Bonaire report trip2; The good, the bad and the ugly.

[DiverVince]

Scuba E.. There are many other smaller more intimate places to stay on Bonaire than the mega dive resorts. I honestly suspect one of them would have been more suitable for you. Why pay the price for an on water resort if in fact you don't have a view of the water?
Also, "in season" and especially over Christmas, reservations are an absolute must. Service especially over NYE will be compromised as it is in many other places. Hope you'll enjoy your next trip better!

 

[piikki]

The lockers were available on our last trip, but I've since read that all the clasps were removed, so they aren't lockable. We simply found it easier to have the routine of grabbing our gear from the gear room after dinner every night and taking it to our room. Gear room only holds BC, wetsuit, fins/booties.

Doh, I would certainly need to check on the locker issue then. What on earth would be the purpose of the lockers if not lockable?? We used them all the time for extra tanks and 'lesser' gear (boots, fins, weights etc) when gear room filled up.

And I agree with you and Robin that it just made way more sense to grab the gear after afternoon's dive from the gear room (before crowds came in), and get it into the balcony. Balconies got a fair amount of breeze and stuff dried there way better than in gear room.

I am not sure if it's fair to whine about gear rooms not getting stuff dry in lot of Caribbean destinations. Probably most places should encourage people hanging stuff outside in windier covered areas first, then move them in secured areas for storage (better yet have someone do it while we 'lax...) Though it would certainly help to provide adequate space... I hate to have others' boots dripping into my stuff...

I have to disagree about the price though. It's somewhat hard to beat the DL:s studio price on or off the beach anywhere on Bonaire, and as I like to eat on my own schedule I appreciate their well-appointed kitchens. I would prefer not to run the stairs either though. It gets old fast.

 

[VinoBambinos]

The lockers were available on our last trip, but I've since read that all the clasps were removed, so they aren't lockable

Just returned from a Bonaire trip January 3rd and I can confirm that the lockers now have hooks instead of the clasp and cannot be locked...we used them a few times to store Nitrox bottles for late night dives from the pier. The rest of our gear went straight to our balcony.

 

[VinoBambinos]

I was amazed reading your trip report that things could go so differently for two groups at the same time. My wife and I arrived on Bonaire Sunday (Dec 27th) with a group of 24 people from our dive shop. We stayed next door at Sand Dollar (same dive op) and after being told that it would be extremely crowded were all surprised when it never materialized.

The only nights we needed to make dinner reservations were the two nights we had 20+ people dining together (Cactus Blue and Richards) otherwise we never experienced any problems being seated (lunch or dinner), and the only crowds we saw while diving were a couple of spots (Oil Slick and Hilma Hooker) most dives we were the only people at the site or there were one or two trucks.

On New Years we dove the house pier (Bari Reef) with a group of seventeen divers, entered the water at 11:40PM to ring in the New Year underwater, an awesome experience.

We have already asked our dive shop to schedule the same week for the coming New Year, and also will be booking a trip in June with a smaller group.

BTW, several in our group have been to Bonaire many times and all expressed that this was the best trip they have experienced.

Sorry to hear you had a less than similar experience.

 

[scuba e]

Sorry to hear you had a less than similar experience. [/QUOTE]

Glad you had a great trip. Its been about a month now and we have talked about it quite a bit.

We are still unhappy with the overall picture compare to diving Belmar in June. But please dont paint us into a picture of pampered patrons. My favorite diving is still Roatan which is light years behind in comforts. When we travel we are looking for underwater time. i would (and have) beach camp to get in an extra dive a day.
I think our down fall was comparing this trip to the last. Way too many people this time around. We had also been so surprised with the service and food that we were really looking forward the the "comforts of home" and great diving. We did not get that this time.
The diving was really good but not as good as last time. And the service at sunset was just sad.
In Southern California you have to love to dive to dive in the winter. I do but it's tough. but we have alot of great food to choose from and that leads to very competative service. I guess we are spoiled.
I really like bonaire. I love the freedom to flee the boats and the guides and DM;s and set our own schedule but that was compromised with Den Laman.
I read the responces and yes, we could have "broken the rules" and brought our gear up to the room. I just cant do that. I refuse to be the "Ugly American". I try to be the example and not the norm. If you have not noticed in your travels we (Americans) are looked on as a very arrogant, pompas bunch. I really try to follow the rules of the locals as I expect travelers to the US to do the same.
All that said, Boanairfe is awsome. It is really good diving. You will see ALL the carib locals. It is in no way 3rd world and very safe.
The theft issue has not surfaced for us but is real. When the rental car comes with stickers that tell you to leave your windows down, doors unlocked and and gear not left inside, that is a problem. But is is there Country.
One last note on "their Country". The locals take to littering like a Mexican Bordertown. My wife and I try to surface with at least one peice a plastic per dive. We witnessed a local mom pull into the Den Laman parking lot just to throw a soiled diaper over the wall and another launch a styrofoam food container out the window on the east side. Nice. When in Rome... I dont think so. We picked up and put both peices in the appropriate recepticle.
We felt much less welcome by the locals on this trip than the last but it could have been the holidays.
If you have not been, go. After reading this you can only find it better than you thought it would be. This report was purely a comparison based on time and location. i hope it serves all well.

 

[robint]

Yes, we took our gear to our room and put it on patio, but it wasn't against the rules at Buddy's where we stayed. As a matter of fact, the balcony's and patios to each room have drying hooks on the wall, perfect for BCs and wetsuits to hang. They also have tables and chairs where we spread out our booties, fins, etc. I don't think it would be so if it was against the rules!

look behind my husband, out to the patio, you can see the hooks!

 

[scuba e]

Agreed, Den Laman is the only dive resort I have been too that had such a rule. Good to know in advance.

 

[DiveMaven]

I don't recall that Den Laman has any rule about not allowing dive gear in your room or on your lanai. I believe they simply ask you not to carry or wear "dripping wet" suits/gear upstairs due to the slipperiness of the stairs and floors. We've never had any problem taking our gear (damp, not dripping wet) upstairs.

I can't understand their choice of materials for the floors/stairs given that mostly divers stay there, but oh well.

 

[keithdiver]

I agree DiveMaven, i always just clean it , put it in mesh bag, and off i go upstairs to the flyingfish room 3rd floor with that lovely view, and hang it over the patio furniture outside. The floors are another issue.!!! Those have to be the biggest accident waiting to Happen on the island , why not spend 40dollars$ if that much and put slip strips on the stairs? It is a no brainer

 

[scuba e]

No doubt. I know tile is cheap and easy to clean but come on. Maybe IKEA doesnt have non-skid in the catalog. Hehe. I must say though, the staff keeps the rooms super clean and the stairwell/hallways sparkling.

I also agree that the "rule" is more a suggestion. I doubt you would be removed from the resort for taking wet stuff up. Someone on the second floor consistanly was tracking wet footprints up the stairs the whole week. And yes, it made them slick as ice.
For us, we would do a pre dinner dive and then i would normally do a dive around 8 or 8:30 so my stuff was soaked.
I had averaged 5 dives a day so after that night dive I just wanted to get to bed. It woudl not have been impossible to stash tanks and wait for gear to dry but it was just getting to be like work.
That predawn dive is magic. It is so fun to watch the reef awaken and I always come out energized for the day. But it is really hard not to just turn off the alarm clock at 4:30am. With the added "work" involved it jsut made it too much of a hassel. But not impossible.

At Belmar (nice reef but not as nice as Beri) we rolled out of bed, pulled on a wetsuit, walked out of the patio slider, geared up, walked down to the dock, grabbed an unlockered tank and dove. Watch the sun come up from underwater and exited in reverse order. Very very EZ.

Because of the ease I was able to do 31 dives when we stayed at Belmar. At DL I only did 26.