I have the opportunity to go diving at one or the other, but not both; any opinion from those of you who have been diving at both places?

like most things, it depends on your preferences...Cozumel has great diving but be prepared to have the PADI police in your face everywhere you go...you must dive with the divemasters...you go down when they go down, you come up when they say to come up (doesn't matter how much air you have...usually 35-40 min dive max)...most dive boats I've been on were cattle cars...virtually no shore diving..the best advantage of Coz is that it is easy to get to..

Bonaire is home of the diving freedom...you dive when you want to dive, go where you want to go, stay down as long as YOU want to stay down...you can dive with divemasters but they won't be in your face all the time...shore dives, boat dives your choice ....worse part of Bonaire is getting there...

overall cost is usually about the same between the two locations although as costs go up in airfare to Bonaire, it will be slightly more expensive

Welcome to the board Ruby.
As you may well guess, most on this board will say Bonaire. I made my first trip to Coz in May and for me it's Bonaire hands down. Both have their fans and I really stepped on some Coz fans toes with a trip report I posted on another site. I found Coz way to touristy for me. The restaurants I tried were no where near the quality of the ones I frequent on Bonaire and the service was not up to what I consider acceptable. I also found the constant harassment by the vendors annoying at best. There are NO pesky street vendors on Bonaire, this alone is almost enough to make up my mind.
The diving is also quite different. For the most part, the shore diving on Coz is poor by Bonaire standards and somewhat limited. I much prefer do shore dive so I can dive my own profile and on my own schedule. In Coz, most all of the dives are drift dives, basically fall off the boat, play follow the leader with the DM and surface when to biggest air hog runs out of air. We did 2 – 45- 50 minute dives each day, most started at 80 to 90 ft. I could have added an addition afternoon dive for additional money but with the fairly deep profiles and no nitrox (well you could get it with 24 hrs notice and an additional $12 a tank) I chose not to push the limits. I prefer to do longer, shallower dives than are common on Coz, I like and have paid for bottom time and I want all I can get. We typically do 4 or 5 dives a day while on Bonaire, each 60 to 75 minutes, some as long as 90 minutes. I mainly do shore dives on Bonaire but the boat diving style on Bonaire are more to my liking as well. The boat buoys off and waits for you to do your own profile, most of the boat dives I have done on Bonaire are at least 60 minutes. My preferred dive style is to move slowly along and take pictures of smaller things, this is not easy to do on the drift dives in Coz. If you are into nightlife, bars and “princess diving” then Coz may suit you better but for me, Coz is a distant 3rd behind Bonaire and the Florida Keys.

Ditto the above comments, I just dove Coz in January, I did really liked the diving there. It's really an apples/oranges thing, they are both great in their own way. Myself, I prefer the freedom of Bonaire diving.

When we were in Coz the last few times (pre 2001)we used Aldora divers, who provided larger steel tanks with DIN fittings ( they change yr gear to DIN for you and back when you leave) and 100, 120, or even I think 140 cubic ft STEEL tanks. They also use fast, small boats with about six divers in them, and do some looong dives. They can also get you great hotel discounts.
But I haven't been to Coz for years , preferring to dive in Bonairu

We agree with Cecil it is like comparing apples and oranges. The diving is good in both places but we prefer the easy shore dives and boat diving without a set time limit on Bonaire. Also on Bonaire you do not have to follow the dive master as you do on Cozumel. The dining in Bonaire is better and there are not street vendors to contend with. 10 years ago when we first went to Cozumel it was like Bonaire is now, we like Bonaire for it's easy going, laid back atmosphere.
Andy & Dave

Hi Ruby,

I've been reading this board for the past couple of months because I'll be making my first trip to Bonaire in August.

I've decided to come out of lurking because I KNOW Cozumel is an amazing place. I've lost count how many times I've been, but I could go back every year if "other factors" didn't interfere.

I hope you know your "feedback" here will be slanted towards Bonaire and I hope you've posted in the Coz board (and realize that it will be slanted towards Coz.)

Tips/Benfits of diving Coz:
-Boat picks you up at your hotel dock (make sure you ride in a fast 6 pack (I dove with Papa Hoggs, but there are lots of choices). All dives are drift dives. Most shops are really good about matching dive abilities.
-First dive is usually a deep dive, but most dives are multi level and down time is usually 60 mins max. If someone runs out of air, they get sent up with their buddy to board the boat (which trails your drift). Your equipment is already set up. (always check though)
-Off to a beach to blow off some nitrogen, fruit and water provided.
-Second dive... gear and tanks have all been changed by the DM and Capt. Shallower dive 30-60 feet, lots of bottom time.
-Drop off back at your hotel dock. No rinsing of gear, no carrying it anywhere. etc.
"To me" this is great diving. From the dive site reviews, it sounds like Coz Dive 1 is a "roller coaster ride" (which Bonaire shore dives don't offer) and Coz Dive 2 is the "Art Gallery" dive which is what Bonaire sounds like... and (from what I've read) is better than Coz.

Devil's Throat at Coz: you enter a tunnel at 60 feet with a light, have to go verticle head down near the end and exit at 80 feet on a wall with an amazing blue drop-off. Maracabo, when we dove had some CRAZY fast current, the wall started at 80 feet and we got pusher over and down to 160 feet. (almost decided to end the dive by dropping weights but we somehow managed back to the wall and protect ourselves from the current. Never felt "unsafe" because our divemaster was really expereinced and had done a pre-dive talk about how this might happen and we were to get back to the wall or end the dive. Our bubbles got broken in to tiny bubble and they were all "floating" downwards. Weirdest thing I've ever seen.

Bonaire on the other hand sounds like you need a more refined and educated appreciation of sea-life. You'd better appreciate coral, fish and macro stuff to "really" enjoy it. Freedom also seems to be a big theme to Bonaire diving.

Where should you go? Price out each vacation... go to the "best deal" this year, and then go to the other choice next year.
I don't think you'll be disappoint at either place.

ian

Akeem, thanks for your valuable input, and welcome to Bonaire Talk! Be SURE to check back in with us after your Bonaire trip to answer this question again... lol...

I, too, enjoyed Cozumel, but it's a little too touristy for me. The diving was great, though.

Ruby,
I have taken 3 trips to Bonaire and only visited Cozumel by cruise ship for a day, so you can probably guess that I prefer Bonaire over Cozumel.

My impression of diving Cozumel was that it would be great if the operators could cater to the individual skill levels of the divers. You can really partake in some advanced drift diving at Cozumel if that's what you want. We visited the Santa Rosa wall and thought it was a pretty wild ride. The currents were a little too swift for our liking and we felt like we had to always look for the divemaster so we didn't get seperated from the group upon surfacing down stream. As part of the pre-dive briefing, our divemaster made sure that everyone knew the name and radio frequency of our boat.

Our 2nd dive at Cozumel was much more relaxing and one of my favorite dives of all time. I would say that the visibility in Cozumel is the only place I had been to that rivaled that of Bonaire.

I think you are likely to see larger creatures diving Cozumel than Bonaire. Still though, we prefer the overall easier diving of Bonaire.

Correction: It was politely and privately pointed out to me that my description of the Devils Throat dive was incorrect.
The correct depths are: Enter tunnel at 90 feet and exit at 130 feet.

Ruby, I have been blessed to travel to both of these places and agree that it is a difficult decision but you can't go wrong. I think it depends a lot on the lifestyle you enjoy and your diving experience.

Cozumel is where I began my diving four years ago so it holds a special place in my heart. I've been there about 5 times. I enjoyed the "princess diving" where I felt protected and well supervised by the divemaster. I dove with Pepe Scuba at the Coral Princess hotel and never had more than 5 other divers in the boat. That being said, I also enjoy the night life and don't plan on making 10-15 dives in a week.

In Bonaire, I loved the island pace but was not comfortable doing all the shore dives you read about here with just my (equally unfamiliar with the area) dive buddy. We enjoyed the house reef at Divi Flamingo and boat trips to Klein Bonaire. Unfortunately, I had an ear problem that gave me intense vertigo for several days and I was pretty frustrated because this was supposed to be the "dive" trip. I didn't have the night life of Coz to fall back on. I ended up being "adopted" by a local family so my buddy could feel free to dive and I was entertained with visits to the park, watching the windsurfers at Sorobon... until I was able to get back in the water. (By the way, great doctor on Bonaire!)

I hope to return to Coz this summer. I need to add more experience to my dive log before I want to invest twice the money (and travel time) to return to enjoy all that Bonaire has to offer the divers. But I will definitely return to Bonaire.

You really can't go wrong with either place!

My first ocean dives were at Cozumel. I did boat dives there for 2 years before going to Bonaire for the first time. I have returned to Bonaire the last 4 years and have never returned to Cozumel. The diving on Coz is great - no doubt about that; however, I really favor the freedom of Shore Diving on Bonaire not to mention the food which I find vastly superior to the food on Coz. Also, there are too many tourists on Coz anymore for my blood. Additionally, you can't walk down the street on Coz without constantly being hassled by vendors or whatever they are. Faced with the choice in your original post, I would recommend you choose Bonaire.

I loved Cozumel, but Bonaire is completely different...if I could use one word for diving Bon, it would be "serenity" versus the "rollercoaster" of Coz. What Cozumel offers besides diving is the night life....I am personally tired of Mexico...feeling like a hostage because anytime you try to venture out you are accosted by time share sellers....my two cents

The biggest difference is...I don't have to be anywhere at any specific time on Bonaire. I dive, when I want to, not when the shop wants me to! Beautiful!
Food great at both places. Beaches at Coz make you purchase food or drinks from there sites as they are seemingly owned by restaraunts. Moat even have admission charges! Bonaire, you can take a cooler, food, drinks to any beach on the island without being charged,and stay as long as you like.

The biggest difference is...I don't have to be anywhere at any specific time on Bonaire. I dive, when I want to, not when the shop wants me to! Beautiful!
Food great at both places. Beaches at Coz make you purchase food or drinks from there sites as they are seemingly owned by restaraunts. Most of the better beaches even have admission charges! Bonaire, you can take a cooler, food, drinks to any beach on the island without being charged,and stay as long as you like.

Okay,... it's true that you'll probably be on a "schedule" when diving in Cozumel, but your beach info is just wrong.

There are many "Beach Clubs" in Cozumel which charge you a fee, but that's because they're offering you services like chairs and palapas.

There are no privately owned beaches in all of Mexico. You can walk up to the beach clubs beach with a cooler, food and drinks without being charged.

ian

I traveled up and down the island of Cozumel with a cooler, food, etc, looking for a beach to just take a day off diving. All of the "public beaches" (there's about (2-3) were filled with trash and people sleeping everywhere. It was like the homeless situation in San Francisco. Garbage was everywhere at these beaches. At the other beaches which I refer to as privately owned, yet Akeem seems to consider them "public", you were not allowed to bring anything with you to eat or drink. and this includes the "wild side of the island. Twice we were met by security after removing the cooler from our trunk and told that we could not do this . we had to order food, drinks, etc from the local "squatter" who has set up some type of establishment at the area. I'm not just talking sitting in their chairs. It was a joke. No such hassles in Bonaire, for the price of your own chair you can hang out as long as you like. What freaked me out about Cozumel was, that it wasn't like I was trying to stiff the local economy or something ( iwas in a 4-star hotel w/a ten day dive package. But it was our anniversary, so I thought it would be romantic to chill a bottle of wine, bring cheese, bread all that goopy stuff and going to the beach, listening to some tunes, etc. He is completely full of ..stating you can walk up to any beach on Cozumel with your own cooler. Maybe it's me. I don't consider a "club" chairs in the sand.

Having read through the entire thread, I thought I might add my two cents (for what it's worth). My first diving experience was in Cozumel 10 years ago staying at the Club Cozumel Caribe (nice hotel, average food). I was thrilled being in the water with the huge grouper and seeing all of the fish (with the exception of the huge grouper, I can't honestly say I have seen anything in Cozumel that I haven't seen in Bonaire many times). I have friends that had been trying to talk me into going to Bonaire for the past 10 years, I have gone the past 3 years and will go back again and again. Bonaire is amazing, laid back, it is the epitome of "Island Paradise". In saying that, I realize that there is crime anywhere and people have no-so-nice experiences.

Bonaire - more micro diving, GREAT fish life, great food, nice hotels/resorts, great dive operators, a great place for photo opportunities on the surface and of course, underwater. The PEOPLE in Bonaire are wonderful. But a it's little more expensive and harder to get to.

Cozumel - more touristy (more like Cancun and Bahamas but smaller), large fish, drift diving (one place to shore dive - 10 years ago), good hotels, food average.

I would say it's personal preference, totally. But I will say, when I get my vacation each year it is now "saved" for Bonaire. If I had a 4 day weekend to jet down to Cozumel, I might. Or I might just save those dollars for a trip to Bonaire.

Ruby,

Put both on your list and go to one this year and save the other for your next vacation. Both are excellent values for your diving $$. Coz is typically less expensive to get to (and easier), cheaper accomodations, and the food is less expensive and there is a greater variety. Bonaire is cheaper and easier diving. If you're a new diver I would highly recommend Bonaire. Boat dives are closeby, seas are usually minimal and there is rarely a current that would be of concern and then the BIG PLUS: shore diving ... just a few feet away from your parking spot is some of the easiest shore diving in the world. No "waves" to speak of, just wade out, put your fins on and your diving! Don't worry about the PADI police from Greg's post above ... if you head to Coz, there are other websites like BonaireTalk that are devoted to Cozumel and they can help you find the best dive operators that will let you dive your own profiles and sites based on your experience, in Coz, we frequently do night dives on Santa Rosa Wall and even at Punta Sur, Devil's Throat. Bonaire is MUCH more laid back then Cozumel which unfortunately is being overun by the POD people. Sooo why not try Bonaire this year?

Also on my "value" Caribbean list would be Roatan in Honduras. Specifically CoCoView Resort. Belize has fallen off my value list since about 2000 ... just a bit too pricey.

Basically ... I've enjoyed them all! I do however keep returning to Bonaire, Coz and Roatan on a more regular basis than anywhere else.

Enjoy.

Bob

Great question? Which is better Bonaire or Cozumel? I've been to Cozumel four times in the last three years--went last December. I've been to Bonaire six times and am returning in December. Cozumel has spectacular swim throughs--and I mean spectacular. The geographic relief finds no match anywhere in Bonaire. From my perspective that's about it for Cozumel. Yes, they have fish and nice coral but Bonaire has more marine life and more pristine reefs. The dive sites at Cozumel are CROWDED--feels like your going to the zoo on a busy day. Even if you go with a "six pack" you could have another boat drop 20 divers on top of you. Bonaire is more economical, more fish, more freedom, cleaner, beautiful reefs, and on the east side lots of large fish. My vote is for Bonaire!

Bonaire Bonaire Bonaire - I dove both places this summer with my 13 year old and both agreed as neat as Cozumel is it does not hold a candle to Boanire - not even close.

We just returned 2 weeks ago from Bonaire. We had a difficult time deciding between Cozumel and Bonaire since we had already been to Cozumel and knew how incredible the visibility is there. HOWEVER, we were EXTREMELY pleased when we arrived in Bonaire to find how much more comfortable we were physically in Bonaire due to the constant trade winds. Our trip to Coz at the same time of year left us drained and lethargic. That one reason alone was enough for us. We plan to return to Bonaire, and don't know if we'll ever go anyplace else. I believe the other reasons have been covered. Enjoy your trip wherever you decide to go. Just be sure to post a follow up here at BT!

".......If you are into nightlife, bars and “princess diving” then Coz may suit you better but for me, Coz is a distant 3rd behind Bonaire and the Florida Keys. "


I need to revise my post from June. After spending a week in Curacao since then, my list has changed to Bonaire, Curacao,the Keys and at a distant 4th, Coz.