Bonaire
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Just do a search, you can spend hours reading trip reports. We are making our first trip in June with a local dive group staying at the Plaza Resort. Can't wait.
Everyone has their favorites, and they are all fine. You'll need to provide some more info, though. There's low budget, high brow; condos, houses, hotels; on the water, off the water; etc, etc.
Tell us a bit about your budget, who's going, how many, etc.
Plus, go to the ABC Islands sub-forum for more specific discussion. You can spend every minute between now and October reading the info there.
There are four of us going and one is not much of a diver due to a knee replacement. We like nice places but being in the real estate business we'll need to be budget conscious. Also, since my buddies wife won't be diving much if any a beach, nice pool, etc. would be preferable. Also, I know the shore diving is good but we prefer boat diving.
If you want a beach, you're looking at Plaza Resort which is the only place with a "real" beach of any measure on the island of Bonaire. (Besides Harbor View Resort, which is right out if you're budget conscious.)
As you may or may not know, Bonaire's coastline is almost entirely "ironshore" which is as hard as concrete right to the water. If the non-diver is hoping to feel warm sand between her toes, well...
:shocked2:
My buddy and I have been to Plaza Resort and really liked it. We had a recently renovated room on the second floor right by the dive shop. Nice balcony, high cathedral ceiling, giant bathroom. They do have 2-bedroom suites if you guys want to share accomodations.
Toucan Diving - the on-site dive op - is great and runs 2-tank boat dives in AM and 1-tank trips in the PM. The house reef (18 Palms) is very nice for an afternoon shore dive or a night dive after dinner, with tanks right there at the water's edge.
There's a bar right at the beach and restaurants on site are OK, but there are plenty of choices off-site. It's not walking distance to town, but you'll want to rent a truck to do some shore diving anyway.
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moved to the ABC forum.
chauncy19
Contributor
Grouda
i'll add what i know is true for me. best boat dives go through Carib Inn. I do like Bart of wannadive but for me first choice if boat diving is Carib Inn. Can try to stay there, but also Blachi Koko is near by.Have stayed there and highly recommend the two bedroom at blachi koko.
Eden beach has a "beach" and also Bart to boat dive with. I'd look into Windsock apartments another wannadive location. have never stayed there but am interested. I also see they have a new site at Sorobon Beach Resort. this is on other side of island with a great beach and vibe. best beach area on Bonaire. You'd be on other side of island from majority of diving and snorkeling. But if wannadive is there might work fine. You could email Bart at wannadive for more info. He's a great guy! If you have someone just hanging out this (Sorobon Beach Resort) might be best place for that. Not generally my thing but its got a more beach vibe than any where else on Bonaire.
best of luck in your search!
i'll add what i know is true for me. best boat dives go through Carib Inn. I do like Bart of wannadive but for me first choice if boat diving is Carib Inn. Can try to stay there, but also Blachi Koko is near by.Have stayed there and highly recommend the two bedroom at blachi koko.
Eden beach has a "beach" and also Bart to boat dive with. I'd look into Windsock apartments another wannadive location. have never stayed there but am interested. I also see they have a new site at Sorobon Beach Resort. this is on other side of island with a great beach and vibe. best beach area on Bonaire. You'd be on other side of island from majority of diving and snorkeling. But if wannadive is there might work fine. You could email Bart at wannadive for more info. He's a great guy! If you have someone just hanging out this (Sorobon Beach Resort) might be best place for that. Not generally my thing but its got a more beach vibe than any where else on Bonaire.
best of luck in your search!
drrich2
Contributor
Here's a link to one of my old trip reports, which may give you a feel for what your trip may be like.
For eating, plan to eat breakfast and lunch at your room, after you get groceries at Cultimara or Wharehouse Bonaire (there's also an Asian grocery store that's small but popular with some folks). Groceries cost too much, but the tank of gas you'll use in your rental truck for the week will be worse (I'm thinking over $60 our last trip; thankfully, we usually only have to gas up once).
Eating out, I like City Cafe' (lots of people do), Blue Cactus (some on the forum consider it extra expensive, though), Wil's Grill (where I had barracuda; if there are more than 2 or 3 of you, call ahead & make a reservation), Casa Bon Pizza (if I remember the name right; fish pizza is okay, and something of a novelty), Bon Appetit (Chinese food, pretty good prices, not buffet, but shark fin soup was on the menu so if you embargo places that serve it, well...) & Richard's (a little upscale). Some folks really like Casablanca. The Rib Factory was okay, but the rib racks were small. A few years back I ate at What-a-Burger (?spelling?) & it was okay. They have KFC (I live in KY; I'm not flying to the Caribbean to eat KFC!!!) & Subway (ditto, and I'm a Quizno's man). City Cafe' and Wil's Grill may be the safest choices.
Take bug spray. The restaurants are often open to the outdoors, and sometimes mosquitoes can nail your legs under the table.
If the guy with the knee replacement does some diving and needs easy entry, Windsock (the dive site, not the Windsock Resort, which also had a dive site just to confuse things) is pretty easy, with a big wooden pier you can go in & come out beside (which is why it's my go-to site for night diving). Eden Beach's site 'Eden's Rubble' is pretty easy in & out (pier with ladder, or use the submerged rock shelf), not much reef, but you can look at rubble and swim out around the wreck of the Bakanal. The Invisibles entry/exit is okay, but the swim out to the reef is a bit long.
Your rental truck will almost certainly be stick. The road signs will confuse you but you'll adapt. The electrical current is a little different from ours; some devices are said to run more powerfully there (we're 60 Hz, 110 MHz; I think they're 50 Hz, 120 MHz - but I haven't checked in awhile & I'm going on memory). You'll want to use a surge protector for electronic equipment, of course.
A popular option for people wanting a good experience & to save money (but it's not an ocean-front resort), Golden Reef Inn is often spoken well of on this forum.
Richard.
P.S.: Eden's Rubble is one of the few west coast sites that often sees significant current, as the sea is 'squeezed' between Bonaire & Klein Bonaire. Look at the moored boats. If they are perpendicular to shore, calm. If they are parallel to shore, you might want to stay out of the water.
P.S.#2: Windsock Resort has a ladder for entry & exit.
P.S. #3: Buddy Dive Resort has a rep. for a good house reef. If you've got people who don't like to drive to sights up & down the island (really bad homebodies), that might be an issue.
For eating, plan to eat breakfast and lunch at your room, after you get groceries at Cultimara or Wharehouse Bonaire (there's also an Asian grocery store that's small but popular with some folks). Groceries cost too much, but the tank of gas you'll use in your rental truck for the week will be worse (I'm thinking over $60 our last trip; thankfully, we usually only have to gas up once).
Eating out, I like City Cafe' (lots of people do), Blue Cactus (some on the forum consider it extra expensive, though), Wil's Grill (where I had barracuda; if there are more than 2 or 3 of you, call ahead & make a reservation), Casa Bon Pizza (if I remember the name right; fish pizza is okay, and something of a novelty), Bon Appetit (Chinese food, pretty good prices, not buffet, but shark fin soup was on the menu so if you embargo places that serve it, well...) & Richard's (a little upscale). Some folks really like Casablanca. The Rib Factory was okay, but the rib racks were small. A few years back I ate at What-a-Burger (?spelling?) & it was okay. They have KFC (I live in KY; I'm not flying to the Caribbean to eat KFC!!!) & Subway (ditto, and I'm a Quizno's man). City Cafe' and Wil's Grill may be the safest choices.
Take bug spray. The restaurants are often open to the outdoors, and sometimes mosquitoes can nail your legs under the table.
If the guy with the knee replacement does some diving and needs easy entry, Windsock (the dive site, not the Windsock Resort, which also had a dive site just to confuse things) is pretty easy, with a big wooden pier you can go in & come out beside (which is why it's my go-to site for night diving). Eden Beach's site 'Eden's Rubble' is pretty easy in & out (pier with ladder, or use the submerged rock shelf), not much reef, but you can look at rubble and swim out around the wreck of the Bakanal. The Invisibles entry/exit is okay, but the swim out to the reef is a bit long.
Your rental truck will almost certainly be stick. The road signs will confuse you but you'll adapt. The electrical current is a little different from ours; some devices are said to run more powerfully there (we're 60 Hz, 110 MHz; I think they're 50 Hz, 120 MHz - but I haven't checked in awhile & I'm going on memory). You'll want to use a surge protector for electronic equipment, of course.
A popular option for people wanting a good experience & to save money (but it's not an ocean-front resort), Golden Reef Inn is often spoken well of on this forum.
Richard.
P.S.: Eden's Rubble is one of the few west coast sites that often sees significant current, as the sea is 'squeezed' between Bonaire & Klein Bonaire. Look at the moored boats. If they are perpendicular to shore, calm. If they are parallel to shore, you might want to stay out of the water.
P.S.#2: Windsock Resort has a ladder for entry & exit.
P.S. #3: Buddy Dive Resort has a rep. for a good house reef. If you've got people who don't like to drive to sights up & down the island (really bad homebodies), that might be an issue.
midas6t6
Contributor
Our favorite restaurants are Casa Blanca and Unbelievables, but there are many very good restaurants on Bonaire.
The Plaza has an AI package but with all the good restaurants unless you're on a strict budget I'd pass on that package and do their 4D if you decide to stay there. Rates are reasonable, Grand Suites are very nice, most of resort was a bit run down when I was there last Sept, but I'd go there again. There are a lot of places to stay, from condos to upscale. Check this link for some of them Bonaire Lodging - Private homes, apartments and condo for vacation rentals
The Plaza has an AI package but with all the good restaurants unless you're on a strict budget I'd pass on that package and do their 4D if you decide to stay there. Rates are reasonable, Grand Suites are very nice, most of resort was a bit run down when I was there last Sept, but I'd go there again. There are a lot of places to stay, from condos to upscale. Check this link for some of them Bonaire Lodging - Private homes, apartments and condo for vacation rentals
DeputyDan
Contributor
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