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Dive Review of Buddy Dive Resort in
Bonaire

Buddy Dive Resort, Nov, 2002,

by T Michael Garrison, Kansas, USA . Report 275.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 3 stars Food 2 stars
Service and Attitude 4 stars Environmental Sensitivity N/A
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving 5 stars
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ N/A
Beginners 5 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments Bonaire is an excellent dive site. The reefs are very well developed and don't have the open and sandy area that more northern locations experience. Buddy is exceptional in their dive operation. Very good facilities, good divemasters and crews, drive through facility very supportive of shore diving, and a vehicle is provided with each room. Seahorses are a feature here, we saw several. Also smaller turtles and eels. This is small creature diving, slugs, small shrimp, and some very beautiful reefs. If the dive is dull the divemasters will liven it up with some fake creatures so you have a memorable experience. The rooms are nice, clean, but maintenance is marginal (A/C went out daily and would only be fixed for one day). Food is just OK so eat at Bonaires fantastic restaurants, do not buy a food package as you will miss out on some great eating experiences. We only bought breakfast, ate all other meals out and they were really great. Buddy's dive staff are really good, as well as giving us very good boat and shore dives, they were able to recommend good diving on our own. Bartender TC was the best source for outstanding restaurants and Bonaire has some really neat surprises. Book your dive through their US operations in Newton, Mass., and be sure you get what you order, they don't listen very well. Stay away from Dutch Caribbean Airline, the old ALM, they will lose your luggage and they will not give you any service. It is a terrible operation. Fly directly into Bonaire if you can. I can't recommend Buddy enough, their dive operation is outstanding, their dive masters are outstanding, their boats are OK, their drive through is unique and very helpful, they have full Nitrox capability, and they will give you a memorable diving experience.

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 101-250 dives
Where else diving Cozumel, Grand Turk, Cayman Brac, Roatan, Florida Keys, Bonaire,
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny Seas calm
Water Temp 83-86°F / 28-30°C Wetsuit Thickness 0
Water Visibility 40-100 Ft/ 12-30 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions Upon arrival was anorientation program and orientation dive. Aftr that you were on your own for shore dives. On the boat dives we were given a choice of joining the dive master or diving our own profile. This was a fantastic dive operation with excellent crew.
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? N/A

What I Saw

Sharks None Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 4 stars Tropical Fish 3 stars
Small Critters 5 stars Large Fish 2 stars
Large Pelagics 2 stars

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter 5 stars Boat Facilities 4 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 4 stars Shore Facilities 5 stars
UW Photo Comments These were well developed reefs. Each boat and the dock had separate camera tanks. This was an excellent dive operation that supported underwater photography.
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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