dive in bonaire, then beach time in aruba?

[donnad]

dreaming about next summer's vacation already. want to go to bonaire and dive of course, then we'd like to follow that up with a couple of days relaxing on a beautiful beach........so........fly from bonaire to aruba for that?? which airline is best from bonaire to aruba? do they fly low enough that you don't have to wait 18hours after diving???

 

[alashas]

I've been to each of the ABCs. I prefer to dive as much as possible on vacation & beaches are 2ndary to that. However, if you want to enjoy great diving and fabulous beaches, take a close look at Curacao, because it has both. It does not have one long stretch of beach like Aruba, but beaches varying in length from 100 yards or so to much longer. Many of the beaches have dive shops where you can rent tanks and even gear if you need it. And many also have restaurants where you can spend your surface interval.

Here are some of the beaches at the western end of the island:

honeymoon2 : photos : Curacao Beaches Westpuntbaai Piscado, Forti, Playa Kalki- powered by SmugMug

And here is some of the diving at those beaches:
honeymoon2 : photos : Curacao Scuba Playa Kalki "Alice in Wonderland," Piscado, Kortape Point with Ocean Encounters West- powered by SmugMug

Here are some of the beaches in the central and eastern part of the island:
honeymoon2 : photos : Curacao Beaches Kleine Knip, Grote Knip, Lagun, Jeremi, Santa Marthabaai, Porto Marie, Cas Abou, Mambo, Pierbaai, Caracasbaai- powered by SmugMug

And here is some of the diving at those:

honeymoon2 : photos : Curacao Scuba Playa Lagun, Cas Abou- powered by SmugMug

honeymoon2 : photos : Curacao Scuba Porto Marie- powered by SmugMug

honeymoon2 : photos : Curacao Scuba Habitat, Sunset Waters House Reef- powered by SmugMug

honeymoon2 : photos : Curacao Scuba Dive Bus Reef Pierbaai, Tug Boat Baya Beach Caracasbaai- powered by SmugMug

safe diving, alashas

 

[vladimir]

Harbour Village Beach Club in Bonaire has a pretty nice beach. I guess they truck in the sand. It's on the pricy side, but it might make sense when you compare it to the price of an extra flight and the cost of losing a day of vacation to travel.

http://www.harbourvillage.com/

 

[donnad]

thanks guys. harbourvillage's beach looks fine!

 

[SBP Studios]

How does the Diving in Curacao compare to Bonaire? Our plan for next year is to hit Bonaire around August.

 

[bcleveland]

The Plaza Resort in Bonaire has a nice little beach. We hung out there for a day this past December while on a cruise stop. The wife and 2 girls took turns between being my dive buddy and laying out on the beach. They have a house reef right off the beach. Dive shop on premises (Toucan Diving). Seemed to be a nice place. Don't know prices for rooms, etc. Look here Plaza Resort Bonaire Luxury Accommodations and SCUBA Diving

 

[Damselfish]

I wouldn't mess with the extra flight if it's just to get beach time. As mentioned there are viable beach options on Bonaire and Curacao, they're just lots of smaller ones instead of one long strand like Aruba.

You might also look at Kura Hulanda lodge on Curacao (Playa Kalki) Between the beach there and maybe checking out some of the other beaches if you're into variety, you can certainly get your beach fill. OE West is there and Playa Kalki is excellent shore diving.

 

[dvrliz1]

Donnad,

There is also the small but lovely beach at the Windsurfing Place/Jibe City, a few lovely beaches in Washington Slaagbai park, The amazing beach at Atlantis, a Dive site and Kitesurfing, and quite a few more hidden gems that I know about....

You can have LOVELY beach time on Bonaire, no need for the extra $200 or so RT per person to Aruba....

Liz