Anyone stayed at sand dollar this year?

[NDH]

skynscuba, was the cost of food really high? The reason I ask is that CCV rate is
1068pp tax included and Sand dollar is 711 with breakfast. I'm coming up with a package of 3536 for the both of us at CCV with Nitrox. At Sand dollar its coming out at 2582 with nitrox. Both with air out of houston. The only difference is Lunch and Dinner.

 

[skynscuba]

skynscuba, was the cost of food really high? The reason I ask is that CCV rate is
1068pp tax included and Sand dollar is 711 with breakfast. I'm coming up with a package of 3536 for the both of us at CCV with Nitrox. At Sand dollar its coming out at 2582 with nitrox. Both with air out of houston. The only difference is Lunch and Dinner.

I guess CCV has gone up about $200pp since I was there in 2005, and they do charge extra for Nitrox. which I wasn't using back then.

Food doesn't have to be expensive in Bonaire. A bit higher than the US, maybe 20%.

If you have 6 sharing the truck (guessing from your $711pp deal), it will be cozy, since they only seat 5. We only had 2 of us, which made the Den Laman a better deal than the Sand Dollar, but the SD was also on my short list. The dive op at Buddy's has a less spotty reputation, but we were pleased with the one that SandDollar/Den Laman uses.

You might want to find out where in the resort your condo might be, to figure out how much of a walk you are in for to the gear locker/dock. In the satellite photo link, the SandDollar is the complex with buildings at 45 degrees to the water front. The dock is near the bottom. The photo must be ~2 years old, since the Den Laman is only a foundation. You might have 200 feet or 700 feet to walk, depending on where your unit is located.

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&z=18&ll=12.16854,-68.287421&spn=0.003555,0.004613&t=k&om=1

 

[NDH]

skynscuba

Do you know what are the room #'s closet to the dock so I can request one of them?

Thanks for your help.

 

[NDH]

Just pick up 2 more divers for the week in May. Just wanted to know are any of the 3 bedroom apartments at Sand dollar near the pier?

 

[WallDiver77]

NDH,

Just how are you getting to Bonaire from Houston? I'm in Farmington, NM... which means a road trip to ABQ, a hop over to Houston, and ..... then many choices of carriers and flights. I hate red-eye flights..... is there anyway to avoid this?

Just curious. Thanks!

 

[diversteve]

NDH,

Just how are you getting to Bonaire from Houston? I'm in Farmington, NM... which means a road trip to ABQ, a hop over to Houston, and ..... then many choices of carriers and flights. I hate red-eye flights..... is there anyway to avoid this?

Not from the southwest. Continental out of Houston is the best option. The hotels in Bonaire try to accommodate early arrivals, at least store your gear and breakfast till your room is ready. you can make the 9-10AM BMP orientation dive that morning - I think, haven't looked at the schedule lately.

We did American through San Juan last year, it's worse. Redeye to San Juan then 10AM-5PM layover. Small turboprop to Bonaire and back. And there's a theft problem at the San Juan airport.

 

[NDH]

Walldiver77,
We are taken the red-eye. My pet-pea is that I don't like transfers at airports. So I have a rule, if I can fly direct its the only way to go for me.
Most places have a room to store suit cases if you arrive early, check your resort and make sure they don't charge you an extra night because of the early arrival. Some do and some don't. For me I don't care if my room is not ready for I'm getting ready to dive and I just want to put my suitcases in a safe place.

 

[WallDiver77]

Thanks Sjspeck and NDH,

The storage of your gear the hotel on the day of arrival sounds good! That, in effect, gives you an extra dive day!

Wasn't Continental suppose to add flights out of Houston to allow for connections in San Juan? I haven't found, as of yet, Houston to San Juan direct via Conti. .... surely, that exists!

I just found that AA offers a decent time of departure from ABQ (Albuquerque) at 7:15am and would get me to BON by 8:55pm that evening. That doesn't sound bad either.

Keep talking everyone...... I'm learning a lot here! This will be my first trip to Bonaire! June 11, to June 19 is what I'm planning; have always wished for one extra day everywhere I travel. This year I'm going to just plan it that way.

 

[herman]

We did the red eye out of Houston last July, personally I love it. Get on the plane, sleep and wake up coming into Bonaire. At least at Buddy, they took us directly to breakfast and held out luggage in a secure place. We were in the room around 8:30, dive briefing at 10 and in the water around 10:30. It gives us an extra day of diving.

And 73's de KA4HAM KN

 

[Biodiversity_guy]

We did the red eye from Houston to Buddy Dive in early December 06. They met us at the airport, held our luggage, fed us breakfast, gave us the dive briefing/video at 9 am and we were good to go. Our room was ready before 9 am.