Well, i wish I knew about this board before I went! Just got back from a relaxing 12 days in Bonaire, diving and relaxing. The diving was great, though very low key. I must say that though I enjoyed every dive, i was disappointed with the low fish volumes on many of them. The coral however is excellent and in really good condition. I knew that Bonaire was not known for its big fish, and so was surprised to encounter one of the biggest barracudas I have ever seen and an enormous green moray.

The downsides of my trip: cost - it seems that everything is very expensive
customer service: i found the level of customer service (diving and in restaurants) way lower than in anywhere I have previously visited, especially the place that I stayed - Captain Don's. Although the staff were friendly enough, i often got the impression that some of them couldn't care less whether you enjoyed your dives. This is so totally different to the diving I have done in Egypt, I was almost shocked. I was also shocked by this attitude when it came to my orientation dive - which I was told to do alone. It took a while before I managed to persuade one of the divemasters to come with me. I think this is careless and thoughtless in terms of safety, but also in terms of customer service. In terms of safety, I was also surprised that I was not asked when my last dive was (it could have been years ago for all they knew) or how many dives I had logged. Likewise, on my orientation talk, I was not told where the oxygen or first aid was kept. This is especially lax, given that I was then encouraged to go and solo dive - almost whether I liked it or not.

All in all, I would say that I enjoyed the trip, but would not be likely to return. The diving was relaxing and pleasant, and the coral impressive, but there were not the fish volumes I expected and the diving was just not outstanding enough for me to make the long journey worthwhile.

Ruth Rosselson,
Manchester, England

Sorry you didn't fall in love with Bonaire the way we did-the freedom and laid back attitude in the dive shops is exactly what makes it so perfect-helps us relax and concentrate on the reef-we saw an incredible variety and amount of fish-all looking happy and healthy, as we did after a few days-the absolute best place in the world which is why most of us live with at least some degree of PBD til we return.

Ruth,
I'm sorry you had the experiences you had at Capt. Don's. We are looking forward to our third visit there next month. We have experienced the complete opposite in customer service....don't know why?! I have had several different DMs go out of their way to help me find small creatures (seahorse, etc) while snorkeling off their dive boats. Or telling me what creatures are hanging out on the house reef. I hope your trip isn't a sign of a change in the family friendliness we've felt in the past.

Ruth, I'm also sorry you didn't enjoy Bonaire. This board is an unbelievable wealth of information for those going on their first trip (or 15th for that matter). When I go diving to a foreign country, I try to find out as much as possible before my trip to make things a little smoother, and BT was a god-send!

Check out dive...last summer I arrived a day before my buddy and wasn't comfortable diving solo, so I emailed Buddy's ahead of time and asked if I could hire a DM to go with me...enter Martin! He was a sweetheart and showed me my first 2 frogfish, and I saw my first turtle ever! Cost: $15.00 US...well worth the price. I don't remember any of the shops showing where the first aid and 02 were (even on the dive boats we dive locally don't specify it, but they always have at least 1 or 2 DM's and the Captain on board at all times to administer if needed.) Maybe they don't provide the location as you need to be 02 certified to administer and it could be a liability if someone not certified to use the equipment (02 or first aid) did so and caused more harm than good, and there are always dive staff around the shop when needed in case of an emergency. I've found the dive staff at the shops we have used MORE than helpful (but then, I'm used to Southern California dive boats...you get NO help doing ANYTHING...oh, they do take your fins when you are ready to climb up the boat ladder and get back aboard). Maybe Jack Chaulk or some other dive shop staff can answer the 02 and first aid question in case I'm off base...

Customer service...my first trip to Bonaire we were a little aggravated when dining that the staff didn't check up on us more often, and we had to "ask" for the check...found out on our return that this is standard...they want you to enjoy your meal and don't want to "interrupt." So, in general, you need to let them know you require something, it's not a lack of customer service, it's more island time thinking...

Again, sorry you it wasn't up to your expectations...hope your next trip is more enjoyable wherever you go

Wow Ruth! Talk about the other side of the coin. Our experience was entirely the opposite of yours, but then again, that does not mean that everyone's experiences should be the same as ours. Terribly sorry about your trip. We always go to these trips expecting the best and sometimes things do not work the way we want it. My advice? Do as you said you would. Chill out some other place! Go rid yourself of the bad memories. Then one day in the future return. At a different time of the year, with more research and wiser. Maybe you'll hit the jackpot this time. After all, Bonaire taking so many awards and praises as a diving destination is not an accident, and many people can vouch for that. Sorry the cards were not dealt in your favor this time. Did you at least write a letter to the staff at Captain Don's or speak with a manager? I'm sure that by now word of your post has gotten to their ears and they will take steps to correct it. This is the beauty of this board. People can post their impressions of the island, both good and bad, for everyones benefit. Have fun in your next trip. Best of luck. Cheers! Coach Izzy

We have had some contact with several dive shops on Bonaire and have found them to all be extremely helpful and professional.

As far as big fish go, we've never seen sharks in Bonaire, but frequently see large green morays, tarpon, and barracuda. What we enjoy about the diving there is the variety of life, both fish and coral. We have found a huge difference in the various dive sites. Some are better for coral, some better for fish life. With around 80 dive sites to choose from, it's hard to get bored.

We much prefer Bonaire diving to diving in areas with lots of sharks and other large fish. We've done dives elsewhere where we've seen several dozen sharks per dive, but very few fish and little or no pretty coral or sponges, and Bonaire is our favorite place. Another thing we love about Bonaire is the fact that you can shore dive most of the dive sites, which we much prefer to "follow the leader" diving off boats. Perhaps you didn't stay long enough to let it hook you?