Bonaire

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For any one heading down that way, we found a wonderful restaurant by accident one night heading to the casino. There is a small Peruvian restaurant in Kralendijk in the alley just across from the police station and radio tower. We had dinner there a couple of times and it was excellent. Five star cuisine at three star prices, four of us had dinner one night with the main meal, two rounds of drinks and two appetizers for $110 usd.

I will not recommend the Reef Restaurant at Den Laman if you have a large group, the service was exceptionally poor. Our group, 12 people didn't get served for two hours one night.....I went in and sat down at the empty bar one night and gave up after five minutes of being ignored by the bar staff.

The Palaya Moon was an excellent Mex cuisine spot but a little pricy, very large servings though. In fact, the first night we found the Peruvian place, the proprietors from Palaya Moon were there eating, got to be good if the locals eat there!

Breakfast was good at the Sand Dollar pool/bar and Sonja and Eddie did a fine job.

Of course for a cheap lunch, there is the Subway downtown!
 
For large groups, You can't beat the BBQ buffet at Rum Runners on Monday Nights. Pizza from Pasa Bon Pizza also works for large groups if you call ahead, but in general, large group service is going to be slow anywhere else. I organized a trip for 15 people last January, and I will not encourage group seating at a restaraunt any more.

Tom
 
great report i will be going to bonaire in may 09 (5th trip)same hotel glad nothing has changed this is a group trip and should be fun will let you know what i find
 
You are so right about the crazy orientation at BDA.

The length is beyond stupid!

So do you have to stick around for the whole thing? What can they possibly talk about for over an hour? Does anyone ever complain about the length?
 
^^^ After 1 and 1/2 hours with no signs of stopping we got up and left. The guy was told that everyone in our group had been on the island before.
 
First it's the normal dive briefing stuff about different spots around the island. Then they go over marine park rules, and basic buoyancy control. Then they take you to the dock, and show you how to checkout tanks, analyze the O2%, and tell you a little about the house reef. Then they show you were the Northern sites are on the coastline. Then it's over to the tank pickup to show how to take out tanks with a car, how to sign up for boat dives, where the photo shop is, and then they seem to draw it out even a little longer for no reason.

They used to offer a shorter orientation, but don't anymore. I almost think they try to drag it past 11am so you can't sign up for that boat dive.

Tom
Tom
 
Great report Tom. Did you get a chance to dive with Benji? You could have rented doubles from him.
 
Great report... I need to make it there sometime....

Phil
 
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