First trip outside the USA! - Bonaire!

[Jetwrench]

Amen.
The locals on Bonaire are some of the friendliest people you will meet. Slow down, get off the beaten path and stop to talk with anyone you meet. On my last trip I had not made it 30 ft from the taxi when one of the Buddy staff was hugging me with a warm "Welcome back dushi". (Dushi= sweetie...)
Darn PBD, I want to go now!

Ditto!!
It's called island time and you can not fight it. Just go with it. As herman suggested, "sssllooowww doowwnn"! Then you will really have a great time and experience what Bonaire is all about. Patience and a sense of humor will go a long way.

Hey herman! I've yet to be called dushi. What did you do!?

 

[djac5700]

Just wanted to throw out some more information about the earlier comment in this thread about exchange rates and using ATM/credit cards:

Visa/MasterCard do not have anything to do with ATM withdrawals, unless you are making withdrawals on your credit cards - which I do NOT recommend (talk about finance charges!). The ATM networks, the bank who owns the ATM, and your bank are the ones who have an opportunity to charge fees. Check with your bank before you travel to find out what fees are charged for international cash withdrawals. The bank who owns the ATM is also required to physically post any fees on the ATM or prompt you during the transaction.

As for credit card purchases, some issuing banks very inconspicuously charge an exchange fee. You should always call your credit card company to ask if they include any fees for purchases made internationally or in another currency. You would be shocked at how much you may end up paying. For example, many banks include a 3% surcharge in the exchange rate. Others charge nothing. 3% may not sound like a lot, but I'm willing to bet that many of you put that last hotel bill on the ol' Visa card, and a $1000 charge would be an extra $30 in one transaction...

BTW - one more note while talking about plastic: Be sure to call your card companies before you leave to inform them that you will be travelling to Bonaire. You would not want them putting a block on your card for suspicious transactions while you're over there.

 

[Allspread Grapealo]

Just to add my .02,

You pay for the departure tax at the window in the airport terminal. It's just past the store to the right of the check-in counters. Last time I was there it was a green awning. It's marked.

Does this apply for AA? I know out of Curacao on AA the departure tax is added onto the price of the plane ticket and the gate agent staples a receipt onto my exit card. Going AA out of Bonaire, do I have to pay separately (i.e. not tacked on by AA to plane fare already).

Been to Curacao several times, first trip to Bonaire is coming in April.

 

[Far_X]

Just wanted to throw out some more information about the earlier comment in this thread about exchange rates and using ATM/credit cards:

Visa/MasterCard do not have anything to do with ATM withdrawals, unless you are making withdrawals on your credit cards - which I do NOT recommend (talk about finance charges!). The ATM networks, the bank who owns the ATM, and your bank are the ones who have an opportunity to charge fees. Check with your bank before you travel to find out what fees are charged for international cash withdrawals. The bank who owns the ATM is also required to physically post any fees on the ATM or prompt you during the transaction.

As for credit card purchases, some issuing banks very inconspicuously charge an exchange fee. You should always call your credit card company to ask if they include any fees for purchases made internationally or in another currency. You would be shocked at how much you may end up paying. For example, many banks include a 3% surcharge in the exchange rate. Others charge nothing. 3% may not sound like a lot, but I'm willing to bet that many of you put that last hotel bill on the ol' Visa card, and a $1000 charge would be an extra $30 in one transaction...

BTW - one more note while talking about plastic: Be sure to call your card companies before you leave to inform them that you will be travelling to Bonaire. You would not want them putting a block on your card for suspicious transactions while you're over there.

This has mainly come about because of the companies offering DCC services. Previously, all fees were hidden in the exchange rates. Who knew what exchange rate was being used until you got your statement. Now that software companies can let you pay in your own currency at the pojnt of sale, Visa and MasterCard realised they were going to be missing out a big revenue source so they immediately applied a foreign transaction fee just for using your card in a different country. And rather than a straight forward transaction fee, they decided they were going to charge a percentage based fee. Thos extra digits in the electronic messages really push up the cost of transferring data around...NOT! We have written DCC software for our customers so know about their mark ups. Some are competitive, some are not.

 

[Far_X]

Does this apply for AA? I know out of Curacao on AA the departure tax is added onto the price of the plane ticket and the gate agent staples a receipt onto my exit card. Going AA out of Bonaire, do I have to pay separately (i.e. not tacked on by AA to plane fare already).

Been to Curacao several times, first trip to Bonaire is coming in April.

Yes, you have to pay separately. I have flown on both Jamaica and American and had to pay the departure tax myself both times.

 

[under water]

As for credit card purchases, some issuing banks very inconspicuously charge an exchange fee. You should always call your credit card company to ask if they include any fees for purchases made internationally or in another currency. You would be shocked at how much you may end up paying. For example, many banks include a 3% surcharge in the exchange rate. Others charge nothing. 3% may not sound like a lot, but I'm willing to bet that many of you put that last hotel bill on the ol' Visa card, and a $1000 charge would be an extra $30 in one transaction...

I just got a Capital One (yes the one that advertizes like crazy) to travel take to Bonaire because they do not charge a fee for foreign transactions. They even eat the 1% that visa or mc charges and do not add on the additional 1 or 2 percent that most banks do.
BTW you get charged that foreign transaction fee even if it is in $$ or your own currency.

 

[djac5700]

Frank -

Glad to hear of your new card... I won't go announcing my place of employment, but I'm happy with your selection BTW - I'm in Fraud Risk Management, NOT marketing!

 

[rottielover]

Thanks again for all the great advice!

 

[rottielover]

As the trip date get's closer I find that I have another question:

How do you guys transport your money with you? I've read a bunch of trip reports, and the general idea I got was too plan on around $50 a dinner for a couple, and around $25-35 for lunch, snack's etc. (Breakfest included in package).

So just in meal's I was figuring around $600 for the week (is that too high? too low?). I also wanted to make sure I have enough "spending cash" on hand for the obligitory T-Shirt, or gift shop item that the wife wants to buy, as well as having the money on hand for departure tax and park fee.

All told I'm thinking I need to have right around $1500 on hand for the week, does that sound too high or low to you guys?

Now, having said that, I'm uncomfortable with even having $100 bucks in my wallet on any "normal" day here in the states. I use my check card for everything now-days...

So are most of you making use of the ATM's on the island, or using money belts, or ???

 

[Cecil]

Yes at least $600 but less than $1500. We normally split it 4 ways, 1/4 each in purse/wallet the other two quarters hidden somewhere in the carry-ons. It all goes into the safe once on Bonaire and doled out as needed. I've never used the ATM's but do use credit cards for most dinners.