Bonaire or Costa Maya

We're trying to decide between two cruises. One goes to Bonaire and one goes to Costa Maya. We've been to all the other ports on the cruise but not these two.They are on different cruises and we'd like feedback on pros and cons of each if you've visited either of them.

Bonaire would be our choice in a "Heart Beat"! :D

Bonaire would be our choice in a "Heart Beat"! :D

Absolutely. These two ports should not even be mentioned in the same sentence!

Costa Maya is an isolated, man made port, on the edge of the humid Western Caribbean Mexican jungle.

Bonaire is a marvelous coral island in the very Southern Caribbean with history, culture, commerce, and surrounded by world renowned, protected coral reefs. Dry, breezy climate.

Rolls Royce vs. the beater Ford Pinto you drove in college.

We're trying to decide between two cruises. One goes to Bonaire and one goes to Costa Maya. We've been to all the other ports on the cruise but not these two.They are on different cruises and we'd like feedback on pros and cons of each if you've visited either of them.

Bonaire Bonaire Bonaire!

Different as night and day.

Costa Maya is tropical Mexico. Very rustic, very Mexican.

Bonaire is a Dutch island..very European, desert climate with only cactus and a few palm trees, coral reefs and turquoise water.

We did Costa maya on our last cruise and had an all in live at maya chan. It was a 10 plus beach. In April we will be in Bonaire

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I wouldn't even think twice about it. Bonaire.

Bonaire is not a beach island - its known for the diving - the entire island is a diving reserve. I don't dive, my wife does, I snorkel and have never seen so many fish or coral up close.

Look for the CoCo Man - he sells fresh cold coconuts with a straw, drink the water, then he will chop it in half and give you a spoon to eat it. I'd go back just for that.

Small downtown, some shopping, great people.

I would pick Bonaire. I went there for the first time in December. We rented a car and drove around the island. We had our own snorkel gear so we just jumped in whenever we saw a dive site we wanted to check out. It was a wonderful day. It was the best snorkeling of the trip to the ABC islands.

We've been to both Bonaire and Costa Maya and they are rustic places. Especially in Costa Maya when you get out of the port area.

I would definitely choose Bonaire as it's in the Southern Caribbean and if you enjoy snorkeling or diving this is the place to be!

I have posted many underwater pictures from our last cruise this past January (includes both Bonaire and Costa Maya) on our blog: http:http://www.2bcruising.blogspot.com We enjoyed our B2B Southern and Western cruise and spent a lot of time in the water. Enjoy!

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I wouldn't call Bonaire "rustic". There are far too many good restaurants on the island for that characterization - not to mention the availability of great Dutch cheeses and a more than adequate supply of decent wines. There's not a Marriott Marquis, an Intercon, or a Ritz Carlton but I view that as a positive.

. . . not to mention the lionfish pizza and the grilled barracuda one can order!

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