice, a rather small island, easy to get around and not any more expensive than most other Caribbean islands. We ... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
1/2014   Henry O Ziller
250+ Dives 		 
Buddy Dive Resort Full report       "Excellent"
Fourth time to Bonaire - 2nd to Buddy. More fun with son- in- law who is a dive instructor (4- 5 dives a day for him & our daughter). ... Full report  
4 stars
3 stars  
1/2014   Courtenay Weldon
100+ Dives 		 
Captain Don's Habitat/ Captain Don's Full report       We had some problems with the 3 bedroom villa. One of the bedrooms had a terrible odor that smelled like something dead. The man... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
11/2013   David Funderburk
1000+ Dives 		 
Captain Don's Habitat Full report       This was my third trip to Captain Don's and may have been my last. Captain Don's continues to live up to its motto: "Home of D... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
9/2013   Samuel B Johnson
250+ Dives 		 
Bonaire Dive and Adventure/ Den Laman Full report       ... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
1/2013   Jeffri Botkin
500+ Dives 		 
Buddy Dive Resort Full report       This was my third and last visit to Buddy Dive Resort. Although the 2 bed room apt was recently renovated the toilets did not flush... Full report  
2 stars
3 stars  
8/2011   Daniel S Camara, MD
250+ Dives 		 
Dive Friends Full report       It may be a minority opinion, but apparently Bonaire is a secret and I've yet to be let in on it. Topside, if your taste in lands... Full report  
1 stars
3 stars  
5/2009   Butch Fries and Kirby McBean
250+ Dives 		 
Buddy Dive Full report       I had heard that another hurricane had hit Bonaire. The last one did quite a bit of damage - but I think this one did more. Basi... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
5/2009   Jan Culbertson
1000+ Dives 		 
Buddy Dive Full report       I just read a recent report on Undercurrent describing the damage to the reefs around Bonaire and, unfortunately, I have to report... Full report  
2 stars
3 stars  
3/2009   Hal Berson
<100 Dives 		 
Bonaire Dive & Adventure/ Den Laman Full report       Bonaire has more to offer then any other place in the Caribbean atleast where we have been. We took the red eye from Newark ... Full report  
4 stars
3 stars  
3/2009   Bill
250+ Dives 		 
Bonaire Dive and Adventure/ Sand Dollar Full report       This was my first time to Bonaire and came with a group of friends, about 20 divers. Shore diving was a new experience. It req... Full report  
4 stars
3 stars  
2/2009   Maureen C. Carnevale
100+ Dives 		 
Bonaire diving Adventures/ [same]Den Laman Full report       We booked our trip through Island Dreams and flew down on the overnight flight from Houston. The lady manager (I can not remember ... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
1/2009   Norman Ross
500+ Dives 		 
Black Durgon/yello submarine Full report       Stayed at Divers Paradise part of Black Durgon, nice apts at $65 night. Black Durgon is for budget minded divers who like to shor... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
11/2008   conrad kantor
500+ Dives 		 
Divi Flamingo Full report       if you can tolerate the mice and errant birds in your room, this might be an interesting place for a weekend visit. if you're ... Full report  
1 stars
3 stars  
6/2008   Bill Kimball
1000+ Dives 		 
Great Adventures/ Harbour Village Full report       Haven't been to Bonaire in 10 years. Prior to that I took the family every year and sometimes and some times twice a year but ... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
5/2008   Tom Kelly
1000+ Dives 		 
Captain Don's Full report       For a first- timer in Bonaire, it became clear that this island is all about diving. Very few distractions besides diving. . . ... Full report  
4 stars
3 stars  
12/2007   Jeff Paulsen
100+ Dives 		 
Bonaire Dive & Adventure/ Sand Dollar Resort Full report       We flew from Toronto to Newark in the afternoon, and then the Continental overnight to Bonaire. Customs and baggage pick up all s... Full report  
4 stars
3 stars  
11/2007   Rick Bates
1000+ Dives 		 
The Deep Blue View Full report       A copy of "Bonaire Shore Diving Made Easy" is a must before going to Bonaire to dive. It has just about every shore dive site on ... Full report  
5 stars
3 stars  
8/2007   Janet & Robert Ustruck
100+ Dives 		 
Captan Dons Full report       "Captan Dons" is a nice place and has a lot to offer. Besides some minor quarks here and there (will get into later), we survived... Full report  
2 stars
3 stars  
4/2007   MARK A. HICKS
500+ Dives 		 
Bruce Bowker's Carib Inn Full report       Our first trip to Bonaire and we're done searching for that perfect dive destination. The unlimited shore diving can't be beat. ... Full report  
5 stars
3 stars  
2/2007   Marge and Ernie Karalis
<100 Dives 		 
Caribbean Gas Training - Benji Schaub Full report       While we have been to Bonaire about ten times this was our first trip to the East “Wild” Side for diving and it is quite different... Full report  
5 stars
3 stars  
11/2006   patricia harmon
500+ Dives 		 
Belmar Diving/ Belmar Apartments Full report       This 8- day, 7- night trip was all good. Belmar apartments is a great place for families or groups large and small if you don't wan... Full report  
5 stars
3 stars  
9/2006   Gary Petty
100+ Dives 		 
Bonaire Dive and Adventure/ Sand Dollar Full report       ... Full report  
4 stars
3 stars  
3/2006   KIM WATFORD
100+ Dives 		 
Captain Don's Habitat Full report       Typical Bonaire dive conditions - easy access to easy sites, short boat rides, nice diving, lots of little critters. Typical dive ... Full report  
2 stars
3 stars  
12/2005   ken
250+ Dives 		 
1 Full report       ... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
8/2005   Junny
<100 Dives 		 
N/A/ none Full report       ... Full report  
4 stars
3 stars  
8/2005   Donna Beck
250+ Dives 		 
Wannadive/ Yacht Club Apts Full report       I carried a party of 8 to Bonaire over March 23- 30. It was my second and last trip due to the rampant theft. Three years ago whe... Full report  
4 stars
3 stars  
3/2005   Bob
500+ Dives 		 
Larry's Wild Side Diving Full report       Larry, a former dive master on Bonaire, has opened a very exciting dive operation, making boat diving to the east coast of Bonaire... Full report  
5 stars
3 stars  
10/2004   Dawn Steedman
100+ Dives 		 
Capt. Dons Habitat Full report       A very fun trip. Capt. Dons Habitats' slogan is diving freedom. Was as advertised. Staff was great, tanks plentiful. nice set up ... Full report  
5 stars
3 stars  
9/2004   Joe Mellino
100+ Dives 		 
Bon Bini Divers/ Ocean View Villas Full report       Quick little trip to Bonaire hit the spot - - relaxation, no timetables. Tim, one of the owners of Ocean View Villas was waiting fo... Full report  
4 stars
3 stars  
5/2004   Marc & Maureen Duggan
<100 Dives 		 
Carib Inn Full report       We arranged to rent the house at the Carib Inn. We thought it was waterfront. It is not but from a deck you can see the water. It... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
12/2003   M. Davis
100+ Dives 		 
Buddy's Dive Resort Full report       Our first trip to Bonaire. Hard to imagine that any operation can be any more accomodating to serious divers than Buddy's Dive Res... Full report  
4 stars
3 stars  
12/2003   Michael Ewing
<100 Dives 		 
Divi Flamingo Beach Full report       RETURN VISIT AFTER 18 YEARS. SADLY, AS IN SO MANY OTHER PARTS OF THE CARIBBEAN, BONAIRE IS A SHELL OF ITS FORMER SELF OF 18 YEARS ... Full report  
2 stars
3 stars  
11/2003   TOM LOPATIN
1000+ Dives 		 
Larry's Wildside Adventure's Full report       This was our second trip to Bonaire, first one was April 2003. We stayed at Happy Holiday Homes. . . . accommodations were as expecte... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
6/2003   Gary Mazzurco
<100 Dives 		 
Larry's Wildside Adventure's Full report       This was our second trip to Bonaire, first one was April 2003. We stayed at Happy Holiday Homes. . . . accommodations were as expecte... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
6/2003   Gary Mazzurco
<100 Dives 		 
Larry's Wildside Adventure's Full report       This was our second trip to Bonaire, first one was April 2003. We stayed at Happy Holiday Homes. . . . accommodations were as expecte... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
6/2003   Gary Mazzurco
<100 Dives 		 
Buddy Dive Resort Full report       Good for beginners but currents and wind- driven surge made shore entry and exit an unexpected challenge even for the physically ... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
2/2002   Ron Larkin
<100 Dives 		 
Bonaire East Coast Diving/ N/A Full report       "Turtles Turtles Turtles and more Turtles"
On a recent trip to Bonaire (Feb/ 2020), we scheduled a two- tank boat dive with Bonaire East Coast Divers. Because the East side o... Full report  
5 stars
2 stars  
2/2020   Joel Snyder
500+ Dives 		3Helpful vote(s) received
Captain Don's Habitat Full report       "Basic Level Dive Resort With Poor Service With A Few Exceptions"
I admit it, I've been spoiled by "valet diving" and dive guides who go out of their way to assure that I have a great diving exper... Full report  
3 stars
2 stars  
11/2019   Rik Pavlescak
250+ Dives 		 
Dive Friends Bonaire Full report       "Nice diving at your own pace"
The best thing about diving in Bonaire is that you’re at your own pace; you just pick up tanks in the morning and head off in your... Full report  
4 stars
2 stars  
7/2018   SHARA NEIDELL
100+ Dives 		 
Tropical DIvers/ Bellvue Condos Full report       [This trip report is not inclusive, but addresses only a couple of the lesser known high points. ] Shortly before Christmas, my ... Full report  
5 stars
2 stars  
12/2010   Sue Manning
<100 Dives 		 
Captain Don's Habitat Full report       Captain Don’s Habitat March 2010 This was my second time on Bonaire and to tell the truth, the div... Full report  
3 stars
2 stars  
3/2010   Roberto Labrador
250+ Dives 		 
Bonaire Dive & Adventure/ Sand Dollar Condos Full report       My second trip to Bonaire in as many years. We were quite happy with the dive shop and condos so we repeated. Sand Dollar had a ... Full report  
4 stars
2 stars  
5/2009   Rick Bates
1000+ Dives 		 
Bonaire Dive & Adventure/ Sand Dollar condos Full report       Not having been to Bonaire since 1999 (just before Lenny tried to wipe Bonaire off the map), we decided to join friends on Bonaire... Full report  
4 stars
2 stars  
7/2006   Russ Battisto
500+ Dives 		 
Larry's Wildside Diving/ Divi Flamingo Full report       Diving with Larry is just old fashion fun. The boat ride itself is like an adventure ride at a theme park and the diving was simpl... Full report  
5 stars
2 stars  
7/2005   Jim Reilly and Fran Klass
100+ Dives 		 
Divi dive/ Div Flamingo Full report       We stayed at the Divi Flamingo October 30 to November 6. Check- in was fast and smooth, although initially we were assigned a room ... Full report  
4 stars
2 stars  
11/2004   Jim Reilly and Fran Klass
100+ Dives 		 
Toucan Divers/ Plaza Resort Full report       Although the underwater sites were more than satisfactory, the dive crews and operation left much to be desired. The equipment ro... Full report  
4 stars
2 stars  
4/2004   Ed Boyer
100+ Dives 		 
Captian Don's/ Captain Don's Full report       When we arrived at Captain Don's we immediatly recognized that this was the right place. The diving was amazingly convenient as t... Full report  
4 stars
2 stars  
9/2002   Michael Cleaver
<100 Dives 		 
Captain Don's Habitat       "Not Nitrox Analyzer"
I'm posting this because a friend came back from a week at Capt. Don's . She reported that while Capt. Don had nitrox available an... Full report  
1 stars
1 stars  
1/2024   Eric Weiss
250+ Dives 		 
Divi Flamingo       "Bonaire "
The dive operator didn't honor our contract. The first day I was supposed to have 3 tanks on a dive boat. I was told the first d... Full report  
1 stars
1 stars  
6/2023   Rick Dayan
1000+ Dives 		 
Divi Dive/ Divi Flamingo Full report       "Bonaire"
We stayed at this hotel last year. It has gone downhill. Mattresses were soft and lumpy. Air conditioning didn't work. Mold in sho... Full report  
4 stars
1 stars  
11/2017   David Lang
250+ Dives 		 
Divi Flamingo Full report       "Scuba diving in Bonaire"
The Divi Flamingo runs a good dive operation for experienced divers. Due to recent surgery we needed boat diving instead of shore ... Full report  
5 stars
1 stars  
11/2016   David Lang
100+ Dives 		 
Dive Bonaire Full report       We signed up for a dive excursion through Princess Cruises. Dive Bonaire had us sign the usual waiver and fill out a health hist... Full report  
1 stars
1 stars  
12/2010   David Lang
<100 Dives 		 
East Coast Diving Bonaire Full report   Eastside   This operation use to be Larry's Wildside Diving, but I guess Larry failed to make some payments, so it has a new owner and uses t... Full report  
4 stars
1 stars  
11/2009   Bear Johnston
500+ Dives 		 
Larry's Wildside Diving Full report       No suprises. Had read about Larry's in previous Chapbooks and were well informed about what to expect from talking to Eddie... Full report  
5 stars
1 stars  
1/2007   Jeanne Fielder
500+ Dives 		 
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Diving Guide to Bonaire

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