Oceanminds Youth Trip – Diving Bonaire
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Diving on Bonaire with Oceanminds & Scuba Connection
Welcome to the ultimate youth diving vacation on Bonaire! If you are between 19 and 24 years old and love diving and socializing, this is the trip for you. We stay in a great villa with a pool and go diving together with a young diving instructor. You can improve your diving skills with courses and enjoy the company of other diving enthusiasts.
Travel dates: 25-09-2024 to 03-10-2024
Diving in Paradise Bonaire
Bonaire is known for its accessible dive sites, and the Drive & Dive concept is wildly popular here. With as many as 80 dive sites, including popular spots like Salt Pier, Hilma Hooker, Karpata and Red Slave, a diversity of fantastic diving awaits you. While diving, you will discover colorful corals, sponges and a variety of tropical fish. From schools of fish to angler fish, tarpons, green sea turtles and maybe even rays or eagle rays. And if you are really lucky, you can spot dolphins and sharks. Don’t forget to look for seahorses hidden in the coral!
Become a PADI Diving Instructor?
During this trip, you will be accompanied by an instructor involved in Scuba Connection’s Oceanminds program. The Oceanminds program is designed to prepare you to become a PADI dive instructor in the Netherlands and around the world. This trip is the ideal entry point into the program, allowing you to expand your experience and knowledge before exploring the world of diving. Look here for more information about the Oceanminds program.
Commit to the coral during this Bonaire diving vacation!
Would you like to get involved in coral restoration? There are several options on Bonaire for this and we are happy to integrate it into your week’s dive program.
Your customized dive program – Scuba Connection
Before you leave for Bonaire, you will meet with Scuba Connection, the Dutch diving school behind this program. Together with the diving school you discuss everything concerning which courses you want to take on this dive vacation. Think about: PADI Open Water (1st diving license), PADI Advanced (2nd diving license) etc…. The instructors will already talk to you in the Netherlands to prepare you well when you are in Bonaire, that means you can also already complete a lot of theory in the Netherlands! Handy, because then you have a lot of time left for the real diving on Bonaire.
Average Temperatures
Wetsuit advice for Bonaire
What will you experience on this diving vacation?
View itinerary here
Day 1 | Trip to Bonaire
Today you will board the plane together in Amsterdam. With TUI you fly, with a short stopover in Curacao, “direct” to Bonaire. Your luggage just stays on the plane, and usually you go off the plane yourself for a while, to a special “transit” area.
In the afternoon or evening you will arrive on Bonaire. Here your rental car, 1 car per 4 people, is already waiting for you. You get a nice pickup, because on Bonaire that is the ideal car to transport your dive gear.
Then drive from the airport to Grand Windsock Bonaire in about 10 minutes. Here you check in, choose your room with someone else and settle into the villa. Good to know in advance, you will always share a room with one other person. The beds are single beds or if you come with your boyfriend/girlfriend you can make a double bed.
Day 2 - 6 | Diving on Bonaire
For the next 5 days, you’re going to do a lot of diving every day. Depending on which courses you have booked with Scuba Connection, the program will be implemented. Your trip leader, also a young instructor in his twenties, will go over the plan of campaign with you each morning. One thing is for sure, you are going to do a lot of diving anyway but also definitely get your rest and have a drink on time! Of course, after a day of diving, there is the villa’s private pool waiting for you lightly.
What to expect from the dive sites? Bonaire has some 80 shore dive sites. These are dive sites where you walk through the beach or shore into the water. So there is no boat involved. The ideal thing about that is that you can just drive your pickup somewhere and go diving at your convenience.
The marine life is diverse. First of all, you can expect nice warm water which means you don’t need a thick diving suit. A shorty, 3mm or even surf shirt (rash guard/leggins) is sufficient. In addition, it is almost always 20/30 meters underwater. So you can see a lot, even at a distance. Expect, among other things, lots of tropical fish, coral, a turtle swimming by, tiny squid on the surface, an octopus quickly hiding and if you look really hard you’ll find a seahorse, too.
Day 7 | Active excursions
Your unlimited dive package included in this trip lasts a total of 6 days. That means you can also use your package today. We recommend that you don’t do too much diving on the last day (before departure). So give your body a chance to get rid of all the nitrogen before you fly home tomorrow. There should be a minimum of 18 hours between your last dive and your flight, but the longer the better.
Several fun above-water activities are also available on Bonaire such as:
- Mangrove kayak tour at the Mangrove Center
- Visit to the Donkey sanctuary; Donkey Sanctuary
- By boat across to Klein Bonaire
- Surfing at Jibe City
- Kitesurfing at Atlantis
- Hiking in Washington Slagbaai National Park
- Flamingo visits at Lake Goto
Day 8 | Home
The diving vacation is nearing its end! Most flights leave later in the day or in the evening, which means you still have plenty of time to enjoy the island. Start your day relaxed with a full breakfast and finish with a final dip in the pool. Check-out must be done by 11 a.m., but you can temporarily leave your luggage at the front desk.
After checking out, you can have a nice lunch somewhere or visit Washington Slagbaai National Park, for example, if you haven’t already. The short route takes about 1.5 hours and the long route takes an average of 2.5 hours. Don’t forget to pick up your luggage and be at the airport on time, so it’s smart to make ample plans.
Another option is to spend your last day at a beach club such as Ocean Oasis or Sorobon. You might even consider surfing at Jibe, since showers are available and you don’t have to get on the plane with salty hair.
When the time of departure arrives, you can easily return the car at the airport and board your flight to Amsterdam.
The accommodation
The stay and surroundings
Grand Windsock Bonaire
Grand Windsock Bonaire offers an oasis of relaxation with luxury vacation villas and apartments (almost) right on the beach. At Windsock you will find a beautiful large pool, lush tropical gardens, on-site dive shop AND on-site restaurant.
At the in-house restaurant, Bloom, you can enjoy delicious French bistro dishes combined with the relaxed atmosphere of tropical Bonaire. Under the palapa, surrounded by lush green plants and colorful flowers, you imagine yourself in a luxurious paradise. The menu shines in its simplicity and top quality, as you would expect from a good bistro. Whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner, here you can relax and pamper yourself.
For a poolside drink, Windsock is also the place to be, with a choice of delicious cocktails, cold rosé, delectable white wine and refreshing beer, accompanied by tasty snacks.
Across the road is beach club The Beach, directly on the water and across the street from the resort. Here you can relax with your feet in the sand and a cocktail in hand and enjoy beautiful sunsets. It is also a great place for lunch or dinner.
You will stay in a 3-bedroom villa with private pool during this vacation. A total of 6 of you will stay in one villa. That means you share the bedroom with one other person. The beds can all be made single. It is also possible to book a private room, but there is a surcharge for that in consultation.
The dive shop
Learn more about the dive center
Scuba Connection - Naarden
This trip is made possible by the PADI diving school Scuba Connection from Naarden. They run the program “Oceanminds” where young people can become diving instructors! Of course, you don’t become a diving instructor overnight, for that you must first obtain a number of other diving licenses and certifications, which is what this trip is so suitable for. Also, if you are already working on your divemaster, for example – enjoy logging dives. Don’t want to become a diving instructor at all but just want to be able to dive well? Then this trip is also perfect, because Scuba Connection will tailor a program especially for you, according to your needs.
Click here to learn more about Scuba Connection and Oceanminds.
WannaDive - Bonaire
Wannadive, a five-star PADI IDC dive center, is located at both Grand Windsock and Eden Beach. WannaDive offers many services, including dive training, dive supply store, dive equipment rentals, repairs, dive stations, tanks, boat and guided dives, parking and more. The new dive store is located at Grand Windsock Resort and has a TEC/REC gas blending station. For added convenience, you can rent your diving equipment or arrange boat dives.
Travel costs
What is included
This dive vacation to Bonaire is available from €1900 per person based on two people in one room. The diving trip can be expanded as desired. A number of things are included by default in this travel package. The trip includes the flight and does not include the courses booked with Scuba Connection. Read to the right in summary what exactly is included and added.
Prices are subject to price changes, increases or changing exchange rates. Flights are always based on the cheapest possible booking class.
Want to know more about this dive vacation to Bonaire? Get in touch with us!
Included in this diving trip, from €1900,- p.p.
- Flight with TUI and 25 kg checked baggage + 10KG hand luggage
- 7 Nights in a Deluxe Villa with private pool for the 6 of us
- Accommodation based on lodging
- Pick-up Rental car, shared between the 4 of us
- Dive package consisting of 6 days of unlimited air
- Free Nitrox Upgrade if you are certified
- VZR, Calamity Fund & Administration fee
Excluding
- Bonaire Tourism Tax
- Stinapa Nature Fee for divers
- Training at Scuba Connection
- $75.00 p.p.
- $40.00 p.p.
Optional
- Diving equipment, incl computer
- €45,- p.p.
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Frequently asked questions about this diving vacation
Diving general
On Bonaire you will make mostly shore dives, however, it is also definitely possible to make boat dives. Would you like this? Ask us about the possibilities.
Grand Windsock is minutes from the first dive sites. You can even go scuba diving at The Beach, right across the street! If you go north or really south you will be about 20/30 minutes away.
As much as you want, we offer an unlimited shore diving package. Of course the advice to keep a close eye on your limits!
You can do fantastic night diving here. A unique spectacle not to be missed is the Ostracods night dive that takes place about 2/4 days after the full moon. Ostracods are super tiny clams that you can’t see with the naked eye, but 2/4 days after the full moon they sparkle in the dark water! A magical experience where you are surrounded by brilliant points of light illuminating the darkness.
You can get into the water at The Beach, among others, or at Bachelors Beach or Corporal Meis. These are Windsock’s “house reef” dive sites.
Absolutely, through Scuba Connection you can take all kinds of diving courses.
Yes definitely, the diving school WannaDive is located on the property.
Diving equipment
Both are present.
Yes, this is free for certified nitrox divers
Yes, this is possible, a complete set comes to €42 per day.
Other activities & excursions
Absolutely, some great snorkeling spots are; 1000 Steps, Karpata, Salt Pier, Bachelor’s Beach, Klein Bonaire and Wayaka (in the park).
You can go canoeing through Bonaire’s mangroves, visit the donkey sanctuary, learn to kite or windsurf and spend a day visiting Little Bonaire where you can sunbathe, swim and snorkel.
You can go canoeing through Bonaire’s mangroves, visit the donkey sanctuary, learn to kite or windsurf and spend a day visiting Little Bonaire where you can sunbathe, swim and snorkel.
Accommodation
Yes definitely.
Yes, this is free
Yes, Bloom and across the street The Beach
Yes, there is a large communal pool and the deluxe villas also have a private pool.
We are EWDR
