Bonaire in April for under $1200 including Airfare

[DeltaWardog]

We actually booked the flight ourselves and just paid regular rate for the GRI. Was basically the same price. Delta's weekly flight arrives and departs in the mid-afternoons on Saturday, and the travel time is the lowest I found. Only a 4 hour layover in Atlanta on the way there, and 2 hours on the way back. To top it all off, it was the cheapest flight going, $700 pp.

If WWW means what I think it does (warm water wimp?) then it's too late for that. I'm from southern arizona, I am extremely allergic to anything below 70 degrees, and that includes air temps. Trust me I struggle to survive here in Colorado! Blue Hole was bad enough - you won't see me diving anything cold unless I get a dry suit, and then I'll be alone because no way am I talking the wife into diving cold again. haha

 

[Waterskier1]

I took the Delta flight last time, it's really a great schedule. It allows you to dive until around 3 PM the day before, but I'd be cautious of connecting to Denver that night in ATL. Every time my flights have been delayed, and it took over 2 hours to get through immigrations and customs. I have always had to spend the night (both times I didn't get to my room until after midnight), and catch a flight Sunday morning into DEN.

That's a great price on the airfare - I paid almost $800 last month and I'm watching it for October, when I'm going back again, and it's over $1000 right now. I'm also checking Continental, but their schedule is not as nice.

You have www correct, I was thinkin warm water wussy, but you got the idea

Have fun!!

We actually booked the flight ourselves and just paid regular rate for the GRI. Was basically the same price. Delta's weekly flight arrives and departs in the mid-afternoons on Saturday, and the travel time is the lowest I found. Only a 4 hour layover in Atlanta on the way there, and 2 hours on the way back. To top it all off, it was the cheapest flight going, $700 pp.

If WWW means what I think it does (warm water wimp?) then it's too late for that. I'm from southern arizona, I am extremely allergic to anything below 70 degrees, and that includes air temps. Trust me I struggle to survive here in Colorado! Blue Hole was bad enough - you won't see me diving anything cold unless I get a dry suit, and then I'll be alone because no way am I talking the wife into diving cold again. haha

 

[DeltaWardog]

Thanks for the tip on the return flight. If that happens it won't be too bad for us since we have relatives in Atlanta... if we have to stay the night we'll just call ahead and get picked up. Nice to have that option, I know!

That's the main reason I like the Sat-Sat schedule though... if anything goes wrong I probably won't have to take an extra day off work for the airline's SNAFU.

 

[georoc01]

Yeah, the one thing I find with the Atlanta flight is that the connector from Denver leaves at 12:45am. If I am going to do that, I might as well do the Red eye out of Houston on Continental instead.

yes, we lose the day of diving on Friday, but we have three dives planned for the Saturday we get there prior to the Delta flight arriving, which should make up for it on the overall total. Will spend the last day exploring Bonaire some and maybe do some windsurfing.

 

[Waterskier1]

Yeah, the one thing I find with the Atlanta flight is that the connector from Denver leaves at 12:45am. If I am going to do that, I might as well do the Red eye out of Houston on Continental instead.

yes, we lose the day of diving on Friday, but we have three dives planned for the Saturday we get there prior to the Delta flight arriving, which should make up for it on the overall total. Will spend the last day exploring Bonaire some and maybe do some windsurfing.

George, you are correct about losing one day at the end of the week, but potentially gaining a day at the beginning. The last trip I took the Delta flight, and the trip before, Air Jamaica (they no longer fly Bonaire – rumor is Delta bought out the flight but departed almost the same times) and got to dive until 3:00 or so on Friday. But, since we don’t get in until around 3:30 or 4:00, but the time the large group got their rental cars (this can take over 2.5 hours for 25 trucks – can we say “Island time”) we could do little more than maybe the requisite “buoyancy dive” the day of arrival.

I plan on going back again in Oct, and am considering the Continental flight. My problem is I will need to rent a room for an extra day (the previous Friday) such that I can check in before 7:00 AM on Saturday. I won’t take off diving (I’ve already got my annual Marine Park Pass) with all my luggage in the truck until 3:00 or so check-in. I’m checking on the cost of an extra night – there would be no housekeeping required, since I’d not be sleeping there. If it’s less than the cost of a motel at ATL on the return side, I think I’ll give them a shot.

Which airlines are you flying George? I’ll be interested in how the early flight works out (getting and returning a rental before 6:00 AM).

Also, if either of you have questions about Bonaire, the diving sites, or anything, let me know and I’ll be happy to try and answer them for you. One thing I did the last trip that everyone was envious of was I brought a cheap ($6 and Wal-Mart) Solar Shower. Fill it up with fresh water at the motel before you leave, throw it on the cab roof while diving, and you’ll have 100 degree fresh water to wash your face, hair and anything else you deem important between dives.

Have a great time….I’ve been back only a month and I’m jealous of you guys!

-Rick

 

[DeltaWardog]

True that you don't really have a net gain on either flight, but I chose the Delta flight because my wife and I have no problems sleeping on airplanes so we'll get on the flight in Denver and crash for 4 hours, then sleepwalk to the gate in Atlanta and nap for another few hours. We arrive mid-afternoon in Bonaire and have all the time in the world to get to the hotel, stop and eat, whatever. To me that just seems easier than getting to the island in the middle of the night and having to wait around and hopefully get into your room early. Then we'd probably be too wiped to do any diving that day anyway.

And after writing all that it can probably be filed under "who cares", *shrug*.

Thanks for the tip on the solar shower, that's a great idea. I was also wondering about coolers... I suppose it's easiest to just buy one and leave it behind, but it seems to me if everyone did that there'd be a lot of coolers floating around the island. Is there a better alternative (hotel loaners or something?).

 

[Waterskier1]

Thanks for the tip on the solar shower, that's a great idea. I was also wondering about coolers... I suppose it's easiest to just buy one and leave it behind, but it seems to me if everyone did that there'd be a lot of coolers floating around the island. Is there a better alternative (hotel loaners or something?).

I take a collapsible cooler and some empty water bottles. Actually, I fill the water bottles with dry mix for ice tea and lemonade. When I get to my room, I either freeze 1/2 the bottle with water, or sometimes I just fill half full with ice tea and and freeze it. The next morning, I take the bottles out of the freezer, add more tea/water to them, and put them in my cooler and I'm set for the day. You can buy water by the bottle, but why? The water on the island is made from reverse osmosis so it's pure and clean. (And I'm furgal).

 

[DeltaWardog]

So is it okay for us NA'ers to drink the water there? I've been meaning to ask around if we should take some antibiotics with us like we should have (and will next time) to Mexico. We are not ultrasensitive but we both did get sick the last couple days of an 11 day trip to Cozumel/Puerto Morelos last year.

I've already read about the mosquitos and dengue so we'll be prepared for that.

 

[dvrliz1]

Delta,

Water is excellent! You will be fine with drinking it. It is desalinized seawater. Antibotics are not necessary. If for some rare chance you need one, you can get them here very inexpensively via prescription from the local clinic. Dr. van der Vaart is excellent, and you can "walk in" to his office to be seen. Pricing on medication here is also one tenth of what you would pay in the states.

Liz

 

[Waterskier1]

So is it okay for us NA'ers to drink the water there? I've been meaning to ask around if we should take some antibiotics with us like we should have (and will next time) to Mexico. We are not ultrasensitive but we both did get sick the last couple days of an 11 day trip to Cozumel/Puerto Morelos last year.

I've already read about the mosquitos and dengue so we'll be prepared for that.

Yes, as Liz has also responded, the water is fine. I won't drink the water in Mexico, but have no problems with the stuff on Bonaire. Yes, take some DEET, there were some mosquitoes at sundown. And take something for itching. I found something is a small tube at Wal-Mart, and it seemed to help.