Bonaire Trip Recommendations Please

[scubadobadoo]

I like Den Laman condos on Bari reef. Clean, nice, great "house" reef right on the property, affordable for what you get, on the water, decent dive shop on site, decent eats on site, etc...

I also liked Buddy Dive but they are a bit expensive IMHO.

No really horrible places to stay in Bonaire but as I get older I prefer a decent hotel room to make me feel like I am on vacation. Who cares for 5 stars but 3 stars can be nice at times. Some of the places, while still decent enough for most, remind me of those run down roadside motels you find in towns in northern Florida. Cheaper in Bonaire usually means away from the water, older properties, and VERY basic decor. Adequate for most looking for a budget trip.

Other than mosquitoes, no one time during the year really effects diving in Bonaire with any significance to speak of. It's always nice!

Tanks...just what you need. Nobody really cares unless you start asking, lol. That's Bonaire. Enjoy!

 

[scubaeric]

Hi,

Just returned from 2 weeks on Bonaire. Stayed with Divi Flamingo for a week and Buddy Dive for a week. Both offer great shore diving, daily breakfast and boat dives. While at Divi we rented a truck for a few days from AB Truck Rentals. I'd rent with them again. While at Buddy, we paid for the package that included a truck all week.

Few of my favorite dives:

Invisibles, Oil Slick Leap, Alice in Wonderland, Hilma Hooker, 18th Palm, Just A Nice Dive (Klein Bonaire)

We ate breakfast at the resorts and dinners around town. Food is excellent. A few of my favorites:

Pasa Bon Pizza - Thanks Joe!

Warung Louise (Indonesian Food)

Cactus Blue Restaurant (Excellent BBQ Burger, Lobster Dish, Chicken Dish ... I pretty much liked everything on their menu that I tried.)

Imperial Japanese Bar & Restaurant

Sizzlin' Apple Pie with Ice Cream at Papaya Moon Cantina

One tip on dining, go early.

Should I ever go back to Bonaire I think I would try and find a budget condo with kitchen, cook my own meals, rent a truck and only do shore diving.

Overall it was a great trip and one day I'll return. I do love the freedom to dive pretty much anywhere at anytime.

Thanks to Serge at Divi Dive Shop, Mama & Monica at Buddy Dive Shop, Bruce at Carib Inn Dive Shop, and to the mystery guest that left a bottle of Tequila with the attached note "To Eric's" on our doorstep.

I've put a few pics online at my website

Eric

As far as accommodations we don't really need anything very elaborate. Just a clean bed in a safe environment. A good breakfast would be great too. As far as cost we tend to be more on the penny pincher side than anything else.

Where is a good place to rent a vehicle from? I wasn't sure if there were locals that did great rentals there or if they even have major chains.

 

[Ruminari]

Great info everyone, I'll definitely check out the Dive book.

 

[Trwmodela]

I just got back from my first trip to Bonaire. We stayed at the southern end of the island the place was called Belmar Apartments. My recommendation for serious divers is Buddy Dive Resort. On my next trip I am staying at Buddy's!

 

[agilulfo]

As far as accommodations we don't really need anything very elaborate. Just a clean bed in a safe environment. A good breakfast would be great too. As far as cost we tend to be more on the penny pincher side than anything else.

Then you should definitely check out the Black Durgon Inn. A Diver Package costs $398.00 per person a week including breakfast.

Where is a good place to rent a vehicle from? I wasn't sure if there were locals that did great rentals there or if they even have major chains.

Black Durgon Inn will arrange a rental with AB for you.

 

[piikki]

If you are penny pincher, forget about the breakfast and just get a place that has a kitchenette. If you are really serious about diving, you will be in water when everyone is serving breakfast anyway, and the most convenient way is to get groceries in your own fridge, eat early breakfast, pack a lunch/snack and get going at the crack of dawn.

We just did a week at Den Laman and paid $1000/person (including airfare from Newark, studio with kitchenette, truck, and unlimited shore diving with nitrox). Can't beat that price per dive with 4-5 dives a day. Had breakfast at Buddy's one morning but even they started serving only at 6:30 am. I liked to get going early and take a break at siesta=hottest time of the day.

 

[Ruminari]

Great info everyone keep it comming.

 

[reefdiva]

As far as accommodations we don't really need anything very elaborate. Just a clean bed in a safe environment. A good breakfast would be great too. As far as cost we tend to be more on the penny pincher side than anything else.

Where is a good place to rent a vehicle from? I wasn't sure if there were locals that did great rentals there or if they even have major chains.

As mentioned, Black Durgon might fit the bill. Breakfast is served in their community kitchen right on the water. Guests can store food in one of the refrigerators as well and there is a barbecue grill on site. Plus the house reef is Small Wall! Al also manages Diver's Paradise which has 7 very basic but clean one bedroom apartments. He can arrange truck rentals from AB. Other rentals that we have used and likes are Island Rentals and Bencho. Both are locally owned.

 

[Papa Steve]

If you are penny pincher, forget about the breakfast and just get a place that has a kitchenette. If you are really serious about diving, you will be in water when everyone is serving breakfast anyway, and the most convenient way is to get groceries in your own fridge, eat early breakfast, pack a lunch/snack and get going at the crack of dawn.

We just did a week at Den Laman and paid $1000/person (including airfare from Newark, studio with kitchenette, truck, and unlimited shore diving with nitrox). Can't beat that price per dive with 4-5 dives a day. Had breakfast at Buddy's one morning but even they started serving only at 6:30 am. I liked to get going early and take a break at siesta=hottest time of the day.

Where did you get that deal?

 

[alashas]

My 2 brothers and I stayed at Den Laman Den Laman Condominiums Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles, Dutch Caribbean for our first trip to Bonaire last April for 10 days and thought it was a great place to stay. Beds were a little firmer that what we prefer, but we got used to them. Fully furnished condo with complete kitchen, AC. Staff was great. We did all of our breakfasts and some lunches in our condo. Bonaire has a lot of very good to excellent restaurants, with one of the best right at Den Laman. Dove with BDA and recommend them highly. Did one boat dive and the rest were shore dives, which was our first experience. Fairly easy to do and it was great to dive at our own pace.

Still haven't edited my uw shots, but have some land photos here: honeymoon2 : photos : Bonaire 2007- powered by SmugMug