Newbe to Bonaire

[twashowich]

I say the Sand Dollar.....RT air from ATLANTA to Bonaire, and the 7 day package in a 2 bedroom condo with unlimited Nitrox was $1490. per person.

stayed at the Sand Dollar for the last 3 years..best on the Island.

pool, club, bars, dive shop, fish eye photo, everything you need and the BEST reef on the island at your front door. - BARI REEF

 

[ucrtwf]

Ok,
My wife and I have been reading, researching, and discussing every combination in we've found on the net. We're looking at Happy Holiday Homes. My biggest question now with HHH, and others (besides Buddy Dive), is if we can get (nitrox)tanks when ever we want (after normal dive shop hours). Is it a PITA to go through a different dive shop not on site?
Again, thanks for all your replies- very good info in each one.
Take care,
Tim

 

[driftwood]

Go on Bonaire Talk - The place to discuss everything and anything about Bonaire! and checkout Happy Holiday Homes. I remember nothing positive or negative, just raises a flag in the back of my mind.

 

[Mossman]

Ok,
My wife and I have been reading, researching, and discussing every combination in we've found on the net. We're looking at Happy Holiday Homes. My biggest question now with HHH, and others (besides Buddy Dive), is if we can get (nitrox)tanks when ever we want (after normal dive shop hours). Is it a PITA to go through a different dive shop not on site?

Not sure about HHH, but the way BDA (Sand Dollar/Den Laman) handles it is you have to get your nitrox before they lock up the tanks around 4:30 p.m. They have lockers near the dock where you can stash your tanks until you're ready to dive them.

 

[BonaireDiver]

Very basic room, but pleasant enough. Not on the water. I don't think they have a dive op on site....could be mistaken though. We just crashed there for two days waiting for our room at the Belmar to become available, so we dove with the shop at the Belmar.
You might consider looking at the Belmar Resort across the street. In any case if you stay at HHH I would use the dive shop at Belmar, it is run by Buddy Dive. This will allow you to get tanks there at the Belmar, they give you a key to the cage, as well as Buddy dive up north of town at their world famous drive through air fill...ok so you really just pick up new tanks and drop off the old ones. It makes it real handy to have tanks available both north and south of town.

 

[ucrtwf]

Thanks for all the info. You are all awesome. We emailed HHH and they tell us they do have some oceanfront options in addition to their "across the street" from the ocean options. We are on this track right now...investigating HHH. Your comments led us to start poking around Google Earth, and we pulled up the sattelite images of Bonaire...if you haven't done it, it is way cool. I located Belmar and tried to copy and image to here, but it won't work. I like your idea of diving with the Buddy Dive operation at Belmar if we stay at HHH. HHH suggetsted Dive Friends across from the airport, but that seems too far away, and I don't think they offer Nitrox. Can someone tell us where HHH (it wasn't labeled on Google Earth) is in relation to Belmar, and where the Belmar dive shop would be in relation to HHH?

Is anyone familiar with the "Oceanfront" HHH accomodations?

We are invetigating through the other avenues you all have suggeted too! Thanks!

 

[reefdiva]

HHH suggetsted Dive Friends across from the airport, but that seems too far away, and I don't think they offer Nitrox. Can someone tell us where HHH (it wasn't labeled on Google Earth) is in relation to Belmar, and where the Belmar dive shop would be in relation to HHH?

HHH is just south of Belmar. There is a road just past Belmar that bears to the right (if you are heading south). HHH sits between that road and the "main" road. The Belmar dive shop is located on the road by their building. I would not dismiss Dive Friends if HHH suggested them. They have four locations for tanks, Nitrox at all four and easy parking for loading tanks.

 

[BonaireDiver]

Dive Friends is also an excellent choice. However, I don't think you have true 24 hour access to tanks, you just have to plan ahead a little and take a spare tank for night dives etc., they do offer Nitrox. You will find most all the major dive ops on BON now offer free (or almost) upgrades for Nitrox as long as you have your cert. card.

You might try this link for other places to stay: Info Bonaire - Hotel, Resort, Condo, and Apartment Listings on Bonaire in Alphabetical Order

Reef Diva is correct about HHH location. I believe that the Ocean Front rooms for HHH might be almost across the street from their main area.

The Belmar dive shop is located on the south end of the Belmar. That puts it closest to the HHH compound. While looking at Google Earth, the Belmar is the orange colored roof resort with the pool dead center of the resort, right at the fork in the road. Go south on the fork a little ways and you will see yet another fork in the road. HHH is the compound in that fork in the road. Now much, much larger than the pict, depicts.

FYI it's about 4 minutes to the airport from Belmar. Not sure, but incase you haven't heard...GET THE PICKUP TRUCK.....

Jim

 

[Bluessailor]

You'll want a rental truck, no questions, just do it!

The best part of diving Bonaire is the shore diving and you will need the truck to access them. We enjoyed the south end of the island the most, site beyond Hilma Hooker. Don't just focus on the deep part of your dives. Some of the best critters inhabit the shallows, ie turtles, rays, etc, 25'-35' in the sand.

You will love Bonaire!

Brad

 

[LaiLaiDiver]

I just got back from 2 weeks diving in Bonaire and it was incredible - you will love it!

I noticed there's a company offering a week in Bonaire package for $599, as long as you go in the next couple of months - that sounds pretty good. There's a posting for it under the Travel: Group Trips section of this forum.