PAID CONTENT FOR BUDDY DIVE RESORT
PAID CONTENT FOR BUDDY DIVE RESORT
PAID CONTENT FOR BUDDY DIVE RESORT
Buddy Dive Resort BONAIRE, DUTCH CARIBBEAN
VISITORS TO THE DIVING PARADISE OF BONAIRE WILL FIND EVERYTHING THEY NEED AT BUDDY DIVE RESORT
Bonaire is located in the southern Caribbean, outside the hurricane belt, and close to Aruba and Curaçao. It’s consistently rated as one of the top diving destinations in the world and a pioneer in preserving nature. Bonaire truly is a dream for every diver — no matter their skill level. With more than 80 dive sites, many of which are easily accessible from the shore, Bonaire is widely regarded by many as the shore-diving capital of the world.
Playground for adventurers That said, this small boomerang-shaped island also offers a variety of activities for those who aren’t interested in exploring beneath the ocean. There are the eastern mangroves, which are best discovered by kayak, while several caves on the western part of the island are open for guided tours — a fascinating chance to explore this lesser-known and mysterious side of Bonaire. In the south, Lac Bay has near perfect windsurfing conditions, making the area ideal for beginners
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and advanced windsurfers alike, whereas the hilly landscape in the north is every mountain biker’s dream. Then there’s Klein Bonaire, a small, deserted island a mile off Bonaire’s coast, that’s very well known for its turtle hatching area and beaches. Constant trade winds from the east ensure a
pleasant breeze over the 113.5sq mile island. An average annual rainfall of 56cm, an almost constant water temperature of 27C and a slightly higher air temperature of 28C all contribute to make Bonaire a thoroughly pleasant destination for just about every type of traveller.
A diving haven Even with such a wide array of activities on offer, it’s really the perfect scuba diving conditions that’s the biggest draw here. With as many as 60 officially listed dive sites on Bonaire and another 20 dive sites on Klein Bonaire, the region truly is a diver’s paradise. Diving on the shore-diving paradise of Bonaire is a wonderful experience for both new and
experienced divers. There are few places in the world quite like this, where you can park your car anywhere along the shoreline, gear up and walk right in for a great dive. The opportunity to spontaneously choose when and where to dive while exploring the island is liberating. The crystal-clear waters are heavenly, with
few strong currents, an average of 100ft visibility in the water and water temperatures hovering around 28C. The healthy reefs, and the abundant marine life offer a playground for divers and snorkellers. The waters surrounding the island are protected, Bonaire National Marine Park being one of the oldest marine reserves in the world and safeguarding prodigious marine biodiversity. While macro divers (referring to the macro
camera lenses used by divers interested in tiny creatures) will have an especially good time on Bonaire keeping an eye out for smaller sea life like seahorses and frogfish, visitors can also spot rays, turtles and an amazing variety of fish species on the sloping reefs of Bonaire.
Fully equipped Buddy Dive Resort is geared to deliver the best possible diving experience in Bonaire. The resort’s dive centre offers everything divers could wish for, starting with Buddy’s Reef, the amazing house reef located a stone’s throw away. This reef offers an amazing daytime dive, as well as at night, when you can see sleek tarpon fish hunting. Guests can also explore the coral nurseries and transplantation sites of Reef Renewal Bonaire. Indeed, Buddy’s Reef was the first location for the foundation to attempt transplanting nursery- grown coral to the reef. There’s an abundance of equipment rental
options on the dock, including rinse tanks, nitrox analysers, lockers and a shop selling souvenirs and equipment. The boats depart several times a day from the
dock, with that day’s destination usually decided in collaboration with the guests. For those who prefer a shore-diving experience, Buddy Dive Resort is also the place to go. All dive packages include a pick-up truck and unlimited air/nitrox.
Guests can easily load their tanks in the drive- through filling station. This way guests have the freedom to dive where and when they’d like.
Home base Buddy Dive is located at the waterfront north of town, just a couple of steps from the crystal-clear ocean and its many dive sites. The resort has seven buildings with spacious studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, a full-service dive centre, two swimming pools, two restaurants, vehicle rental and the famous drive-through fill station. Whether travelling solo, as a couple, with a small group of friends and family, or with a large group of buddies, Buddy Dive Resort has a variety of accommodation options. When booking the famous Drive & Dive
package, guests will have everything needed for a successful week of diving: accommodation, daily breakfast buffet, airport transfers, shore diving with unlimited air and nitrox (plus optional boat dives) and a rental vehicle. In short, they’ll be perfectly set up for the ultimate diving experience.
DON’T MISS Buddy’s Reef — the beautiful house reef — is just steps away from the apartments
This content is brought to you by our sponsor. It does not necessarily reflect the views of National Geographic, National Geographic Traveller (UK) or their editorial staffs. Need to know
KEY FEATURES • 24/7 front office service • Two restaurants and poolbar • Daily breakfast buffet, a la carte lunch and dinner
• Daily housekeeping • Full-service dive centre • 24/7 accessible house reef • Car rental fleet • Six dive boats • Two-lane drive-through for picking up dive tanks
• High-end dive equipment rental • Buddy Dive Academy — dive courses offered for every level
• Technical diving facility • Kids and activity centre • Retail store • Two swimming pools
GET IN TOUCH
buddydive.com T: +599 717 5080 E:
info@buddydive.com
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