7 Reasons Why Buddy Dive Is Perfect For Families
16 January 2024
This Favorite Bonaire Resort Has Everything Needed For A Family-Friendly Dive Vacation
There's an old saying that “the family that plays together stays together.” And when it comes to vacations, Bonaire is the perfect place for family play. It's a safe, quiet and laid-back island that's chocked full of natural attractions. It's also the home of Buddy Dive Resort, which means that families with a love for the water can put a new twist on the old saying, turning it into “the family that dives together, thrives together.”
Here are some of the reasons why Buddy Dive is the perfect place for a family dive vacation.
1. BONAIRE IS A “JUST RIGHT” ISLAND
With no high-rise hotels lining the shores and only the occasional cruise ship making a stop, Bonaire is a far more relaxed destination than other Caribbean hotspots. But at the same time, it's not a remote outpost with limited infrastructure where families would be confined to a single isolated property. There's a nice downtown waterfront to stroll in the town of Kralendijk, enough shops for an afternoon of browsing, and a good selection of restaurants for a family night out.
As mentioned before, Bonaire is a safe and stable island. Much of the island remains in a natural state, and a full 20 percent of the island is a protected national park. Bonaire is south of the Caribbean's Hurricane Belt, so there's very little worry about having a vacation interrupted by foul weather.
2. BUDDY DIVE IS A GOOD FIT FOR FAMILIES
It takes a lot of the fun out of a family vacation when you have to cram everyone into a single hotel room or book adjacent rooms for parents and kids. Buddy Dive offers a better solution with studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments that give parents and children options for separate bedrooms - each with their own bathroom and shower and options for single beds or king beds. The common living area has cable TV and internet, and well-equipped kitchens are a big improvement over having to snack from a hotel room mini-bar. And you can skip the expensive bottled water, get it straight from the tap because the resort has its own water purification system.
All apartments have a private patio or balcony, some with ocean views, others set in landscape courtyards. Parents will have no qualms about letting the youngsters roam the landscaped grounds, which includes a dedicated play area. Meals are equally easy. In addition to the convenience of home-style meal prep, there is a buffet-style breakfast restaurant that takes the hassle out of morning preparation, a casual oceanfront eatery serving a range of kid-friendly menus, and a upscale dinner restaurant for special occasions.
3. COME ON IN, THE WATER'S FINE
There's a reason why Bonaire remains one of the Caribbean's most sought after dive destinations. The entire island is ringed by a marine park that protects miles of pristine coral reefs. The waters are warm, clear and inviting, with no crashing surf or surging currents. Protected reefs nurture a rich variety of marine life, and there's always something new to discover. Put it all together and you have an ideal setting your young divers to discover the sport, as well as plenty to reward their diving parents.
4. THERE'S UNDERWATER ADVENTURES FOR EVERY AGE
When it's time to dive, Buddy Dive has in-water for every member of the family age 5 and up. It starts with the Buddy Kid's Club and Buddy Rangers programs, which are closely-supervised activities that get younger children familiar with snorkel gear and SASY surface-scuba equipment and keep them occupied with fish and coral identification sessions, crafts activities and more.
Children age 8 and up can move on to Bubblemaker and PADI SEAL Team courses, and at age ten they can sign up for a Discover Scuba Experience, earn certification as a Junior Open Water Diver and even move into Junior Advanced Open Water courses. The Buddy Dive team is specifically trained to work with young divers and has many years of experience providing youngsters with a safe and fun introduction to diving. By taking advantage of available babysitting services for children under the age of five, parents with younger children can always enjoy some diving on their own while knowing that the children are well cared for.
5. DIVES BEGIN RIGHT AT THE DOCK
At Buddy Dive, it's easy for young divers to ease into the sport. The resort's dockside dive center puts changing rooms and gear lockers right on the docks, just steps from ladders and steps leading into the shallows. Here, the waters are calm and currents are minimal or non-existent.
A family dive on Buddy's house reef is an ideal way to share those first moments underwater. There's plenty to see in youth-appropriated depths, from flitting tropicals and shoals of baitfish around the pilings to the coral clusters that begin at the top of the reef slope. Buddy's coral nursery is just a short swim away, and there's a good chance of seeing a large tarpon cruising by.
Buddy Dive is also the perfect place for young divers to make their first boat diving trip with the adults. There are several excellent dive sites just a short boat ride from the docks, and seas are almost always flat along the island's sheltered western shore. This makes for comfortable boat rides and easy water entries and exits.
6. IT'S EASY TO EXPLORE THE SHORE
With more than 60 shore diving sites riming the shores of Bonaire, families who take to the coastal highway can dive when and where they want. Buddy Dive makes this easy with a fleet of four-door pickup trucks that can accommodate a family of up to five. For added convenience, divers can pull into the resort's drive-through fill station for a quick tank swap, or pick up fresh tanks for southern sites at Buddy's sister facility at Belmar Oceanfront Apartments.
7. THERE'S LOTS TO DO AFTER THE DIVE
After drying off, there's plenty more for families to discover on Bonaire. A day trip to Washington-Slagbaai National Park is a must-do. This 18,000-acre preserve is a natural playground for bikers, hikers, bird watchers, with hills rising from wooded valleys and hidden beaches tucked into coves along the rugged coastline. Another favorite is a paddle through the mangrove lagoons at Lac Bay, followed by a stop at one of the shoreside cafes to watch windsurfers and foil surfers harness the trade winds.
A drive along the island's secluded southern coast provides insights into the history and culture of the island and a chance to view the flocks of pink flamingos that gather in salt ponds. The kids will get a big kick out of a visit to the Donkey Sanctuary, where these gregarious animals will stick their heads into open car windows to petition for snacks.
A visit to Bonaire is also a cultural experience. The island offers a unique blend of Dutch and Creole cultures that creates a bit of an exotic vibe, but English is widely spoken so there are no problems communicating. The staff at Buddy Dive can provide the latest word on island happenings such as concerts and festivals, and they stage a weekly Friday night BBQ with live music from one of the island's favorite local performers. It's the perfect end to a fun-filled week that the kids will remember forever.