specialty courses

The next level in diving

Dive diva Bonaire - padi open water diving course navigation

Do you already have your Open Water certificate?
Take a look at these specialties and see what your next step will be!
All courses are taught private or in small groups of travel companions.

Specialty courses

Enriched Air Nitrox

One of the most popular specialties for a reason: diving with EANx will allow you longer No-Decompression limits, so more time for you to explore the under water world. As a specialty without dives you will be able to switch to EANx after only a couple of hours of theory and practical application.

Course duration: 0,5 day
House call service: included
Price: on request
Surcharge private course: On request

 

Deep Diver

For those interested in taking a look in deeper waters, the Deep Diver Specialty prepares you to do so in a safe manner.

Course duration: 1,5 day
Gear and tanks: excluded
House call service: included
Price: on request
Surcharge private course: On request

 

Wreck Diver

One of Bonaire’s signature dive sites is Hilma Hooker, a wreck worth exploring inside and out. This specialty takes you through the Ins and Outs, quite literally!

Course duration: 1,5 day
Gear and tanks: excluded
House call service: included
Price: on request
Surcharge private course: On request

 

Shore Diver

If your dive experience is mainly limited to boat diving, then this specialty can teach you how to properly prepare and execute safe and fun Shore Dives.

Course duration: 1 day
Gear and tanks: excluded
House call service: included
Price: on request
Surcharge private course: On request

 

Night Diver

At night the familiar reef turns into something completely different. Your dive light keeps you focused and helps you to see different marine critters and different behavior of your day time favorites. This specialty teaches you to prepare and safely navigate your way around this darker version of underwater wonders.

Course duration: 2 x 0,5 day
Gear and tanks: excluded
House call service: included
Price: on request
Surcharge private course: On request

 

Lionfish Hunter Diver

Save the reef, eat a Lionfish! Well, you will have to catch them first! Lionfish are an invasive species in the Caribbean, which means they disturb the natural balance on the reef. Learn how to hunt them safely and responsibly.

Course duration: 1 day
Gear and tanks: excluded
House call service: included
Price: on request
Surcharge private course: On request

 

Boat diver

Knowing your way around a boat, entry and exit techniques and more ins and outs of Boat Diving will be covered in this specialty. Plan your next boat dives with confidence!

Course duration: 1 day
Gear and tanks: excluded
House call service: included
Price: on request
Surcharge private course: On request

 

Fin-kick Diver Specialty

Learn two different fin-kicks that help you improve your general dive technique and learn to swim backwards and how to make a Helicopter turn! Four techniques to use on your next dive!

Course duration: 1 day
Gear and tanks: excluded
House call service: included
Price: on request
Surcharge private course: On request

 

Fish ID Specialty

Ever been diving around Bonaire and felt overwhelmed by all the species of fish around you? Participate in a Fish ID specialty and you learn to recognize characteristics of different families and species and easily navigate your way through Fish ID books and websites to find the one you were admiring during your dive!

Course duration: 1 day
Gear and tanks: excluded
House call service: included
Price: on request
Surcharge private course: On request

 

Peak Performance Buoyancy Specialty

Looking for improvement of your overall dive technique? Interested in using less air during your dives and make them last longer? Want to take better underwater pictures and make better video’s? Improving your buoyancy is the answer to all of the above.

Course duration: 1 day
Gear and tanks: excluded
House call service: included
Price: on request
Surcharge private course: On request

 

Self-Reliant Diver Specialty

This is the specialty for you if you are at least an Advanced Open Water Diver with a minimum of 100 logged dives and want to learn about being a fully independent diver. It will make you a stronger dive buddy and prepare you to dive alone if you want, for example as an underwater photographer.

Course duration: 1 day
Gear and tanks: excluded
House call service: included
Price: on request
Surcharge private course: On request

 

Underwater Navigator Specialty

Learn how to use your compass and natural navigation to navigate your way through a dive site and of course how to find your way out of it!

Course duration: 1 day
Gear and tanks: excluded
House call service: included
Price: on request
Surcharge private course: On request

All courses include 6% sales tax and are based on a minimum of 2 students. Prices are per student.
Before you can start your course, you are kindly requested to fill in a PADI medical statement.
In case of a “yes” on the form,  a doctor’s statement is required.

 

Testimonials

Personal. Professional. Perfect.

2 great dives today. you don't need to shop around for a great instructor and personal guide. Maria will do you proud. don't think about it just get booked in before she gets booked up.

kind regards. Jonny and Debbi. Marine Divers Cyprus.

Jonny and Debbi, Marine Divers CyprusDive instructors, dive operation owners

Dankbaar en blij!!

In augustus 2019 hebben wij voor het eerst kennisgemaakt met Maria en hebben wij onze Padi Open Water bij haar mogen behalen. Een ontzettende fijne ervaring hebben wij eraan overgehouden en wat een geduld heeft Maria gehad met ons in het water. Het vertrouwen dat zij geeft en heeft in ons in het water, maakt dat de angst voor sommige oefeningen verdwijnt en zelf met vertrouwen door het water zwemt. Januari 2020 hebben wij gedoken met Maria en onze Padi Advanced Open Water mogen behalen! We kijken nu al uit naar onze volgende vakantie op Bonaire want ook dan zullen we weer gaan duiken met Maria!

January 2020

The best way to dive is with the Diva!!
She is the best to learn how to dive with or to go for extra dive courses or to do a discover dive!
The greatest thing is that she does not do it in huge groups like some places do and she manages her own time so you are not stuck with office hours from normal dive shops. She is very friendly and helpful. She explains everything very well and makes diving an unforgettable and fun experience. I did my open water course with her and with my family a discover scuba dive. I can't wait to do my advanced dive course with her!!!

September 2019

Sharon, Bonaire

Diving with Maria
Made 4 excellent dives with Maria. She knows all the diving sites and depending on the weather makes the right decision where to go to. Also supplies good diving equipment via VIP Diving. A real recommendation!

January 2020

VincentDiver

Diving with the dive Diva
It was great fun to have a guided dive with dive Diva Maria. She picked me up at my apartment and brought me home again. Great service! In between we had 2x2 tank dives on 4 different locations. She choose beautiful dive spots and was an excellent Guide. She took her underwater camera along and made some beautiful pictures from the underwater life on the reef and from me too. Because Bonaire was new to me she pointed out the other nice dive and snorkel spots too. Great memories! It was awesome!

January 2020

JorritDiver

Best dive guide on Bonaire!
Maria was an absolutely fantastic dive guide. She came to where we were staying prior to our dive to get to know us, our dive skill levels and what we were hoping to get out of our dives with her in Bonaire. When we went on dives with her, she picked us up and dropped us off right from our unit. She is very safety oriented and thorough and makes sure that you understand and are holding to best practices before and during the dives. Her attitude is always super upbeat - even on a 9:30am New Year’s Day dive 🙂 She made sure that we were always comfortable during the dives and pointed out lots of sea life. I can’t recommend her highly enough - as a dive guide or to do certifications with. We can’t wait to get back to beautiful Bonaire and dive again with Maria.

December 2019

Dive Diva Indeed
Maria introduced us to the world of beach diving and changed our diving life forever. Her schedule was flexible, she introduced us to a spectacular selection of dive sites and guided us through the intricacies of shore entries. We are better divers as a result. I can’t recommend her highly enough.

February 2020

"Go with the Flow" I recently learned is ancient sea turtle wisdom. It is also Maria Varela Put's philosophy. Maria designed a great day for my Husband's 65th birthday. I found her company online. We emailed back and forth for a couple of months planning our cruise port visit to Bonaire.
Our personal customized day included 2 shore dives to the reef that surrounds the island and is a sanctuary to protect the coral and sea life. In between dives we had a private tour of Bonaire. Maria truly loves the island and is involved in the ecological. environmental protection programs that make it such a special, unique place.
"No worries" were the reassuring words she used when we experienced a few problems. The first was a broken fin strap and on a Sunday all the shops are closed. The loan of her friends fins was the solution. The second was embarrassing and required much more effort on Maria's part. We had rented a Go Pro on the ship and left in it the Dive Diva truck. Panicked, we contacted the Crown Princess personnel who agreed that if Maria could bring it to the cruise line agent on 11/20 it would be taken care of. She agreed to go out of her way to save us the cost of a Go Pro. We are so appreciative.
As part of our plan, Maria made reservations at a restaurant where we ended our visit with a sunset supper.
Although Diva is in the company name, Maria is down to earth, knowledgeable, friendly, caring and a very safety conscious educator.
If you are looking for a private dive guide who will customize you experience on Bonaire, we recommend Dive Diva. You will have "no worries" with this Diva.

Date of experience: November 2019

Sara and John

Maria guided my twelve year old son through the PADI introduction to scuba course, and the three of us took two nice 40-minute dives to depths of about 30-35 feet. Maria was very patient with him and stayed close enough to help control his buoyancy. Between dives, we picked up my wife and younger son, and Maria made sure that the dive site for the second dive would also be a good spot for them to snorkel.

After the dives, Maria took us for a nice tour of the island. She was knowledgeable about all of the nature and history of the island.

I will not hesitate to book with Maria again upon a return to Bonaire.
Date of experience: November 2019

Shawn Adams

Great job

Maria is the best dive guide we’ve ever had. Not just that. She’s not just a dive guide, she is also snorkelling guide, tourist guide, Bonaire guide. She is a friend you want to have when coming in to a new place. Her personal attitude, her patient and her enthusiasm is amazing. Not just a dive center, where you are one of many. When you are beginner diver or something between, want to know more than just good dive spots, want to see more of Bonaire than just underwater life, she is the one you need! Although she doesn’t have her own store, everything is well prepared and organized. It fits your style and needs. Because of her, our stay on Bonaire was unforgettable. Thank you Maria again for everything. For us, common dive center can hardly compete to you. Keep your way, it’s the right way!

Vladimir

meet our dream team

Maria Varela Put

PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer
With a passion for diving, I love sharing all my knowledge and skills to improve your personal diving experience.
Maria Varela Put