Without knowing our hotel and off site dive shop, I'm interested in opinions of saving $60.00 for the week of unlimited shore and gear rental by using the off site operator compared with the hotel's dive shop? This is a total for my husband and I for the week. Is convience of hotel dive shop that important? Saying that our hotel is Lion's Dive and we are thinking of using Bonaire Photo Divers. Does this info change anyone's mind?!!!! Thanks for the suggestions!!

Bon Bini Dive shop's prices are inclusive, what you see as the price is what you pay! At some dive stores 10% is added to the bill so make sure that this is case at Photo Dive before making a decision. It is also lovely not to have to load up the truck to do a night dive or take a dive when you feel like it! We use Lions Dive and Bon Bini and love them both!

I have not actually checked lately but I thought the dive prices on the island were pretty competative. In any case, I would not give up the easy walk up access to 24/7 tanks for $30pp/wk. Don't know how Bon Bini works charges but at Buddy, they will charge anything you need to the room. Makes adding a boat dive, picking up a fin strap or getting that "just gotta have T-shirt" a lot easier. Should you decide to do any boat dives, on site is a lot easier.

Hi Lynette,
I returned from Bonaire less than two weeks ago, and I learned that convenience is a very important consideration whenever planning a dive trip. This is especially true when you take into consideration the fatigue you experience when doing multi-day repetative diving, not to mention the time constraints you have when you want to do as much diving as possible during a limited stay. I like the fact that most resort dive shops have lockers where you can conveniently store your gear, so you're not constantly lugging wet (and sometimes stinky) gear back and forth from your room. Whatever your choice is, have a great time! Incidently, we visited Lion's while in Bonaire, although we stayed at the Plaza. I wouldn't hesitate to stay at Lion's on future dive trips,
it seemed lovely. We had lunch at their upstairs terrace restaurant which overlooks the water. We enjoyed fantastic scenery, great service, and my cheeseburger was mouth-watering. The good thing about the Lion's house reef is that if you head south, you can see Buddy's reef, and if you head north, you can see Capt. Don's reef. Happy diving! Robyn

hi Lynette,

If you are staying at an ocean-front resort like Capt. Don, Lion's, Buddy, Sand $$, Divi and the Plaza to name the larger ones, you are better off using their dive operator in MY opinion. The incredible convenience, courtesy, assistance and overall customer service is WELL worth a lot more than $60.

If you are staying inland then that is less of a factor, but I would still buy my dive package from one of the ones I have listed. They all have terrific gear, great boats, and just wonderful staff. I have also heard great things about Photo Tours if you will be staying near them, but there is a lot to be said for a dive op right on-site.

Good Luck choosing and planning. Whichever way you go a dive trip to Bonaire is a guaranteed great time.

We've stayed at Lion's Dive and used Bon Bini three times. It was terrific every time. I'm sure this is true at the other resorts. The convenience factor is a biggie, if you're doing a lot of shore diving. Well worth a little extra money IMHO.