HELP! Plaza Resort Bonaire Gets Mixed Reviews

[gypsyjim]

I would return to either Buddy dive or The Plaza tomorrow. Den Lamen, I was less pleased with, because of limited access to tanks. The units at Den Lamen were really nice, but having no access to tanks after 4 or 4:30 was a hassle I will not repeat! As they are the dive op for Sand Dollar too, I have avoided staying at SD.

At either Buddy dive, or the Plaza we have access to tanks 24/7. Buddy dive's set up is the most convenient for me, and when I stay off resort (often) it is their shore dive package that I chose to use, for that reason.

 

[akirawut]

gypsyjim: Word on the street is that BDA has set up after hours access. I could be wrong.

 

[gypsyjim]

gypsyjim: Word on the street is that BDA has set up after hours access. I could be wrong.

If so that is new. When we were there we got in the habit of packing the storage bins with tanks, but I heard they put a stop to that later. Having access to gas would be a positive, and put DL or SD back on my short list as I like the units there, and the new restaurant is nice too!

 

[jcroy66]

We were at Sand Dollar/BDA July 23-August 6.

Yes, there was 24/7 access to both the gear room and to the tanks at the dock (both air and nitrox). They are investigating options for 24/7 access to the drive-up tanks. And of course, you can always grab tanks from the dock and haul them to the parking lot. But for us, when we wanted tanks outside of "business hours", we usually just dove the house reef, since Bari is such an awesome dive.

Plaza (at least when we were there last year) did NOT have 24/7 access to either the gear room or nitrox tanks. Only air tanks.

 

[jcroy66]

If so that is new.

Yes, it is. The 24/7 access started mid-July.

 

[gypsyjim]

Plaza (at least when we were there last year) did NOT have 24/7 access to either the gear room or nitrox tanks. Only air tanks.

Nitrox, no. Gear room: ask Alex in the dive shop. It is available for ones who seek.

 

[gypsyjim]

As I do a lot more shore diving than boat on bonaire, I never used my locker at all this last trip, and our truck was never not stocked for the next 2 dives, at the least. For the few boat dives I did, I just carried my gear to the boat, and my nitrox was already prearranged and on board.

I did not think I got to do a lot of diving this last June, being sort of group leader, but my log says I did 27 dives in 6 days, so the Plaza seems to have worked out well for me again this year.

 

[Mike]

Just some comments not to defend the Plaza, but to give some information to those who might go there

Perhaps the biggest surprise is for those who boat dive. You have to bring your gear AND WEIGHTS AND TANKS from your locker and tank area to the boat every morning. They do not leave weights on the boat and they do not place tanks on the boat for you. Part of this has to do with checking your own nitrox but the more spoiled divers that like to just show up with a light gear bag were in for surprise when they had to haul weights and tanks. The distance from the gear locker (where you lock your weights) is about 40 steps so not that bad.

Bonaire- is the shore diving capital of the Caribbean. Whenever you go to another country the diving and customs are based on that country. Bonaire being the shore diving mecca it is, it has some different diving customs, the biggest being since it's know for it's unguided shore diving the boat diving takes on a different flavor. Since divers going to Bonaire are capable of going unguided and taking care of everything themselves the boat diving reflects this. The dive masters aren't going to be looking out for you or pampering you, they are just along for the ride and to show you a sea horse or two. You're going to be expected to basically be hopping a ride on the boat and doing your dive and taking care of yourself.

As for the weights, well, again Bonaire is about shore diving. You should be picking up your gear from your locker every morning and heading out to shore dive and all you need to do is grab your weight belt with weights still on it, that you set up yourself on day one and carry it to the truck. You turn in the belt and the weights at the end of your trip. When you get on a boat to boat dive you take your shore diving set up along with you, that's why you aren't going to see weights handed out on the boat, they expect you came to shore dive on Bonaire and your weights are on your belt your entire time there.

Maybe I'm just a "vacationer" and not a "diver", because I probably wouldn't go back to Plaza. For reference, we stayed there the first week of August 2010. I don't know if we had a renovated room or not. Probably we did, as the room itself seemed nice.

If you were in one of the renovated grande rooms near the beach and pool we are talking about then believe me there would be no mistaking it. They look like this.

The bathrooms have huge glass walled walk in showers, bidets... etc..

As for tanks and nitrox and stuff. Keep in mind there is nothing stopping you from grabbing anything you want the night before and stuffing it in your truck for the next day.


As for not being able to access gear - unless things changed the lockers were always available 24/7, we kept it all in the locker, every morning backed the truck right up to the side of the dive shop, walked like 10 feet to the lockers and tanks, loaded up and were gone.

 

[South4Scuba]

Thank you to all the divers that responded to my thread. We have not changed our reservation and will be staying at Plaza Resort in October. We are divers and we have stayed at many different dive resorts. The comments were spot on about how dive resorts differ from 5-star vacation resorts. We have had our share of surprises, but we lived with it and put unacceptable resorts on our do not return list.

Perhaps the most interesting thing I learned from this thread is to take wash cloths. It is kind of amusing to me that most of their guests must be from the USA and yet they don't get the message about our customs. Maybe I'll take several wash cloths and leave them behind as a hint.

Being a diver and expecting only dive resort ammenities, I still demand running water, air conditioning (mainly to dehumidify) and clean food. I'll report back on ScubaBoard when I return.

Just my opinion, the best dive resort in the Caribbean . . . Little Cayman Beach Resort. Try it if you haven't been there.

 

[RJP]

Nitrox, no. Gear room: ask Alex in the dive shop. It is available for ones who seek.

24hr diving with Nitrox is easy at Plaza... once you realize how many tanks can fit in the dive lockers by the fill station or the back seat of your truck.



My buddy and I did 6 nitrox dives a day for a week - from 6am to 10pm - with no problem.