First Trip! A few random questions..

[MikeT73]

32 Days and we will take our first trip to Bonaire! Flying Delta from ATL Nov 14-21. We are staying at Buddy Dive and doing the Dive & Drive package. We might do a 2-tank boat dive while we're there but are certainly emphasizing the shore diving.

- While it seems most sites are directly accessible by truck, how do you dive the few sites that are behind resorts? (Cliff, for example)

- Where is the best place to purchase liquor and beer? (Both price and selection)

- Have you been to or could recommend a "Snack"? We'd like to mix in a little local integration along with the popular tourist stuff. We're not flying this far to hide under our bed!

- Is there a place where on most nights we could wind down with a drink and some live music?

- Precautions about leaving truck unlocked, windows down, nothing of value, etc at dive sites are read and understood. I assume divers (and sites) are targeted for various reasons but how do you go about this going other places? Restaurants, grocery store, etc.? What if we were to spend a day at Slagbaai snorkeling and touring and needed to leave some gear in the car while we climb Brandaris? I get the whole dive site thing, but just curious about "routine" destinations.

- While I understand topless sunbathing is technically not allowed and the locals are more on the conservative side, I have also read that it is tolerated some places. What are your experiences and observations with this? My wife would like to do a little since it is virtually nonexistent in the U.S., but also has no desire to flaunt anything where its frowned upon.

If you can think of any bit of additional advice that a pair of first-timers could use I'd love to hear it. I've read through many threads here so I guess I know the basics, but there are so many details that can make a vacation great!

 

[redacted]

Good questions.

The Cliff is accessible through Hamlet Village. You follow their road back to a dive shop with large parking lot. It is a great dive. DM at Buddy will give you directions. Other locations like Small Wall require permission.

We have been to Bonaire about 10 times and have yet to see the need for boat dives.

We drove up into the park once. It was nice but I would rather spend my time diving. There is a good lunch place in Rincon, Rose Inn, that is authentic and good. Goat is surprisingly tasty. We have never had any problem in town with thieves but you may want to lock some stuff in the cab in town or at the market. Plenty of people so break-ins very unlikely in populated areas.

I believe there is a nude beach on the south side of Lac Bay. (Or you could come to Austin, TX and hit Hippy Hollow.)

Best place for night life is under water - Buddy is a great and easy night dive. Bari Reef right off the circle is also good.

Vander Tweel (sp?) has all the food and drinks you could want.

 

[DeputyDan]

Buddy's frowns on the topless sun bathing.
Some other places don't.

If your wife is not doing all the dives she might consider riding with you to one on the southern dive sites and laying out there. They are more conducive to that sort of thing than the northern sites are (Except ole blue).

Do not - repeat do not let her lay under the local trees for shade. One of them has a resin that has the same effect as poison ivy. Not something you want to experience.

 

[diversteve]

Maiky Snack - Bonaire is one option. I haven't been there.
If you go through Rincon there's Rose Inn - Bonaire.

Not much live music on Bonaire.
Little Havana might be one option: https://www.facebook.com/LittleHavanaBonaire
Deco Stop at Habitat just north of Buddy's advertises live music 3 nights/wk - no idea what kind.
It's a decent bar with a view also. https://www.habitatbonaire.com/dining/

Karel's Bar is an unwinding spot in town but no music afaik. https://www.facebook.com/karelsbeachbar

There's also Spice Bar at Eden Beach but it's more of a bar/restaurant with DJ than live music venue. Apparently they occasionally get a group in there. http://www.edenbeach.com/en/dining.php You could walk there from Buddy's and you'll pass https://www.facebook.com/cocobeachbonaire before you do.
If a DJ is your idea of live music.

One thing to do is the Beach BBq at the Plaza Resort on Wednesday. It's AI now but I'm sure they still sell it to walk-ins. They have a steel drum band during the evening. https://www.plazaresortbonaire.com/en/facilities/all-inclusive/entertainment Better food than we expected.

I don't honestly think there's any one place with nightly live music. So you might have to drive around to find it.

---------- Post added October 13th, 2015 at 04:18 PM ----------

I'd suggest if you follow Dan's suggestion that you bring a beach chair if possible since most beaches on Bonaire other than at the resorts are coral rubble not sand. Also refreshments/water since you won't find any of that either. The only place to find food on the south side is the food truck - often found at one of the kite surf beach areas on the west side. They have a facebook page but I can't remember the name of it. Good thing about the wife staying on the beach is it's 99% less likely someone will mess with your truck while you're diving.

It's Van den Tweel. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Van-den-Tweel-supermarket/271881629590878 Warehouse Foods is practically next door also.
Antillean Wine Co. has beer and wine. http://www.infobonaire.com/supermarkets/


At all the dive resorts drive up shore diving is an acceptable option. At Habitat you pay a $5 fee to use the lockers/facilities but you swim north from there to Cliff typically - which as mentioned above can also be accessed thru Dive Friends at Hamlet Oasis. At all the others it's common courtesy to check in at the shop first. At Bonaire Dive & Adventure you'll want to rent a tank to dive Bari Reef IF you use their dock. The owner is pretty firm about guests only since there was a recent feud over dock ownership with Sand Dollar Condos next door. But there's also a public entrance - take the next right immediately past Den Laman's entrance and follow the dirt road to the water. The above mentioned Coco Beach will be to your left the entire time.

btw, since you're staying at Buddy's I believe you can also exchange tanks at their other shop at BelMar condos in Belnem which is 5mins from the start of the southern dive sites. Check to be sure but we stay at Belmar which has reciprocal privileges at Buddys. Park at the far south end of the lot, the fenced gate is where the tanks are. The analyzer is inside if diving Nitrox.

---------- Post added October 13th, 2015 at 04:42 PM ----------

I might do a couple boat dives also. Rappel is a good site you can't get to any other way. Forest off Klein is on our top 3 list. And we dove/tried to dive many of the "better" sites. Besides Bari and Cliff, I can't think of a third resort dive I'd make a special effort for.

 

[wwguy]

32 Days and we will take our first trip to Bonaire! Flying Delta from ATL Nov 14-21. We are staying at Buddy Dive and doing the Dive & Drive package. We might do a 2-tank boat dive while we're there but are certainly emphasizing the shore diving.

- While it seems most sites are directly accessible by truck, how do you dive the few sites that are behind resorts? (Cliff, for example)

Most sites listed as "shore dive" sites on the marine park map have public access. Cliff is a great example. A few shore dive sites, like Buddy Reef (Buddy Dive) or La Machacha (Habitat) require access via private property. In these cases it's good form to request permission from the dive shop first, but I've never heard of them denying it.

- Where is the best place to purchase liquor and beer? (Both price and selection)

Zhung Kong market in Hato, just north of Buddy Dive, is a small market operated by a friendly Chinese family but has a good selection of beer and spirits at competitive prices. Bonaire Gift Shop in downtown Kralendijk has a good selection of wine and spirits. They've got more liquor variety but the prices are a bit higher. The grocery stores carry beer and spirits too.

- Have you been to or could recommend a "Snack"? We'd like to mix in a little local integration along with the popular tourist stuff. We're not flying this far to hide under our bed!

If you really want to go local look up Gilbert "Gibi" Winklar and see if he's available to cook for you at your place. If he is available I suggest turning him loose with menu and shopping. His BBQ is delicious and his prices are ridiculously affordable. Ask him to bring his family too. They're great people and their knowledge of local and world culture are humbling.

- Is there a place where on most nights we could wind down with a drink and some live music?

Moogie has been playing at Buddy Dive's beach bar at Happy Hour on Friday nights since we first started visiting in the late 90's. He's at Habitat on another night, but I'm not sure which one. There's a new restaurant & bar called Coco Beach located between Eden Beach and Sand Dollar (just south of Buddy Dive) that is the current local happening place.

- Precautions about leaving truck unlocked, windows down, nothing of value, etc at dive sites are read and understood. I assume divers (and sites) are targeted for various reasons but how do you go about this going other places? Restaurants, grocery store, etc.? What if we were to spend a day at Slagbaai snorkeling and touring and needed to leave some gear in the car while we climb Brandaris? I get the whole dive site thing, but just curious about "routine" destinations.

You'll be fine inside the park because the thieves are lazy and cheap. Otherwise take a few extra minutes and drop your gear off at your apartment before heading out to dinner etc. The island is small and it doesn't take long. For impromptu grocery shopping you can either temporarily lock gear in the cab of your truck or leave a designated watcher outside with it. We prefer the latter.

- While I understand topless sunbathing is technically not allowed and the locals are more on the conservative side, I have also read that it is tolerated some places. What are your experiences and observations with this? My wife would like to do a little since it is virtually nonexistent in the U.S., but also has no desire to flaunt anything where its frowned upon.

Your best bet is to ask someone at the resort where the best places to lounge topless are. The nudist resort and beach mentioned previously (Sorobon Beach Resort near Lac Bay) is switched back to traditional operation a few years ago.

If you can think of any bit of additional advice that a pair of first-timers could use I'd love to hear it. I've read through many threads here so I guess I know the basics, but there are so many details that can make a vacation great!

However slow you think you're diving, you should probably go slower still. That's when the frogfish and seahorses will begin to appear!

Enjoy your trip! 67 days and counting down until our next visit to dushi Bonaire!

 

[deedeediver]

(QUOTE)
However slow you think you're diving, you should probably go slower still. That's when the frogfish and seahorses will begin to appear!

REPLY: Okay Guy, again with the frogfish!! hahahah,,, ,well just got back from our latest trip we did find a few seahorses and I am happy to say they were not rubber! LOL Now - again,, no frogfish. Why dont you tell me where you leave those little guys!!

 

[MikeT73]

Thanks for all the replies! A few responses:

I guess it follows that live music probably isn't widely available due to the size of the island. I like the suggestion of the steel drum band, that sounds interesting.

Van den Tweel is on our to-do list for Saturday to stock up on food for the week. Good to know they have liquor. Also nice that there is another store (Zhung Kong) close to Buddy for any quick trips.

Thanks for the tip about tank swaps at Belmar. I'll ask them when we do our orientation if that's an option.

Wife does dive, but she's fairly new. I'm sure she'll do 90% of the diving I do, but I'll make sure to tell her not to lay under the trees. Yikes! We'll ask the staff about topless-friendly places if Buddy's isn't cool with it there.

Interesting advice about the park. It makes sense that the majority of visitors there are tourists so items may be safer locked in the truck than at the dive sites. Still might be a little nervous though..

It sounds like we have several evening options within walking distance from Buddy's. Can't wait to try them out!

 

[RJP]

Thanks for the tip about tank swaps at Belmar. I'll ask them when we do our orientation if that's an option.

Caribbean Club Bonaire (right by Oil Slick Leap) is also a Buddy tank spot. Nice to have one up north of town, esp before getting to the one-way portion of the road.

 

[DeputyDan]

I have stayed at all three - The Belmar, Buddy Dive and the Caribbean Club.
I much prefer The Belmar, while my wife prefers the Caribbean Club.
Buddy's comes in third for both of us.

 

[howswedeofme]

Van den Tweel had a great selection overall for food/beverages, but for liquor (and toiletries) we couldn't find better prices than Zhung Kong. Also, free booze tastings (pretty unlimited) at the distillery in Rincon. That was a great time - just make sure you go when there isn't a cruise ship in port. Our favorite night out (which wasn't hoppin' in the least), was dinner next to/above the water at Habitat. Tossing food to the tarpon was quite entertaining. As to a "snack," I loved stopping at the Cactus Blue truck. The lionfish sandwich was delish. Get there early; they could sell out. We left our stuff in the truck in Rincon, at restaurants, and at the grocery store without issue. I'm not sure about up at the park since we didn't go there.