Bonaire in 3 days...need to know...

[Queequeg]

We are leaving for Bonaire Saturday; staying at Buddy Dive.

I should have done this sooner, I know, but can y'all tell me your...

1) favorite dive sites...with 70+ listed in the Shore Diving guide, which ones are a must?

2) favorite restaurants.

3) where to go at night? Any favorite place for drinks, atmosphere, and freindly people?

Thanks!!!:sunny

 

[herman]

1. 1000 steps, Hilma Hooker, Oil Slick, Old Blue, Alice In Wonderland
2. Casa Blanca (mixed grill for 2 is HUGE- left overs for days), City Cafe, Bobbie Jans (weekend only), Donna and Gorgios
3. Karls Bar on the water frount, Bongos at Eden Beach, Buddy's bar.....personally, I prefer the fish on the Buddy reef at night- night dive!!!!

 

[MarkUK]

Fave dives:

Karpata – sheer wall into the depths, ancient anchor on the wall in 12m (some more deeper, but probably out of your limits – 60m plus).

Hilma Hooker – Okay during the day, but an awesome nightdive as no one tends to do it and you'll have the wreck to yourself.

Oil Slick Leap – A fun giant stride entry, and no less than three seahorses on my last dives there!

Anything on Klein Bonaire!


Restaurants:

Casablancas – go for the mixed grill for two, enough food to feed six!!!!

Cactus Blue – newly opened and run by Corinna (the former dive ops manager at Buddy Dive for the past five years) and her hubby Hagen

RumRunners at Capt. Dons – fab pizzas!

Lion's Den – on site at Buddy, and a great Sunday roast!


Bars:

Anywhere they serve Amstel Bright!!!!!!!


Mark

 

[trigfunctions]

Don't miss the Town Pier night dive. It is spectacular.

 

[Queequeg]

Ahhh..thanks gents!!!! I hit up www.bonairetalk.com and searched their archives for fav dive spots; got some good'uns, along with the ones echoed here.

I wrote the restaurants/bars down.... now I'm hungry/and thirsty.

I dont know which I'm more eager for now, the diving....or the food/beer.

 

[Walter]

Karpata, Ol' Blue, 1000 Steps, La Dania's Leap are my favorites. The Hooker is OK, but it's not a great wreck dive. Go to Bonaire for the reefs, not the wrecks.

 

[Martha]

My husband and I enjoyed the dive sites on the southern side of the island the most. I especially liked Alice in Wonderland. Although, all the dive sites were great, so I have no complaints about any of them. For restaurants, we loved Casablanca (went there twice in a week) and It Rains Fishes. We also liked RumRunners. We didn't like Bongos at all, but we just had "snacks", so maybe lunch or dinner is better. Loved the Amstel Bright, especially while sitting on the balcony watching the sunset. It doesn't get any better than that! We're heading back in Dec. Can't wait!!! I hope you have a wonderful trip!

 

[Queequeg]

Thank you for the replies y'all! We're so excited!

:monkeydan

 

[Boat Chick]

Pasa Bon Pizza
Bistro de Paris
Swiss Chalet
La Flambouyant - a little more expensive but really good.
Bongo's and Julios (in town) are a great place for a late afternoon lunch. Most restaurants close between 2 and 5 so there are only a couple places that are open that serve food.
Lost Penguin for breakfast
Shops in town close between noon and 2 daily, and close at noon on Sunday's (including the markets, with the exclusion of the little grocery store by Lover's Ice Cream. He's almost always open).

Say hi to Charlie the Tarpon on your night dive at Buddy's

Take bug spray - spray on your legs before you go out at night to eat

Alice in Wonderland
Salt Pier
Chocogo

Pick up a copy of Shore Diving Made Easy at Chat n' Browse (by Lover's Ice Cream and the bank just North of the round about on the North end of town). It is written by someone who lives on island and knows the sites like the back of her hand Unmarked sites are also in the book

 

[herman]

Hi Cynde.....the BT Cynde??