Bonaire

World’s Best Destinations for Beginner Diving

Why do the Top 100 Readers Choice Awards, now in their 23rd year, still matter to divers? Because these are your picks, based on thousands of votes from the most experienced dive travelers on the planet. Why do they matter to us? Because every month you hear from our editors on what we think matters in the world of dive travel. For the January/February issue of Scuba Diving we get to listen to you, and we’re taking notes.

Here, we proudly present the No. 1 ranking destinations in the Best Beginner Diving category of the awards. The full list of winning destinations is below.

scuba diving bonaire beginner underwater

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Bonaire

Best Beginner Diving in the Caribbean and Atlantic

While shore diving on Bonaire is often touted as being as easy as a walk in the park, truthfully, some of its sites are challenging to enter and exit, what with rocky, ironshore bottoms, broken corals and sea urchins clinging to the shore substrate. Beginners will find all the resort house reefs easy — for one, gear lockers and gear setups are either near to or right on the dock, and ladders aid the enter and exit process. Getting in is usually also possible by giant-striding from a dock and then swimming just a few fin kicks to where the reef begins. Try Buddy Reef at Buddy Dive Resort, 18 Palms at Plaza Beach Resort, Bari Reef at Sand Dollar Resort and Calabas at Divi Flamingo Beach Resort. Easy coastal road spots include Windsock, which has one of the few sandy beaches on the island; Oil Slick Leap, where you can giant-stride in and then use a ladder to get out; and Bachelor’s Beach. Novice divers may also be more comfortable doing their dives from a boat with a divemaster, which all the big dive resorts offer.

Best Beginner Diving in the Caribbean and Atlantic

  1. Bonaire

  2. Dominica

  3. Curaçao

  4. Cayman Islands

  5. Bahamas



florida keys key west largo scuba diving underwater beginner

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Florida

Best Beginner Diving in North America

Not all the diving in Florida is tailor-made for beginners, but it’s not surprising that readers voted the state No. 1 in its region for beginner diving. In North America there’s nowhere better to go than America’s Caribbean, the Florida Keys. Leave the famous deep wrecks like Spiegel Grove, Vandenberg and Eagle to advanced divers, and hit the shallow reefs to add to your brand-new logbook. Most of the time, you’ll be in the 20- to 35-foot range, which is the perfect depth to build confidence, log tons of bottom time and still see everything this chain is famous for — the only living coral reef in the continental U.S. and reef fish, such as yellowtail snapper, grunts, goatfish and damselfish galore. The notable sites perfect for novices read like a survey course in literature: Christ of the Deep statue in Key Largo in 25 feet of water; French Reef, also off Key Largo, in 15 to 40 feet of water; Islamorada’s Davis Reef in 25 feet; Sombrero Reef off Marathon in the 10- to 25-foot range; Looe Key, a spur-and-groove reef in five to 35 feet of water; and Key West’s Eastern Dry Rocks in about 35 feet of water.

Best Beginner Diving in North America

  1. Florida

  2. California

  3. Washington



hawaii maui scuba diving beginner dive underwater butterflyfish

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Hawaii

Best Beginner Diving in the Pacific and Indian Oceans

More visitors flock to the islands of Hawaii than just about any other dive destination in the world. So, it’s probably no surprise that the region’s operators are highly skilled at training new divers. And with shallow, sheltered reefs such as Maui’s Molokini Crater and easily accessible, purpose-sunk wrecks, including Oahu’s Sea Tiger, there’s no shortage of beginner-friendly options to hook rookies right away.

Best Beginner Diving in the Pacific and Indian Oceans

  1. Hawaii

  2. Indonesia

  3. Philippines

  4. Thailand

  5. Red Sea



How We Got the Numbers Thousands of Scuba Diving subscribers and online users rated their experiences at dive destinations in a variety of categories on a scale from one to five. Final scores are an average of the numerical scores awarded. A minimum number of responses was required for a destination to be included in these ratings.

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Buddy Dive’s Easter Egg Hunt Special

EASTER EGG Discount Hunt

Buddy Dive Resort Bonaire

EASTER EGG Discount Hunt

Especially for Easter Buddy Dive Resort Bonaire launched a new 1 week special; the Easter Egg Discount Hunt! 

Be quick though, the discounts are only valid when you visit us with Easter (March 26 – April 2, 2016) 

Go egg hunting and find out what discounts the eggs have offer you!

Price $768

Package Validity – Start Date Mar 26th, 2016

Package Validity – End Date Apr 2nd, 2016

Travel must be booked by Mar 25th, 2016

Website www.buddydive.com

Booking Email Address reservations@buddydive.com

Booking Telephone 1-866-GO-BUDDY

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Incredible Divi Dive Bonaire Packages Start at Just $891

Explore the Award Winning Island of Bonaire with Divi Dive

Divi Flamingo Beach Resort & Casino

Explore the Award Winning Island of Bonaire with Divi Dive

Discover a diver’s paradise at the newly renovated Divi Flamingo Beach Resort & Casino. Our beachfront property is located along the Calabas Reef and is home to Divi Dive, a PADI 5-Star and SSI Dive facility with five custom dive boats and a professional staff offering dive instruction for all experience levels. The resort underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation in 2015 and has a fresh new look with enhancements spanning resort-wide designed to elevate the beachside resort experience.

 

Divi Dive Bonaire Packages Start at Just $891!

Discover a diver’s paradise at the newly renovated Divi Flamingo Beach Resort & Casino. Our beachfront property is located along the Calabas Reef and is home to Divi Dive, a PADI 5-Star and SSI Dive facility with five custom dive boats and a professional staff offering dive instruction for all experience levels. Unlimited tanks for shore diving are included with all boat dive packages, as well as a welcome cocktail upon arrival, free daily breakfast and round-trip airport transfer. The resort underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation in 2015 and has a fresh new look with enhancements spanning resort-wide designed to elevate the beachside resort experience.

Discover a diver’s paradise at the newly renovated Divi Flamingo Beach Resort & Casino, and take advantage of Divi Dive Specials!* 

• Get 7th Night Free! 2-Tank Boat Dive Packages Starting at Only $891!
• Unlimited Shore Diving & 4-Passenger Truck Rental Staring at Only $924!
• 7-Night 2-Tank Boat Dive Packages Starting at Only $1035!

Visit, http://www.diviresorts.com/dive-divi.htm for full dive package details

*Call NOW for exciting details!

Specials can be discounted at any time. Discounts on new bookings only and not to be combined with other offers. Starting rates listed above are based on double occupancy and are per person. Special Note: 1st day is Mandatory Marine Park orientation shore dive and 1 tank afternoon boat dive; $25 Marine Park fee is not included. 
Booking window is January 1, 2016 – December 19, 2016 and travel window is January 1, 2016 – December 19, 2017. 

Price Starting at only $891 per person
Package Validity – Start Date Jan 1st, 2016
Package Validity – End Date Dec 19th, 2017
Travel must be booked by Dec 19th, 2016
Website www.diviresorts.com/dive-divi.htm
Booking Email Address reserve@diviresorts.com
Booking Telephone 1-800-801-5550

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Kids Sea Camp and Family Dive Adventures

Kids Sea Camp

2015 Kids Sea Camp event dates:
Spring Break:
(SOLD OUT!) Grand Cayman; March 28 – April 4th
(Only four rooms available) April 4th-11th
Spring break mini-camps with Tom and Margo, limited space available for a great week at Cobalt Coast in Grand Cayman. 7 nights, 5 days of diving, Sasy, Seal Team, Jr. Open Water) Guided scooter dives, Kittiwake wreck dive, Stingray City, Breakfast and lunch daily at Cobalt Coast Resort, Round trip transfers, Trip to Rum Cake factory, trip to Caymana Bay, Trip to 7 mile beach, sunset cruise, shore diving, Free Nitrox course (E:learning not included) Free T-shirt, 1- dinner at the Wharf Restaurant, 1- Dinner at My-bar Sunset House, 1-dinner at Cobalt Coast Resort, 1- Dinner at Caymana Bay and 2 dinners on your own.

June 20th to 27th: Bonaire, Buddy Dive, Rescue and Coral Restoration week. Courses include Sasy, Seal Team, PADI Open water and Advanced Open water (AOW)

July 4th to July 11th: St. Lucia, Anse Chastanet: Rated as one of the best dive resorts in the Caribbean. Amazing views, lush accommodations and wonderful diving. Jungle biking, paddle boarding, hiking, Culinary classes, spa, farm to table dining, and chocolate tasting. Diving includes Seal Team, Jr. Open Water, Digital photography and the newest SeaLife cameras to use all week. (SeaLife photo week)

July 11th to 18th: Grand Cayman, Divetech & Cobalt Coast (Sasy, Seal Team, JOW, DPV-Sea scooter, Kittiwake wreck dive.) Rum cakes and rum tasting, sward fighting, pirate party, Stingray City, free dive computers and rental gear included. Seal Team Ocean dives and family dives. Unlimited shore diving with your family every afternoon.

July 11-18th: Palau, Palau Royal & Sam’s Tours: A true bucket list diving destination, German and Olong channel, Jelly fish lake, Giant clams and the stunning Rock Islands. Hosted by Margo Peyton Palau Royal Resort. Non diver activity, tour and spa packages available. Diver courses include: Nitrox, Deep, AOW, SASY, Seal Team, Open Water and Underwater Naturalist. (Nitrox, AOW and JOW courses require E:learning)

July 18-25th: Yap, Manta Ray Bay Hotel & Yap Divers, Mantas experience, Stone Money, a bucket list destination. Hosted by Margo Peyton. Non Diver activity spa and tour packages available. Diving includes Manta diver certification, Shark Diver certification, Nitrox, AOW and Underwater Naturalist.

July 25 to August 1st: Bonaire, Buddy Dive, Zombie, Rescue and Coral Restoration week. Courses include Sasy, Seal Team, PADI Open water and Advanced Open water(AOW)

(SOLD OUT!) July 25-August 1 and August 1-8: Fiji, Beqa Lagoon

(ONLY TWO ROOMS LEFT! ) August 9th to 16th: Utila: Laguna Beach Resort: Zombies! SASY, Seal, JOW and maybe a whale shark or two. Hosted by Tom, Jennifer & Margo Peyton & Woody Tinsley.

August 15th to 22nd: Roatan/Utila: Caribbean Pearl II: Zombies!, Rescue/ Dive Master; Teen leadership week kids age 17+ can come without parents! Not to say parents aren’t welcome, but this week will be teaching leadership skills, standards, responsibility, search and recovery, Advanced open water, deep diver and boat. Hosted by Woody Tinsley, Jennifer & Margo Peyton.

August 22nd to 29th: Utila: Laguna Beach Resort: The Women’s Divers Hall of Fame week! Come dive with some of the greatest women divers in the world during this special fundraising week sponsored by Laguna Beach Resort and Family Dive Adventures. Hosted by our Women divers Hall of Fame inductee Margo Peyton.

Thanksgiving 2015: St. Lucia, Anse Chastanet, November 21-28th Hosted with Tom and Margo (this week fills up quickly please book ahead.)

2016 Kids Sea Camp event dates:
July 9th-16th: Grenada, True Blue and Aquanauts
July 23rd-July 30th: Fiji, Beqa Lagoon
July 30th-August 6th: Fiji, Beqa Lagoon
Thanksgiving: November 19th to the 26th: Fiji, Beqa Lagoon

About Family Dive Adventures
We provide vacation packages on a year round basis for all our family friendly resorts around the world that have met our high quality standards for training, safety and service. If you’re looking for an individual family vacation or planning a customized small or large group dive trip and would like to work with an experienced family friendly staff that understands your needs and has 25 years of providing the best the world has to offer in diving, then give us a call. 1-803-419-2556

Family Dive Adventures

Kids Sea Camp

Do you have young children who are interested in scuba diving? Check out Robbie Peyton’s experience with Kids Sea Camp.

Details

Information: P.O. Box 291030Columbia, SC 33325United States
Phone: 803.419.2556
Email: kids@kidssecamp.com
Website: http://www.familydivers.com

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Buddy Dive Kids Sea Camp Zombie week

Margo Peyton

Margo Peyton

Zombie Apocalypse Instructor Woody Tinsley

Buddy Dive Bonaire hosting Zombie Apocalypse week at Kids Sea Camp July 30-Aug 6th

June 25- July 2nd and July 30th to Aug 6th
7 nights, all meals, sunset cruise, 6 days of diving
Free ScubaPro BC for Jr. Open Water divers
Free ScuaPro Fins, Mask and Snorkels for Sasy and Seal Team
Zombie Apocalypse diver certification- T-shirt and glow in the dark wrist bands.
Hosted by Woody Tinsley-and Kids Sea Camp
Treasure hunt, T-shirts, and PADI certifications course:
Rescue Diver, Coral Restoration, Sasy, Seal Team, Jr. Open Water and Advanced Open Water

Price  Adults from $1925 and Kids from$ 999

Package Validity – Start Date Jun 24th, 2016

Package Validity – End Date Aug 6th, 2016

Travel must be booked by Jun 20th, 2016

Website www.familydivers.com

Booking Email Address kids@familydivers.com

Booking Telephone 803-419-2556

Buddy Dive Kids Sea Camp Zombie week Read More »

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