Bonaire in August - Helpful Tips please

[ETnScuba]

I've been following this thread with interest since my family and I are making our first pilgrimage to Bonaire in October. There has been some great information here that I also intend on following up on. We'll be taking the overnight flight out of Houston on October 6 and staying at the Sand Dollar. My question is do the local restaurants take credit cards or traveler's checks, or do I need to carry cash? Do I need to exchange my $USD or local currency?
Thanks

 

[scubaaaronh]

I've been following this thread with interest since my family and I are making our first pilgrimage to Bonaire in October. There has been some great information here that I also intend on following up on. We'll be taking the overnight flight out of Houston on October 6 and staying at the Sand Dollar. My question is do the local restaurants take credit cards or traveler's checks, or do I need to carry cash? Do I need to exchange my $USD or local currency?
Thanks

Most places take credit cards and do the conversion of currency right there before they run the card. We exchanged money to make things easier, but found out most places will pull out a calculator convert and tell you what you owe in dollars. A couple places gave us change back in guilders and not in dollars. As you go into town from the airport on the corner is an ATM. You can get money out in either dollars or guilders. We didnt mess with travelers checks.

 

[DeputyDan]

Use US cash or your credit card.

The ATM's work just fine and give whatever currency you need.

aaron's post was right on.

 

[yukoneer]

Ok, here's a question I've been wondering about:

I know the golden rule is to never leave valuables in the truck when gone diving, but what about during lunch time, dinner time, which would happen between our dives?

Should my buddy and I arrange to have one person stay with the truck while the other gets food?

what if it's a sit-down restaurant, is it safe to leave the gear in the back of the truck (or inside the truck, locked, etc..?)

It may sound ridiculous, I just was curious of what you guys did with your gear while on the island between dives.

 

[Boat Chick]

Ok, here's a question I've been wondering about:

I know the golden rule is to never leave valuables in the truck when gone diving, but what about during lunch time, dinner time, which would happen between our dives?

Should my buddy and I arrange to have one person stay with the truck while the other gets food?

what if it's a sit-down restaurant, is it safe to leave the gear in the back of the truck (or inside the truck, locked, etc..?)

It may sound ridiculous, I just was curious of what you guys did with your gear while on the island between dives.

Don't leave valuables at any time, at any place, in the vehicle. The island is really small, and in most cases you are minutes away from the place you are staying. Do your dive, drive back to where you are staying, store your gear, then head to town to grab a bite to eat. Don't leave your gear in the back of the truck...ever...unattended!

 

[scubaaaronh]

Ok, here's a question I've been wondering about:

I know the golden rule is to never leave valuables in the truck when gone diving, but what about during lunch time, dinner time, which would happen between our dives?

Should my buddy and I arrange to have one person stay with the truck while the other gets food?

what if it's a sit-down restaurant, is it safe to leave the gear in the back of the truck (or inside the truck, locked, etc..?)

It may sound ridiculous, I just was curious of what you guys did with your gear while on the island between dives.

I would say it depends. For lunches if we ate at Old inn or City Cafe and were able to park where we could see the truck at all times we left our gear in the truck and ate. If we weren't able to see the truck we went back dropped our gear than went to eat. Dinner time we always unloaded our gear. Rinsed it and hung it up. We left the tanks in the truck though. Most of the time we ended up taking out our gear before going to a place to eat. Other than that i never rolled up the windows except at night never locked it and left nothing in the truck. When diving the only things we left were the small softsided cooler i use to haul my camera, and a cheap mesh bag the regs went in to. We didn't have a problem with these.

 

[Fouremco]

My wife and I will be going to Bonaire in January, and are really enjoying reading all the comments here. Although we've dived and snorkelled during other holidays, this is our first true dive trip. That poses a bit of a problem for my better half, however, as she's not sure that she can get both her dive gear and her usual selection of clothing into anything less than 4 suitcases!

Seriously, I'm planning on taking sandals, two or three pairs of shorts and and t-shirts, a couple of bathing suits and maybe a light shell and/or sweater. Perhaps one dressier shirt and shorts if necessary. Does that seem about right? Need my wife take much more than that?

Any need to bring a dive float? I'm so used to diving with one at home, but this will be the first time diving by ourselves during a holiday. I don't think I've seen it mentioned anywhere, and I've seen no photos of Bonaire with Diver Down flags, but thought I'd ask.

Keep the comments coming!

 

[scubaaaronh]

Seriously, I'm planning on taking sandals, two or three pairs of shorts and and t-shirts, a couple of bathing suits and maybe a light shell and/or sweater. Perhaps one dressier shirt and shorts if necessary. Does that seem about right? Need my wife take much more than that?

Any need to bring a dive float? I'm so used to diving with one at home, but this will be the first time diving by ourselves during a holiday. I don't think I've seen it mentioned anywhere, and I've seen no photos of Bonaire with Diver Down flags, but thought I'd ask.

Keep the comments coming!

You have your clothing about right we took a ton of clothes and hardly wore them most of the tiem we were in swim suits and wetsuits. We only dressed in regular clothing dor dinner each night. Something a little dressier is a nice idea, but i wore jean shorts a tshirt and ball cap when not in a swim suit, and didn't feel out of place anywhere.

Dive flag leave it home you wont need it.

 

[herman]

Just got back from Bonaire with DuptyDan and family. 2 or 3 shorts, a couple of swim suits, a shirt a day and some ratty old shoes is about all you need.
As far as leaving things in the truck, unless you can watch them I would not. If I had to bet I would bet they would be OK up town but why take the chance. We returned to the resort at lunch each day and rinsed the gear, needed more tanks anyway.

 

[Boat Chick]

My wife and I will be going to Bonaire in January, and are really enjoying reading all the comments here. Although we've dived and snorkelled during other holidays, this is our first true dive trip. That poses a bit of a problem for my better half, however, as she's not sure that she can get both her dive gear and her usual selection of clothing into anything less than 4 suitcases!

My first trip I took too many outfits and shoes...lol.... Now I just take a couple pair of casual shorts, some t's, and a couple pair of nice shorts, maybe a skirt. old flip flops, and nicer flip flops...and that's it. Even leave the make up at home cause you sweat so much it just drips off!

Herman, how was your trip?