“Scuba Education from DSD to IDC”

At Buddy Dive Academy, we offer scuba education courses from the recreational level to the professional level and everything in between. We start with introductory courses such as Discover Scuba Diving (DSD) and Open Water Scuba certification and offer professional level Instructor Development Courses (IDC) as well. In addition, we offer a variety of continuing education classes for recreational diving and pro-level divers.

We have several professional level continuing education packages that integrate and accelerate recreational diving courses with professional level programs. Internship activities are also available to provide real world on the job experience to further accelerate your professional level education.



More than 30 Years Experience in Dive Training
With as many as 60 officially listed dive sites on Bonaire and another 20 dive sites on Klein Bonaire, the Buddy Dive Academy at Buddy Dive Resort is ideal for you to make the most out of your dive vacation or dive training course. With a fleet of 6 custom dive boats and a well stocked ‘Drive Thru’ offering air and Nitrox tanks, every diver or student need can be satisfied.  Buddy Dive Resort has been doing this successfully for more than 30 years!

Buddy Dive’s Waterfront Location in Diver’s Paradise, Bonaire
With its gentle underwater topography, crystal clear and calm waters, beautiful marine life and fascinating variety of multi-colored tropical fish, Bonaire is the ideal location to conduct all levels of dive courses.



Year round, Bonaire features clear, warm water (average temperature is 80 degrees F (27 degrees C.) The fringing reef begins close to shore, usually a short 30 feet (10 meters) swim or less, making Bonaire world renowned for its easy shore diving.  Buddy’s house reef is just 15 feet away from your classroom which puts you right in the center of all the diving activity.

Bonaire’s waters offer something special for every diver and student. Novice divers will appreciate the calm waters, the reefs that run parallel to shore, and the minimal currents. These conditions offer great surroundings to really work on improving your buoyancy skills! Buddy’s Reef features abundant marine life. The drop-off begins at 12 feet (4 m) and slopes gently to 120 feet (36 m). Experienced divers can enjoy maximum bottom time while new divers have the opportunity to develop a level of comfort and confidence with their newly acquired skills.

Full Dive Facilities on Location
All divers can enjoy the freedom of our unlimited shore diving package, making as many dives as they want each day, according to their own safe dive profiles. There are plenty of 80 and 63 cubic foot air and Nitrox tanks available at either the Drive Thru or on the dock. On the dock you will find convenient benches for equipment set-up and two sturdy ladders that provide easy access to the water. Rinse tanks and equipment storage rooms are located at the Drive Thru as well as on the dock. This simply makes diving at Buddy’s easy and enjoyable. As a full service dive center, we also have a complete inventory of rental equipment available. Buddy Dive guests who prefer to purchase instead of rent, will enjoy shopping at our well stocked retail shop. The on-premises shop carries a wide range of dive and snorkel gear and accessories, as well as t-shirts, sandals, caps, dive lights, and souvenirs galore!



Start Your Career in Diving!
The Buddy Dive Academy is a PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Center, Member of DAN, and a Universal Referral Center. The Universal Referral designation enables Buddy Dive instructors to offer Open Water completion courses to SSI and NAUI students as well as a host of other training organizations. In fact, Buddy Dive Academy offers every level of instruction imaginable, conducted in several languages. In addition to all the standard PADI specialties, we also offer you the chance to become a Tech Diver or even become a Dive Instructor or IDC Staff instructor! 

Experienced Staff
As mentioned earlier, we are very proud of the incredible dive team here at Buddy Dive.
Professional and personable, they go out of their way to make every dive or course a safe and enjoyable experience you won’t forget. Our staff is Multilingual. English, Spanish, German, French, and Dutch are common spoken languages.