Eating in Bonaire

[aus.diver]

My wife and I are looking at staying at Buddy's at the end of September, this will be our second trip like this our first was to Coco View in Roatan. At Cocoview all the meals were included, at Buddy's it appears from e-mails they do have a meal plan, lunches $16.00, dinner $42.00 PP, seems high, can I eat cheaper outside of Buddys?

Thanks

 

[mala]

My wife and I are looking at staying at Buddy's at the end of September, this will be our second trip like this our first was to Coco View in Roatan. At Cocoview all the meals were included, at Buddy's it appears from e-mails they do have a meal plan, lunches $16.00, dinner $42.00 PP, seems high, can I eat cheaper outside of Buddys?

Thanks

check the small print at buddies.
you may get a 50% discount if you spend more than $150 on your room account.

dining out is quite expensive in general on bonaire.

 

[herman]

You can do a lot better, both in cost and food. Buddy's is not bad but there are plenty of other places. I suspect there is some miscommunication in the emails, there nothing on the Buddy menu that is remotely close to $40 per meal.....I can only think of one place that has meals that expensive and that is lobster night. My suggestion is to eat the breakfast, buy PBJ and other items for lunch and have a nice dinner. I disagree with Bonaire being expensive. While it's more than eating at McDOnalds, the prices are well inline with those in most any US city....and the food is better. Most place have meals in the $15 to $25 range.

 

[oly5050user]

You can do a lot better, both in cost and food. Buddy's is not bad but there are plenty of other places. I suspect there is some miscommunication in the emails, there nothing on the Buddy menu that is remotely close to $40 per meal.....I can only think of one place that has meals that expensive and that is lobster night. My suggestion is to eat the breakfast, buy PBJ and other items for lunch and have a nice dinner. I disagree with Bonaire being expensive. While it's more than eating at McDOnalds, the prices are well inline with those in most any US city....and the food is better. Most place have meals in the $15 to $25 range.

Totally agree. We do not find the menu at Buddy's to be considered expensive. Yeah its a little mote than what you can get at Mcdonalds if thats what you are used to. Places all over the island to go for meals.From tourist trap type joints to local fare.

 

[BDSC]

I'm wondering if the price you are showing us is for two people. That would make sense if it is. I know you are saying it's per person but it just doesn't add up. I've stayed at Buddy's a number of times and never came close to $16 for lunch.

More than likely your deal at Buddy's will include breakfast. The lunched there are not bad and we usually eat lunch there when we return from our morning dives. But there are a lot of great places to eat on the island for dinner much less than $42. I wouldn't want to do a meal plan on Bonaire anyway.

 

[DeputyDan]

I agree don't go with a meal plan - but do do include breakfast with your package it nice and relaxing.
There will be lots of other divers to swap lies with!

---------- Post added ----------

There really isn't a "coco view" on Bonaire. But both locales are worth visiting.

 

[gsk3]

Self cater if you are so inclined. We love Bonaire, but food is not its strong point. I got lots of advice on where to go while there beforehand, and we went there, and all of it was expensive and mediocre at best. I say this not to insult Bonaire but so you can avoid the disappointment and frustration that we had during our first visit. Self-cater as much as you can (the grocery stores are pretty good--expensive compared to US prices but way cheaper than eating out).

 

[aus.diver]

I did reply back about the meal pricing I was given from Buddiy's, I figured that was for 2 people, they did say that was per person though. I looked at their menu online, and those prices seem closer to a what 2 people would be paying. From the replies it sounds like I would be better off just winging it when we get there.

Thanks

 

[gbf]

Wing it when you get there.

There are plenty of good (not great) places to eat on Bonaire, at various price points.

We generally eat breakfast in the condo, lunch is a picnic/leftovers, then big dinner out. It is not uncommon for us to spend north of $100 for 2 for dinner at the "fine-dining" places on Bon. On the other hand, it is entirely possible to feed 2 for half that or less. If you eat in the "touristy" places you're going to spend more. Eat in the local, off-the-beaten path places, you'll spend less. What a surprise...

I second the advice to take BD's breakfast plan. When we stayed at the resorts (haven't in a long time) we'd always sign up for the breakfast plan simply because it was convenient, and usually pretty good.

 

[drrich2]

When we stayed at Buddy's, I ate breakfast buffet there, lunch via groceries from Warehouse Bonaire and Van Den Tweel supermarkets, and supper out at a restaurant.

You'll likely want to line up some known & popular places; Wil's Grill, City Cafe', Pasa Bon Pizza (where else do you get fish pizza?), Bon Appetit (more a lunch place for me; Chinese food, decent price, not buffet though), Cactus Blue (has a rep. for being a bit expensive) & It Rains Fishes (which was expensive when I ate there). Richard's was nice, too. I did eat at Buddy's onsite restaurant & it was good, too.

Hitting the popular restaurants is part of the experience to me, I suppose.

Richard.