Buddy Dive Resort
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Booking by Tour Leader Club
4 room types · Around 80 — 60 on Bonaire and 20 on Klein Bonaire dive sites · house reef
Buddy Dive Resort sits on the waterfront of Bonaire, the Dutch Caribbean island known as the shore diving capital of the world. It is 8 km north of the airport and 3 km north of Kralendijk, right on the water: the fringing reef begins around thirty metres out.
The whole place is built around diving freedom. Packages include a pickup truck, and the resort runs a two-lane drive-thru air and nitrox fill station: you pull up, load tanks, drive to any site on the island and make as many dives as your own safety profile allows. Bonaire has 60 officially listed dive sites and neighbouring Klein Bonaire another 20.
The resort opened on 19 August 1980 and has been owned by the Van der Valk family since 2002. Today it is 73 apartments across seven buildings, two swimming pools, two restaurants, a rental fleet of more than a hundred vehicles and a dive operation with six boats. The dive centre is a PADI 5-star Career Development Center — the only one in the southern Caribbean, according to the resort.
Accommodation is studios and one, two and three bedroom apartments, all with a kitchen, air-conditioned bedrooms and a patio or balcony. The beaches are raised sand areas above water level, with ladders and steps down into a protected swimming and snorkelling area.
In 2012 the owners founded Reef Renewal Foundation Bonaire, which has planted more than 22,000 corals back onto the reefs; guests can take the reef restoration specialty and work on the nurseries.
No markup
You pay exactly the rate the resort publishes. On top of that, only the actual bank costs of currency conversion and the international transfer — no commission of ours.
We run the deal
Correspondence with the resort, holding the room, the contract, booking confirmation and all paperwork are on our side. There is nothing for you to arrange yourself.
Card payment
We accept payment by card through Stripe and issue an invoice. The transfer to the resort is our job — you do not have to find a way to pay abroad.
Support all the way
We help you choose the room and dates, work out the dive package, answer questions about flights and gear, and stay in touch until you are home.
The exact amount is confirmed when we hold your booking: it includes the resort's rate at the day's exchange rate plus the actual transfer costs. No hidden fees.
About the resort
- Country
- Bonaire (Netherlands)
- Location
- Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean
- Nearest airport
- Flamingo International, Bonaire (BON) — 8 km
- Transfer
- Airport transfers both ways are included in the weekly packages; the resort is 8 km north of the airport and 3 km north of Kralendijk
- House reef
- Yes — Buddy Reef right off the dock, two ladders into the water, gear-up benches and rinse tanks
- Dive sites
- Around 80 — 60 on Bonaire and 20 on Klein Bonaire
- Dive centre
- In-house, PADI 5-star Career Development Center
- Nitrox
- Free for certified guests, own air and nitrox fill station
- Rooms
- 73 apartments in seven buildings, 4 categories
- Internet
- Open Wi-Fi in selected areas of the resort, included in the packages
At the resort
Diving
The format here is freedom: 80 and 63 cubic foot air and nitrox tanks are picked up on the dock or at the drive-thru, loaded into your own truck, and you dive wherever and as often as your own safety profile allows. Boat dives run daily — a 2-tank at 8:10 a.m. and a 1-tank at 2:15 p.m., except Saturday — and the schedule is adjusted to demand. There are regular night dives at Klein Bonaire and a full-day trip to Washington Slagbaai National Park aboard the Big Buddy. The Bonaire Marine Park requires every visiting diver to complete an orientation programme before the first dive; the resort runs it daily at 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., finishing with a dive on the house reef. Tanks use yoke fittings; DIN adapters are available for rent.
Dining
Blennies sits on the beach above the dive dock: salads, sandwiches, burgers and fruit shakes by day, daily specials or an à la carte menu under the stars in the evening. Ingridiënts opens Thursday to Monday and builds on Mediterranean cooking with French, Spanish and Italian foundations and local produce; its pizzas and pastas are also available for take-out. Both restaurants are open to non-guests as well.
Beyond diving
The resort runs a Dive and Activity Center where you sign up for the weekly programme and get recommendations on where to go. On the shallow reef terrace alone, the resort says, snorkellers can spot over 75 species of fish — so snorkelling here is a programme in its own right, not an afterthought to diving.
Rooms
Studio
$110
View: Garden
The most compact option: an air-conditioned bedroom, a bathroom with shower, a small kitchen and an open patio. All studios are on the ground floor and face the garden. Extra beds cannot be added to a studio.
Apartment
$127.50
View: Ocean, garden or pool
An air-conditioned bedroom, a separate bathroom, a living area, a full kitchen and a balcony or patio. These apartments are on both the ground and upper floors, with ocean, garden or pool views.
Apartment
$105
View: Garden or pool
Two air-conditioned bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living area, a full kitchen and a balcony. Located on the upper floors with garden and pool views. One roll-away bed or a baby cot can be added.
Apartment
$82.50
View: Partial ocean, garden or pool
Three air-conditioned bedrooms, three bathrooms, a living area, a full kitchen and a balcony. Upper floors, with partial ocean, garden and pool views. The best value per person at full occupancy.
Rates
Room only 2026/2027 — per person per night
| High season | Mid season | Low season | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio, 2 people | $131.25 | $117.50 | $110 |
| 1-Bedroom Apartment, 2 people | $149.75 | $135 | $127.50 |
| 2-Bedroom Apartment, 4 people | $118.13 | $108.75 | $105 |
| 3-Bedroom Apartment, 6 people | $92.08 | $85 | $82.50 |
US dollars, per person per night, based on full occupancy — a studio and a one bedroom apartment are priced for two, a two bedroom for four, a three bedroom for six. Seasons: high 19 Dec 2026 — 2 Apr 2027, mid 11 Apr 2026 — 14 Aug 2026, low 15 Aug 2026 — 18 Dec 2026. The resort marks all figures as indicative and subject to change.
Bed & breakfast 2026/2027 — per person per night
| High season | Mid season | Low season | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio, 2 people | $158.25 | $144.50 | $137 |
| 1-Bedroom Apartment, 2 people | $176.75 | $162 | $154.50 |
| 2-Bedroom Apartment, 4 people | $145.13 | $135.75 | $132 |
| 3-Bedroom Apartment, 6 people | $119.08 | $112 | $109.50 |
Same terms: US dollars, per person per night at full occupancy, American-style breakfast included.
Weekly packages 2026/2027 — per person per week, studio
| High season | Mid season | Low season | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drive & Dive, shore diving | $1,495.13 | $1,408.50 | $1,361.25 |
| Drive & Dive plus 6 boat dives | $1,735.13 | $1,648.50 | $1,601.25 |
| 12 boat dives, no vehicle | $1,713.88 | $1,627.25 | $1,580 |
| Become a Diver, Open Water course included | $2,015.13 | $1,928.50 | $1,881.25 |
| Activity package, no diving | $1,565.13 | $1,478.50 | $1,431.25 |
Packages run for 7 nights. The columns show studio prices for two; apartments work out lower per person, the cheapest being a three bedroom for six. The base Drive & Dive package covers 7 nights, a vehicle for 7 days, 6 days of unlimited shore diving, a free nitrox upgrade, American-style breakfast, Wi-Fi, airport transfers and car insurance. The 12-boat-dive package does not include a vehicle.
Diving à la carte — per person
| Price | |
|---|---|
| Unlimited shore diving, daily | $48 |
| Unlimited shore diving, weekly | $205 |
| 1-tank boat dive with unlimited air | $88 |
| 2-tank boat dive with unlimited air | $125 |
| 6 boat dives and 6 days of shore diving | $470 |
| 12 boat dives and 6 days of shore diving | $715 |
| One guided dive | $52 |
| Guided night dive, light included | $93 |
| Black water dive | $155 |
| Washington Slagbaai trip, two dives | $125 |
| Full scuba set, daily | $48 |
| Full scuba set, weekly | $240 |
The dive centre price list for guests who buy diving separately. Tank rental includes weights and a weight belt, and all air packages include nitrox. Diving double sidemount carries a $90 surcharge per week.
Rates and availability can change. Message us — we will confirm current dates and prices.
When to go
- Best time
- Year round
- Water temperature
- 26–27 °C in winter, 28–29 °C in summer and autumn
- Visibility
- Over 30 metres
Bonaire lies outside the hurricane belt and the resort's boats go out every day of the year. In winter most people are comfortable in a 3 mm wetsuit; in summer and autumn a shorty, a 2 mm suit or a dive skin is enough. The seasons here are purely commercial: high season falls in winter, low season in late summer and autumn.
Getting there
Bonaire is a Dutch Caribbean island roughly 80 kilometres off the coast of Venezuela, next to Aruba and Curaçao, and outside the hurricane belt.
You fly into Flamingo International Airport (BON). There are direct flights from North America (Miami, Atlanta, Newark, Houston, Toronto), daily service from Amsterdam, and connections from Curaçao, Aruba, St Maarten, Santo Domingo and Barranquilla.
The resort is 8 km north of the airport and 3 km north of the capital, Kralendijk. Airport transfers both ways are included in the weekly packages.
There is no public transport on the island. Anyone planning to shore dive will want a vehicle — which is why a pickup truck is part of most of the resort’s packages.
Included in the price
Not included
Optional extras
Extras are per person and paid on site.
from 82.5 USD per person per night, room only, low season, 3-bedroom apartment at full occupancy
Buddy Dive Resort
Availability for your dates will be confirmed before any payment. Estimated wait time — 24 hours
Studio
The most compact option: an air-conditioned bedroom, a bathroom with shower, a small kitchen and an open patio. All studios are on the ground floor and face the garden. Extra beds cannot be added to a studio.
- View
- Garden
- Maximum guests
- 2
- Rate
- $110
Apartment
An air-conditioned bedroom, a separate bathroom, a living area, a full kitchen and a balcony or patio. These apartments are on both the ground and upper floors, with ocean, garden or pool views.
- View
- Ocean, garden or pool
- Maximum guests
- 2
- Rate
- $127.50
Apartment
Two air-conditioned bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living area, a full kitchen and a balcony. Located on the upper floors with garden and pool views. One roll-away bed or a baby cot can be added.
- View
- Garden or pool
- Maximum guests
- 4
- Rate
- $105
Apartment
Three air-conditioned bedrooms, three bathrooms, a living area, a full kitchen and a balcony. Upper floors, with partial ocean, garden and pool views. The best value per person at full occupancy.
- View
- Partial ocean, garden or pool
- Maximum guests
- 6
- Rate
- $82.50
Buddy Dive Resort
from 82.5 USD
