Bonair Trip Information FAQ
Bonaire Trip Information & FAQs
Everything you need to know about joining our Bonaire dive safari: flights, diving, money, gear, trucks and more.
Plan arrival & departure around our last-day dives and no-fly times.
Caravan the island, shore dive, hit drive-through air fills.
Boat dives, shore dives, night dives and Nitrox included.
✈️ Flights, Check-in & Arrival
Flying directly into Bonaire (BON) is the easiest and most convenient option. Check-in at the resort is 3 pm and check-out is at noon, so plan your flights with that in mind. Many guests will find better pricing or routing through nearby hubs, but keep an eye on total travel time and layovers when you plan your arrival and departure. We recommend that your flight home is not scheduled to leave before noon on departure day if you want to join the planned dives the day before. Expect 2 morning dives on that final full day and plan for an 18–24 hour surface interval before flying.
Bonaire is built around diving. Shore sites are marked all around the island, and with your included rental truck you’ll literally drive from one site to the next, caravan-style with the group. Our plan is to do multiple dives throughout the week using a mix of boat and shore diving. Your instructors will keep everyone on a solid schedule, and as long as your return flight is not earlier than noon on departure day, decompression and no-fly times should not be an issue.
🚙 Resort, Trucks & Drive-Through Fills
Our Bonaire host resort is set up for divers from the ground up. There is an on-site dive operation, easy access to tanks, gear storage, rinse tanks and shore diving right off the property. You’ll also find a pool, bar and restaurant, so everything you need is in one place between dives.
Each room includes its own rental truck (manual transmission, insurance included), and the group will load up each day and roam the island like a dive safari. We’ll hit marked shore sites, stop for views and food, and swing by the island’s famous drive-through air fill stations to swap tanks without unpacking the trucks. It’s a relaxed, flexible way to dive the island and see a lot of reef in a single week.
💵 Money, Tipping & Currency
It is suggested that guests bring bills no larger than $50 for local use. Smaller denominations like $10, $5 and $1 are useful for tips and small purchases. U.S. Dollars are widely accepted on Bonaire, though you may receive change in local currency. The hotel lobby provides a safe for storing passports, extra cash and valuables.
🧰 Gear, Rentals & What to Bring
It is always best to own and travel with your own gear. We do not recommend renting gear for a big dive trip if it can be avoided. However, a full rental package can be arranged through Scuba Fusion for the week, and rental gear is also available on site in Bonaire on a per-item daily basis. Our package from the shop is usually cheaper and will be supported by staff on site, but it must be brought with you.
Masks, snorkels, fins and boots are not included in rental packages and are not available to rent from us; you should own these items.
🪙 Marine Fees, Taxes & Deposits
There are some additional fees associated with this trip. One is the mandatory marine park / nature fee charged by Bonaire’s park system for anyone entering the water. Another is the island’s tourist tax, which all visitors must pay. Exact amounts and payment methods can change, but both are typically paid online before arrival and are required for entry to the island and for diving.
The resort may also require an incidentals deposit at check-in, which is returned at check-out as long as there are no charges (and you manage to ignore the mini bar).
⏱️ Dive Computers & Bottom Time
A dive computer is an absolute priority purchase for this trip. Your instructors are not responsible for tracking nitrogen levels in your body. Over the week you may do multiple dives in a single day with different divers and different guides. You can use tables, but you will limit the number of dives you can do and your bottom time on each one. Many operators and guides in Bonaire will not allow table-only divers to join their planned profiles and tours.
🛂 Certification Cards & Passport Requirements
IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO DIVE, ALL DIVERS MUST PRESENT PROOF OF CERTIFICATION AT THE TIME OF REGISTRATION AT THE RESORT. This can be a picture of your PADI (or other agency) dashboard that clearly shows your certification level.
All U.S. citizens must bring a VALID passport that will be valid for 6 months past the planned daparture date. Citizens of other countries should check entry requirements for Bonaire / Caribbean Netherlands; a visa or additional documentation may be required.
👨👩👧 Guests, Non-Divers & Activities
Guests are welcome on this dive trip. Non-divers can enjoy snorkeling, shore time, island tours and other activities that can be arranged directly at the resort or with local operators. We encourage guests to join the group for as many outings as possible.
Boat space and diving activities are always prioritized for divers, and at the time of this writing we cannot guarantee that non-diver guests will be able to join all boat trips or dive-related excursions.
🛏️ Check-In, Rooms & Bedding
CHECK-IN TIME IS AFTER 3 PM. CHECK-OUT TIME IS 12 NOON. BED SIZES, SPECIFIC ROOMS AND LOCATIONS ARE ON A REQUEST BASIS ONLY AND CANNOT BE CONFIRMED. ROOMS WILL BE ASSIGNED ON A FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED BASIS FROM ROOMS AVAILABLE AT THE TIME OF CHECK-IN.
📶 Wi-Fi, Phones & Staying Connected
Wireless internet is included and available at the resort, but like most island Wi-Fi it can be spotty and slow at times. Plan on being able to check email and send messages, but do not expect high-speed streaming or large uploads to be reliable.
Will my phone work there? Can I text using my Galaxy? Will I have to pay for roaming with my iPad? What about eSIMs or travel chips? All good questions, but the only entity that can truly answer them is your own phone provider. Check with them before travel about international roaming, data plans and coverage in Bonaire.
📅 Cancellations, Refunds & Trip Insurance
A $300 non-refundable deposit is in effect for this trip and applies to each ticket purchased.
Cancellations for refunds must be submitted by form request at
scubafusion.com/refunds Refunds will not include the $300 non-refundable deposit. Resort deposits, staff deposits and admin fees are lost when cancellations occurs.
Trip Cancellation Policy and Force Majeure Terms (Group Dive Travel)
We understand plans can change. Because group travel arrangements are secured in advance and involve contractual commitments with third-party vendors (resorts, airlines, operators, ground transportation, guides, etc.), cancellations made closer to the arrival date typically result in higher non-refundable charges. Please notify Scuba Fusion immediately if you need to cancel so we can attempt to mitigate costs with the resort and other providers.
Deposits
All deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable, regardless of the reason for cancellation.
Cancellation Timeline (based on days prior to arrival)
The following charges reflect the portion of the total reservation that becomes non-refundable:
67 days or more prior to arrival: Deposit remains non-refundable.
66–36 days prior to arrival: 25% of the total reservation is non-refundable.
35–22 days prior to arrival: 50% of the total reservation is non-refundable.
21–8 days prior to arrival: 75% of the total reservation is non-refundable.
7 days or less (including day of arrival and no-shows): 100% of the total reservation is non-refundable.
Force Majeure and Shared Risk (Events Beyond Our Control)
Group travel is subject to circumstances outside the control of Scuba Fusion, including but not limited to: severe weather, natural disasters (“acts of God”), airline/port closures, government actions, travel restrictions, terrorism, civil unrest, or regional conflict that may affect travel logistics, resort operations, or diving activity. In such events, portions of the trip may be delayed, modified, shortened, or cancelled, and scheduled dive days may be reduced or missed.
Scuba Fusion cannot guarantee refunds for costs that are not refunded to us by third-party providers. In these circumstances, participants agree that non-recoverable costs are shared by the group. If Scuba Fusion receives any refunds, credits, or recoveries from the resort, airline, or other vendors that are attributable to a participant’s booking, we will return those recovered amounts to the participant as promptly as practical and in a transparent, good-faith manner, less any non-refundable processing, administrative, or third-party transaction fees that were incurred and not recovered.
Purpose of Group Travel and Administrative Costs
These group trips are organized to keep our dive community active and to provide a shared travel experience with familiar staff, friends, and family. As a small, family-owned dive shop, group travel is not structured as a major profit center. Any limited markup included in trip pricing is intended to offset real administrative and operational costs such as trip planning and coordination, group hosting, communication, and guide/tour-related expenses.
There are no refunds for any unused portions of the package, missed dives, meal losses or gear rentals. All scheduled dives are non-transferable. Please allow 30–45 days for refunds to be processed.
Scuba Fusion / Sawyer Ventures, LLC is not a California licensed seller of travel.
We highly recommend DAN trip insurance for this and all dive travel:
DAN TRAVEL INSURANCE.
Concerned Traivelers:
Bonaire is not Venezuela. It’s part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and it’s currently listed by the U.S. State Department as Level 1 (normal precautions), while Venezuela remains Level 4 (do not travel). In plain terms: the safety situation on Bonaire is in a totally different category than what’s happening on the mainland, and the island’s day-to-day vibe is focused on tourism, diving, and normal island life.
Because Bonaire sits in the southern Caribbean, you may see headlines about Venezuela pop up from time to time. In practice, that usually means noise, not impact. The most realistic ripple effects are travel-related, like occasional airline routing changes or delays, not changes to the on-island experience. We keep an eye on official travel guidance and airline operations as your trip gets closer, and we’ll share anything meaningful with the group.
On Bonaire, the “real world” precautions are the same common-sense ones you’d use in many travel spots: don’t leave valuables unattended (especially in vehicles at shore dive sites), keep your passport and essentials secure, and be smart at night. We’ll include a quick, practical safety briefing before the trip so everyone knows what to expect. The goal is simple: a relaxed, fun dive week on Bonaire, not a front-row seat to someone else’s problems.
Bonaire Dive Trip
Warm water, easy shore diving, and reefs that basically refuse to stop showing off.
Weather vibe (and what that means for you)
Bonaire is typically warm, sunny, and breezy. That breeze is your best friend until you forget it exists and get sunburned anyway. Pack light layers for evenings, a rash guard for long boat days, and something that blocks wind on the shore.
Currency + money tips
Bonaire uses the U.S. Dollar, so most travelers don’t need to exchange currency. Bring a few small bills for quick purchases and tipping, and keep a backup card. ATMs exist, but “exist” and “convenient” aren’t always the same thing.
Entry, documents, and the boring stuff
Keep your passport handy, store a photo/scan separately, and travel with proof of return travel. If you’re bringing specialty gear or meds, toss a quick list into your phone. It’s rare you’ll need it, but it’s glorious when you do.
Getting around
Most divers rent a pickup or small truck for shore diving. Driving is on the right. Roads can be dark at night and wildlife (donkeys/goats) can appear like they own the place. Because they do.
Connectivity + power
Most places are traveler-friendly for charging and Wi-Fi, but island internet can be “vacation-speed.” If you need reliable data, consider an eSIM or local SIM and download maps before you wander off-grid.
Marine park + nature fee (reef-friendly basics)
Bonaire protects its reefs through the Bonaire National Marine Park. Plan to handle required fees and follow local reef rules. Your buoyancy matters, your fins matter, and yes, touching coral is still a bad idea even if it “barely counts.”
Tip: Buy/confirm the nature fee before heavy water time. (It’s typically tied to the calendar year.)
What not to do (aka how to not be “that tourist”)
- Don’t touch, stand on, or collect coral, shells, or anything living.
- Don’t feed marine life (it messes with behavior and ecosystem balance).
- Don’t leave valuables visible in vehicles at shore sites. Keep it boring.
- Don’t wear gloves to “grab stuff.” Good buoyancy beats grabbing.
- Don’t ignore signs, private property, or protected areas (especially on the wild east side).
Quick “smart traveler” checklist
- Sun protection that survives wind and salt (hat + rash guard = underrated).
- Hydration plan. You’ll feel fine right up until you don’t.
- Reef-safe habits: good buoyancy, controlled fins, no souvenir collecting.
- Keep an eye on official advisories for the region, even if you’re staying put.
Email dive@scubafusion.com and we’ll line up the diving, logistics, and the stuff you don’t want to babysit.