Frequently Asked Questions

I would like to learn to dive, how does it work?
If you want to become a diver, then you have to complete an open water course. The open water course is a great, fun, and instructive course. The PADI Open Water Diver course is, by far, the world’s most popular scuba certification course. Learning to scuba dive requires both knowledge development (theory, academics) and practical experience (skills, techniques). The course consists of three full days, although in some cases, a fourth day may be required. After completing the requirements, you'll be a certified diver and you're allowed to dive with a buddy to a maximum depth of 18 meters/60 feet.

Of course understand that when you get certified you'll want to continue diving with your buddy. So, after you are certified, we offer you a special rate to rent equipment. This special is only for people who complete their course at Dive Friends Bonaire--(click here to view our current diving rates or rental rates).

What does the price include on the Open Water course?
The price includes everything which you'll need for the course--books, tables, equipment. The only thing that is not included, (and this is required) is a Bonaire Marine Park Tag. Please be aware that all our prices are excluding 5% sales tax. (Click here to view our current diving rates or rental rates).

What is a BMPT, or Bonaire Marine Park Tag? How much is it, and why do I need it?
The sea around Bonaire and Klein Bonaire is protected and managed by STINAPA Bonaire through the Bonaire National Marine Park. The Marine Park is from the high water mark to the depth of 60 meters (200 feet). Users of the Bonaire Marine Park have to pay an entrance fee called a Nature Fee. By paying the Nature Fee you provide the funds so that the parks can continue to be managed, thus guaranteeing our lasting success in nature protection and conservation.

Your payment of $25.00 as a SCUBA diver, or $10.00 as a non-SCUBA diver, covers admission for one calendar year to the Bonaire National Marine Park as well as to the Washington-Slagbaai National Park. Scuba Divers will receive a traditional round tag while non scuba divers will receive a diamond shaped tag. As a nature fee holder you may enter the Washington-Slagbaai National Park free of charge by showing the written receipt of purchase of your tag and a picture ID. For more information, visit www.stinapa.org.

If we have an unlimited air package, what do we have to pay for Nitrox?
Nothing. We offer Nitrox as a FREE upgrade.

Is a check out dive required at Dive Friends Bonaire?
Yes, a check out dive is mandatory for all divers on Bonaire, so also at Dive Friends Bonaire. The check out dive means that our staff will provide you first with an orientation/briefing and, after that, you make a dive in front of one of our locations. This is a great time to ensure that all your equipment is in good working order and also to perform a proper buoyancy check to see if you have enough or too much weight. There is no charge for the check out dive.

Which time can we do our check-out dive and orientation?
What sets us apart from other dive operations is that Dive Friends Bonaire can provide you with an orientation briefing at any time, at any location, during normal business hours.

What are the opening hours of your locations?
All our dive locations except Dive Friends @ Hamlet Oasis and Dive Friends @ Dive Inn are open daily from 8:00 AM through 5:00 PM. Dive Friends @ Hamlet Oasis and Dive Friends @ Dive Inn are open daily from 8:30 AM through 4:30 PM.

Do you offer boat dives?
Yes. Every morning we have a two tank boat dive which leaves at 9:00 AM and returns around 1:00 PM. You'll make two dives. Then, every afternoon we offer a one tank boat dive, which leaves at 2:00 PM and you'll return around 4:00 PM.

How many people are on your boat?
We have 2 dive boats. One boat can carry a maximum of 17 people, while the other can carry a maximum of 10 persons. We prefer quality instead of quantity.

Where are the boat dives going to?
Every day the boats go to different dive sites at Klein Bonaire. Klein Bonaire is the only place you can’t reach by car. On Fridays, the boat goes north, but it is dependant upon the weather. If there is a lot of wind and thus larger waves, the divemaster may make the decision to go to Klein Bonaire instead.

Can you tell me more about the advanced course?
As you step beyond the PADI Open Water Diver level, you make five dives and have the opportunity to try some of diving’s most rewarding and useful specialty activities, such as deep diving, night diving, wreck diving and much more.

With your instructor, you'll also complete the deep and underwater navigation Adventure Dives; these two are mandatory.
Then, you choose three additional dives from more than 15 adventure dives to complete your course. A few examples from which you may choose: multi-level diver, peak performance buoyancy, search and recovery, just to name a few.

If you are not sure which Adventure Dives you want to do, then we always recommend that you discuss the dives with your instructor. He or she can advise you about dives are good for you. If you wish to achieve better buoyancy, then the Adventure Dive Peak Performance Buoyancy is great! So just pass by any of our locations, and we'll help you plan the perfect advanced package.

We also offer the possibility to get your Nitrox certification as part of your advanced course. If this is of interest to you, one of the five dives will be a dive with Nitrox. The only thing is that we ask an additional $25.00 because you will receive two certification cards--Discover Enriched Air Diver and Advanced Diver.

What’s the BIG DEAL about Nitrox anyway?
Being properly trained to use Enriched Air Nitrox increases your maximum safe allowable bottom time on dives. The additional oxygen in your Nitrox tank replaces some of the nitrogen normally found in air, so you absorb less, therefore you get to dive MORE! What does a Nitrox course cost and what’s the difference between Discover Nitrox and the full Enriched Air Nitrox Diver certification? At this moment Nitrox courses are very popular, especially the Discover Nitrox. Why? Because the Discover Nitrox is very easy to obtain, the class room time is only 45-60 minutes with your Nitrox instructor, and there's no exam and no books. After that, you will be able to analyze your tank, dive with 32% of oxygen and 68% nitrogen to a maximum depth of 30 meters/98 feet, which you can do with a dive computer or on the normal air table with a PADI professional. It’s a real certification--you will become a PADI Discover Enriched Air Diver and receive a certification card from PADI. The Enriched Air Nitrox Diver certification has additional class time of between 2-3 hours with your Nitrox instructor, and it involves knowledge reviews and an exam. With this certification you can dive all mixes of oxygen-nitrogen up to 40% oxygen. With Nitrox, the higher the oxygen content, the shallower your dive will need to be.

If I want to dive Nitrox, do I need specific equipment?
All our rental equipment is oxygen compatible with a mixture of 32% oxygen-68% nitrogen. When using more than 32% oxygen, as in Level 2 and using your own equipment, you should replace the normal o-rings with oxygen compatible o-rings.

What’s the difference between Nitrox and Enriched Air?
You have probably heard the term Nitrox for enriched air Nitrox. While this is a common slang term, it’s important to recognize that while all enriched air is Nitrox, not all Nitrox is enriched air. Enriched air is air that has had some oxygen added. Nitrox refers to any nitrogen-oxygen gas mix, including blends which have less oxygen than air.

What does the Rescue Course mean?
The rescue course is comprised of two full days with the first day having about 5 hours of water time and the second day having about 6 hours water time. The first day consists of teaching EFR (Emergency First Response) especially as it relates diving accidents, teaching how to react, and what to do with all kinds of problems you may encounter in the water such as a tired diver, a panicked diver, and so on. On the morning of the second day, many items will re-introduced, including proper oxygen administration. Then, in the afternoon, two or three roll playing scenarios will be put together where you'll be required to react properly.

The rescue course is a really instructive course. It’s a serious course, but it is one of the most enjoyable courses you'll ever take. By completing this course, you will become a safer dive buddy.

You will receive two certification cards--one for EFR and the other for Rescue (click here to view our current diving rates or rental rates).

I want to become a Dive master, can you give me more information?
We believe in an internship program for the best training of a dive master. For more details, please click here. Interested? Please feel free to contact us.

Are weights, weight belts and tanks all included in the unlimited air packages?
Yes, they are included with all diving packages.

Can I take more than one tank for shore diving at a time?
Yes, of course you may. Any registered diver may take a maximum of 2 tanks per person when diving south; when diving north we ask you to take a maximum of one tank per person. This is normally not a problem, as we have four locations on the island and there is always a location nearby to change and pick up tanks.

Where is Dive Friends Bonaire located on the island?
Dive Friends Bonaire has four locations on the island, one in Kralendijk, the capital of Bonaire, one further north, and one in the south. Our locations:

Do I need a car to get around Bonaire?
It’s not really necessary to have a car, but if you want to do shore diving then you will want to have one. Of course, it's also handy to have a rental vehicle when you wish to see our beautiful island its nature and other attractions. Bonaire is known for the easy shore diving, so you can dive any time you want. Just put the tanks in the car and go diving where you wish.  

Is it possible to do an open water referral?
Yes, we can offer an open water referral. The open water referral consists of four open water dives. The course takes two days, so this means two dives each day. After the four dives, you will be certified as a PADI Open Water Diver. Please make sure that you bring all the necessary referral papers, so our instructor can see that your confined water exercises have been logged.