Going to Bonaire in January and need Recommendations for a Place to Stay and Dive!

[drrich2]

Ways to handle food...my style, anyway.

1.) Stayed at Buddy Dive Resort - breakfast buffet included in price. Eat up.

2.) Lunch - PB&J sandwiches, one or two maybe, & a can of fruit cocktail or similar, with supplies from a grocery store.

3.) Supper - 'Catch of the Day' at a restaurant. Order water to drink since refills may not be free. Figure it's gonna cost close to $20, give or take, plus there's tax & tip.

4.) Pick up 20-packs of Coke Zero at Zhung Kong Supermarket just north a bit from Buddy Dive Resort.

So, food bill's not cheap for me, but not real bad, either. I don't drink alcohol, which tends to save money, too. YMMV.

Richard.

 

[Lorenzoid]

. . . Secondly, there is a grocery story from where you can buy groceries to cook for yourself but the charm of being on a vacation disappears when you are spending vacation time cooking.

Over-generalization there. The group I travel with to Bonaire will on any given trip number as few as six to as many as 12 people, sharing a house, and we share the cooking duties. Someone always volunteers. Several of us really enjoy cooking. Standing in the yard with a cold Amstel in the evening while tending steaks on the grill and gazing out at the sea is something I look forward to. Even for those who find it a bit of a chore, cooking ONE dinner or breakfast or making sandwiches for lunch during the course of a week is not that bad. We're also a laid-back group, and by the time the early risers are returning from the on-site shore dive, the late risers have the eggs sizzling away.

I suspect your comment was intended to refer to your own personal experience, but I just wanted to add that everyone's situation is different.

 

[wwguy]

Over-generalization there. The group I travel with to Bonaire will on any given trip number as few as six to as many as 12 people, sharing a house, and we share the cooking duties. Someone always volunteers. Several of us really enjoy cooking. Standing in the yard with a cold Amstel in the evening while tending steaks on the grill and gazing out at the sea is something I look forward to. Even for those who find it a bit of a chore, cooking ONE dinner or breakfast or making sandwiches for lunch during the course of a week is not that bad. We're also a laid-back group, and by the time the early risers are returning from the on-site shore dive, the late risers have the eggs sizzling away.

I suspect your comment was intended to refer to your own personal experience, but I just wanted to add that everyone's situation is different.

+1 for this. Daily access to an outdoor BBQ is an accommodation requirement for us. We love both the social and economic aspects of preparing our own meals, not to mention the tropical Caribbean ambiance. We stay for several weeks when visiting Bonaire and typically only eat dinner out about once a week, if that.

To each their own...

 

[KeithG]

The Divi has gone thru a recent remodeling. IDK the extent of it since a buddy was there during it but parts were off-limit that week. They also have the only Casino on-island althought it's pretty small. Also their house reef got trashed in a storm and the shallows pretty beaten up - IDK if it's recovered to the point it was 10 years ago. Unless they've done some massive remodeling the rooms were all pretty small and old.

One thing to check when looking at the Divi is "which" rooms you are booking. The range of rooms is very different. Based upon my general observation the Divi is made up of 3 different resorts combined over time (I could be wrong):
- the dual level timeshare units near the dive shop/casino
- the single level tiny rooms in the middle
- the dual level 5 wing resort rooms at the south end

I have only stayed in a timeshare and a water front bottom level resort room (our current preference).

We were there in March-ish of this year and the construction appeared to be mostly cosmetic as opposed to functional. The south pool was being totally overhauled and appeared to include a swim up bar. The concrete walkways where being overlaid with interlocking bricks (why?). The grass area between the water and the casino was replaced by a big sand kitty litter box (sunny spot for cruise ship sun bathers?). One wing of resort rooms against the road where being gutted. No idea on how many. They were also ripping down the defunct "crows nest" bar / yoga platform in the resort area. No idea what was going in there.

 

[ekretchmer]

Thank you Doctorfish for your recommendations and suggestions!

---------- Post added November 11th, 2015 at 11:43 PM ----------

Thank you!

---------- Post added November 11th, 2015 at 11:44 PM ----------

Thank you!

---------- Post added November 11th, 2015 at 11:52 PM ----------

Thank you all for your feedback and recommendations!!

 

[LiveTheDream]

I'd certainly leave some time open to eat out at local restaurants. You can have a very good meal every day and not eat anything similar. Wonderful fresh fish, good Italian, great sandwiches. We really only had one bad experience in two weeks and that was supposed to be one of the best fancy, expensive restaurants (It Rains Fishes). Otherwise, we had wonderful meals from $ (cheap) to $$$ (pricey with wine), but all very good with good-to-great service.

 

[drrich2]

A few thoughts...

1.) If you stay at a resort with an onsite restaurant you like, you can 'make it AI' by eating there nightly, if you wish. I did that at Buddy Dive Resort my last trip. Not my 1st Bonaire rodeo, I'd eaten around on prior trips, & I was trying to cram in a lot of diving. So I ate supper there nightly. Probably not what you'd want to do on a 1st trip.

2.) You need to rent a truck to get the 'real' Bonaire experience. Unless you arrange in advance & pay extra, it'll be manual. Bonaire is pretty 'rustic,' and even the capital Kralendijk isn't hard to get around, but the street signs are Dutch. You could try to learn them in advance. I suspect a lot of people sort of 'wing it.' Going with a group who've been there before can be helpful.

3.) Get boots, not just 'booties.' Something with a thick sole, for walking on irregular, at times jagged, iron shore while geared up.

4.) If shore diving is new to you, here's a tip - talk in with your fin straps around your wrist (or however you secure them) till you're in waist deep water, then put your fins on; do the reverse as you exit. There's irregular iron shore under the water and you do not want to 'duck walk' in & out wearing fins.

Richard.

 

[LiveTheDream]

Yes, thanks to advice here I got Seasoft Sun ray boot. Great for walking in, out, across roads, down paths.

I wore Lycra socks with mine and no blisters.

 

[deedeediver]

okay, i have a very nice place vrbo.com/277834. it is not on the water, it is secure and designed for divers with a rinse tank and private dive locker. whole house airco basically everything a diver needs. We are across from Eddy's restaurant and right next door to bon bid gym. Just email me or look up my guest recommendations.
It all depends on what you are looking for.
Dee

---------- Post added November 14th, 2015 at 08:26 PM ----------

Yes, thanks to advice here I got Seasoft Sun ray boot. Great for walking in, out, across roads, down paths.

I wore Lycra socks with mine and no blisters.

Owieeeeeee on the previous booties.. LOL

 

[weezieharris]

Have you stayed at Eden Beach? Did you like it? Currently on my list of hotels to consider for our next visit. Thanks!