A dive vacation at Plaza Beach & Dive Resort Bonaire is such an inherently enjoyable experience — the perfect mix of underwater wonders accessed so easily just offshore from the resort’s dock that segue into topside relaxation by the luxurious magna pool when your day’s diving is done — that you might find yourself feeling completely spoiled and pampered.

And that’s the point, of course.

After all, you’ve come to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and to indulge in a dive vacation where someone else does all the hard work — in the shop and on the boat — to make sure everything goes off without a hitch. It all seems so easy and effortless that you might not even realize the amount of care, work and passion that goes into every experience offered by Plaza Beach & Dive Resort.

The moment you step onto this idyllic property located just south of Kralendijk on Bonaire’s west coast, you’ll be greeted by welcoming staff, who will introduce you to all the resort’s amenities.

As a guest, you might begin your morning at dawn, as the sun paints the sky in lovely pinks and oranges above the serene blues of the Caribbean Sea, with a cup of hot coffee or tea in hand. Next, enjoy a hearty breakfast at The Tipsy Seagull, Plaza Beach & Dive Resort’s beachfront restaurant, before walking over to the resort’s dock for your first boat dive of the day with the onsite PADI 5-star dive operation, Toucan Diving Bonaire.

An hour before you even step foot on the boat, however, a whole world of safety checks and protocols have been playing out behind the scenes to ensure you have your best day ever out on the water” says Hagen Wegerer, the operations manager for Plaza Marina & Toucan Diving Watersports.

Dive staff arrive by 7 a.m. to hand-check that every tank on the boat has been filled to the correct PSI. The captain is busy at this time with all of his checks, too, from double-checking coolant in the boat’s radiator, transmission fluid and oil levels to making sure everything is gassed up and ready to go. Is the DAN O2 kit filled to the correct PSI, are there pocket masks for guides, and are the boat’s fire extinguishers and life jackets stocked according to regulations? Is the camera bucket full of fresh water, and does the bucket for rinsing masks have the requisite plastic cup inside it so divers don’t to worry about contaminating the communal rinse area?

Absolutely no stone is left unturned in the preparations for divers to board a boat stocked with everything they need for maximum safety and fun on the water.

The captain then starts the boat’s diesel engine to warm it up for adventures. And while all those checks are being completed, the divemaster is preparing the boat with ice water to keep everyone hydrated and ensuring all the correct paperwork and official licenses are onboard. He or she will check inside the boat box to make all the necessities are in place, including emergency flares and a dive tool kit amply stocked with enough O-rings, O-ring gel, screwdrivers, spare masks, regulators, BCDs and anything else you’d need on the water in the event of an unlikely incident.

Nothing will go overlooked — from the orange slices for guests to enjoy during their surface intervals to the towels divers can use to dry off on the cruise back to the dock.

Once you board the dive boat for the morning’s first dive — the resort schedules two boat dives each day — the experience is focused on each individual guest. The dive guide might ask how you’re feeling, all the better to understand your comfort level, then let you know which way the wind is blowing and inquire about any dives guests are particularly keen to do that day. The boat captain and divemaster will also give a clear and concise briefing to let you know that all checks have been made and how the morning will unfold. Every detail and amenity is part of the resort’s commitment to indulging your needs and desires.

After that, all that’s left to do is enjoy the day’s diving — perhaps a descent on the Hilma Hooker or a visit to wondrous Karpata reef in the island’s northernmost reaches — before settling into all the resort fun that’s part of the all-inclusive package at Plaza Beach & Dive Resort Bonaire.

All meals and drinks (including local beers, wines and spirits), as well as unlimited shore diving on the house reef and nonmotorized watersports, such as SUPs and kayaks for getting out on the water when you’re not diving, are included in your stay.

After the morning and afternoon’s boat diving is done, will you spend your evening relaxing poolside with a cocktail at the Palm Beach Bar, head out for a night shore dive along the house reef to scout for octopus and tarpon, or retire back at The Tipsy Seagull to enjoy the ample buffet? Whatever you choose, you will be well cared for and comfortable, thanks to the attentive service provided by the resort’s staff.

When you rise and shine the next morning, you’ll be greeted by those pretty water views again and a routine just as smooth, relaxed and rewarding as the day before. It’s just what the best kind of dive vacation is really all about.

Contact

(855) 242-8899

reservations@bonaire.valk.com

plazaresortbonaire.com/en