A few days in Curacao or more in Bonaire?

[KatRizzo]

Hi,
I'm diving with group for a week in Bonaire and want to add a few days on to the trip. Question is, do I spend those few days diving in Curacao or add on to my time in Bonaire? In researching Curacao the diving sounds great, but I know Bonaire is, and am concerned I may be disappointed. I'm assuming since I'm on my own I'll probably do boat dives most likely through the Carib Inn. I'd appreciate any info and suggestions on where to stay that's near the middle of town as I won't have a vehicle. I will be alone so I don't need a big place but would like at least a kitchenette.
Thanks in advance.
Kathy

 

[GrafCanuck]

Stayed at the Sea Aquarium and few years back and dived with Ocean Encounter. Shore diving is average best to go on a boat dive. There is also Dive Bus within a 15 minute walk. There was a free shuttle into town and to the large grocery store each day. Also stayed at Blue Bay. Nice beach, average dive shop but good shore diving. Have been to Westpunt a few times and stayed at Nos Kruseros and dives with Dive West. Great shore diving and boat diving. BUT, Westpunt is in the north west part of the island and isolated. You would need a car and are about 45 minutes to town. All places had a kitchen. I was in Bonaire last April and going back in a few weeks. I like the diving in both islands. Bonaire is truly a diver's island. Curacao is a little bit of everything and very European. Recommend going to Wilemstaad if you have a chance. I've been to most of the Caribbean islands and would rank Bonaire and Curacao in my top 3, diving or no diving. My 2 pennies.

 

[Trailboss123]

Hi,
I'm diving with group for a week in Bonaire and want to add a few days on to the trip. Question is, do I spend those few days diving in Curacao or add on to my time in Bonaire? In researching Curacao the diving sounds great, but I know Bonaire is, and am concerned I may be disappointed. I'm assuming since I'm on my own I'll probably do boat dives most likely through the Carib Inn. I'd appreciate any info and suggestions on where to stay that's near the middle of town as I won't have a vehicle. I will be alone so I don't need a big place but would like at least a kitchenette.
Thanks in advance.
Kathy

I was asking myself the same question recently. I will be with friends in Bonaire the week of August 3-11 and I have an extra week afterward by myself. I was considering a hop over to Curacao for a few days of diving and a change of pace/scenery. In the end, I decided I will stay in Bonaire for another week of diving. A bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush.. or so the saying goes. In the end, I figured that I would lose zero dive days due to travel back and forth, it would be much less hassle (packing, unpacking, drying out gear..) and I don't think the diving experience would be so much different to warrant the additional cost, hassle and lost dive days.

Happy to provide some suggestions on where to stay, if you decide to add on some additional days in Bonaire. I have lots of Bonaire experience.

 

[KatRizzo]

Stayed at the Sea Aquarium and few years back and dived with Ocean Encounter. Shore diving is average best to go on a boat dive. There is also Dive Bus within a 15 minute walk. There was a free shuttle into town and to the large grocery store each day. Also stayed at Blue Bay. Nice beach, average dive shop but good shore diving. Have been to Westpunt a few times and stayed at Nos Kruseros and dives with Dive West. Great shore diving and boat diving. BUT, Westpunt is in the north west part of the island and isolated. You would need a car and are about 45 minutes to town. All places had a kitchen. I was in Bonaire last April and going back in a few weeks. I like the diving in both islands. Bonaire is truly a diver's island. Curacao is a little bit of everything and very European. Recommend going to Wilemstaad if you have a chance. I've been to most of the Caribbean islands and would rank Bonaire and Curacao in my top 3, diving or no diving. My 2 pennies.

 

[KatRizzo]

Thank you!

 

[KatRizzo]

I was asking myself the same question recently. I will be with friends in Bonaire the week of August 3-11 and I have an extra week afterward by myself. I was considering a hop over to Curacao for a few days of diving and a change of pace/scenery. In the end, I decided I will stay in Bonaire for another week of diving. A bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush.. or so the saying goes. In the end, I figured that I would lose zero dive days due to travel back and forth, it would be much less hassle (packing, unpacking, drying out gear..) and I don't think the diving experience would be so much different to warrant the additional cost, hassle and lost dive days.

Happy to provide some suggestions on where to stay, if you decide to add on some additional days in Bonaire. I have lots of Bonaire experience.

Hi. Thanks for your input. It's kind of what I was thinking too. I was in Bonaire in August and loved it but wasn't alone so this will be a different experience as all I did was shore diving. When I'm with the group we'll be staying at the Divi Flamingo and I'm new to the group so I think I'll be doing mostly boat dives. I don't love resorts but at least the Divi isn't a huge monstrosity. I'd be interested in suggestions of where to stay but don't care for Captain Don's or Buddy's. Too big. A little studio apartment or something like that is what I'm looking for. I also won't have a car so I'd like to be walking distance to downtown and town pier so I'm close to restaurants, etc.
Thanks.
Kathy

 

[Trailboss123]

Hi. Thanks for your input. It's kind of what I was thinking too. I was in Bonaire in August and loved it but wasn't alone so this will be a different experience as all I did was shore diving. When I'm with the group we'll be staying at the Divi Flamingo and I'm new to the group so I think I'll be doing mostly boat dives. I don't love resorts but at least the Divi isn't a huge monstrosity. I'd be interested in suggestions of where to stay but don't care for Captain Don's or Buddy's. Too big. A little studio apartment or something like that is what I'm looking for. I also won't have a car so I'd like to be walking distance to downtown and town pier so I'm close to restaurants, etc.
Thanks.
Kathy

What dates are you looking at? That will make a difference.

 

[GrafCanuck]

Hi Kathy
In April 2018 my wife and I stayed at Divi. Our next trip to Bonaire is in April and we are going to try Captain Don's. We met a younger couple at the Curacao airport 2 years ago and they used BNB and VRBO to find smaller places in town. We are more small-mid resort type of people and hence Divi and Capt Dons fit us best albeit we do need to be within walking distance to town. My wife loved walking into town and was a frequent visitor to Gios - the gelato place. PS - while at Divi we spent a lot of time at the dive shop with Caribe Inn. Chatted with the owner Bruce on many occasions. If I were to do a do over I would have dived and stayed out of the Caribe Inn. You may want to check the Caribe Inn out.

Cheers
Darrell

 

[KatRizzo]

Hi Kathy
In April 2018 my wife and I stayed at Divi. Our next trip to Bonaire is in April and we are going to try Captain Don's. We met a younger couple at the Curacao airport 2 years ago and they used BNB and VRBO to find smaller places in town. We are more small-mid resort type of people and hence Divi and Capt Dons fit us best albeit we do need to be within walking distance to town. My wife loved walking into town and was a frequent visitor to Gios - the gelato place. PS - while at Divi we spent a lot of time at the dive shop with Caribe Inn. Chatted with the owner Bruce on many occasions. If I were to do a do over I would have dived and stayed out of the Caribe Inn. You may want to check the Caribe Inn out.

Cheers
Darrell

Hi Darrell,
Thanks! I'm very familiar with the Carib Inn. We dove out of there in August. Bruce it a great guy and I like the inn but it's a bit pricey. I've been checking VRBO and will continue that search having decided to skip diving in Curacao. I'm with your wife, I loved Gio's!

 

[KatRizzo]

What dates are you looking at? That will make a difference.

May