New Years in Bonaire - Recommendations?

[double-bingo]

Husband and I are preparing for our third trip to Bonaire, and we're getting excited to return to our favorite sites (Salt Pier, Karpata) and trying some new sites (East side diving!). Since it's our first visit during New Years, we're looking for recommendations on the best places to spend New Year's Eve. I imagine the resorts have parties - are they generally open to people who are not staying there (we're at a small rental)? Is there live music anywhere? Any other recommendations or traditions to know about? Thanks!

 

[diversteve]

Here's one option with live music. IDK anything about the band or the club. New Years Party at Spice Beach Club

 

[tursiops]

Take earplugs. Firecrackers -- all night long -- are very popular.

 

[wwguy]

Bonaireans take their New Year's Eve fireworks seriously. You'll hear fireworks going off here and there in the days leading up to New Year's Eve, but things get crazy as the New Year approaches. Local vendors sell firecrackers and rockets, both large and small, to the general public. Some of the resorts also have professional displays over the water at midnight. You'll know it's coming because they'll move the boats off of the mooring lines and into the harbor for the night so they aren't damaged by the displays.

Captain Don's had one of the best shows several years in a row, but last year didn't do much. Habitat has a new general manager since Jack Chalk passed away in 2014, so I don't know if the big show will return there again. As Steve mentioned, Spice (the night club at Eden Beach Resort) usually also throws a big New Year's Eve party. We've never gone to it because the dance music is so loud that it can be heard from a couple miles away. We can hear it up in the Habitat/Hamlet Oasis neighborhood. It's been our experience, at all times of the year, that all of the resorts are open to outside guests willing to patronize their bars and restaurants.

This year it looks like the big party on the north end of town will be at the new Coco Beach restaurant and bar that went in this year on the empty lot between Eden Beach and Den Laman (near Bari reef dive site.) They're promising a big night on their websitehttp://www.cocobeachbonaire.com/event/2016-new-years-party-at-coco-beach-bonaire/, including live music.

If at all possible you should rest up the night before and sleep in as late as you can on the morning of New Year's Eve, especially if your accommodations are near town. The fireworks lit by local residents usually continue until near dawn on New Years Day.

We're looking forward to arriving this weekend for our 7th consecutive Christmas and New Year holidays on the island!

:jumping:

 

[tursiops]

We're looking forward to arriving this weekend for our 7th consecutive Christmas and New Year holidays on the island!

LOL! We decided once was enough. We avoid Carnival and Regatta weeks too. But everybody should try them once!

 

[wwguy]

LOL! We decided once was enough. We avoid Carnival and Regatta weeks too. But everybody should try them once!

It's certainly busy on the island over the holidays. But we love being in warm sunny climes when the longest darkest coldest days of the year pass by at home. This is also the only time of year I can get away from work for 3 weeks in a row.

 

[Costa Reefing]

I spent last newyear at the little havana bar, plenty of fireworks, live music and lots of deals on drinks! The owners had made some nice oliebollen and were giving it out to customers as well