THE ISLAND & RESORT

Bonaire can be best described as the jewel of the Caribbean, an arid island with desert vegetation and shore coastline surrounded by clear turquoise waters, abundant with magnificent coral formations. The entire coastline is a protected marine sanctuary which explains the abundant schools of fish. Bonaire is about 24 miles long, 3 to 7 miles wide and is located just 50 miles north of Venezuela. Bonaire is a photographer’s delight with an endless array of underwater images to capture.

We're staying at the beautiful oceanfront Buddy Dive Resort. The resort offers spectacular ocean views, has multiple on-site pools and restaurants for our daily breakfast, included in our package. Each standard three-bedroom unit offers 6-person occupancy with comfortable living area, full kitchen and dining area. Each air-conditioned bedroom has its own bathroom. Eat home cooked meals al fresco, or host your own private happy hour while watching the sunset. A short stroll to the waterfront leads you to the sun decks with lounge chairs and ocean access for swimming, snorkeling and diving off the the famous Buddy Dive House reef. Located 2 miles from the town of Kralendjik, restaurants and shops are either a nice stroll or a short drive away.

THE DIVING

Several factors combine to offer Bonaire visitors shore diving opportunities unlike any found elsewhere in the Caribbean. One is the sheer number of shore dive sites available. With over 50 marked sites, and any number of easily accessible unmarked entry points to choose from, divers will run out of vacation time long before they run out of diving options. Bonaire’s calm west coast waters make entering the water for your dive safe and easy. And with a fringing reef no more than a 50 yards off shore, surface swims are kept to a minimum. As an arid island, Bonaire experiences little rainfall, which means waters that are exceptionally clear of silt, with visibility averaging over 100 ft, and frequently reaching up to 150!  Add to that phenomenal visibility a reef that runs parallel to shore for easy navigation, minimal to non-existent currents, and you have an ideal environment in which to learn or perfect your diving and buoyancy skills.
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And to celebrate another year in Bonaire, we've got a special opportunity for those who enjoy things a little on the 'deeper and darker' side.  Join us for the Bonaire Tec Option and complete your Tec 100, 200 or 300 ratings while enjoying the amazing opportunities and conditions that Bonaire offers. Prerequisites are required, check with the shop to see if you can qualify to participate.

TRAVEL WITH A PURPOSE

Through our affiliation with Reef Renewal Bonaire our trip includes a comprehensive overview of the Coral Restoration programs in Bonaire as well as a tour of one of the Coral Nursery located on site at Buddy Dive house reef. Additionally, as part of our “deliberately different” approach to travel, a donation will be made by AA on behalf of each trip participant to support the non-profit Coral Restoration program.  Individuals are encouraged to learn how to become more involved in this worthwhile cause at reefrenewalbonaire.org.