Of these three Bonaire properties you would choose.....

[morecowbells]

My husband and I are both divers who looking into visiting Bonaire for the first time at the end of Jan. The closest we have been is Curacao. Loved it, but my husband wants to try Bonaire. After researching this forum along with Tripadvisor, we have started narrowing down our options.

Must haves:
-Quiet. Away from busy roads
-Safe. An area to hang our wetsuits/gear outdoors.
-Separate living room(husband is an up at the crack O' dawn on vacation type-I am definitely am not. The sooner he gets out of bed and lets me sleep, the better for everyone
-A/C in bedroom

Would like:
-Tank room
-Ocean view, even better if ocean front
-Minimal children(sorry if I offend families. I don't mind a few children, but not like a Disney Cruise)
-Laundry facility available at complex
-Pay less than $175 a night
-A/c in living area

I have found some interesting possibilities at Bonaire Seaside Apartments, Lighthouse beach Resort and Bonaire Oceanfront Apartments. Any input out there on these properties, or other suggestions? We will have a rental car. Thanks in advance for any suggestions

 

[TheWizard]

I tend to stay at dive resorts, like Buddy Dive, so I can't help...

 

[DiveMaven]

Have you looked at an ocean-front condo at Den Laman? I'm always up before my husband so we really like the full 1-bedroom units, and there's a/c in both the living and bedroom. With all the units on the 2nd and 3rd floors, you can leave stuff on your balcony without worry, and access to the stairwell requires a key, so security is excellent.

 

[diversteve]

Your third choice likely fails your must have criteria. Maybe your first choice also. Since both are on the main road along the waterfront downtown. Technically both qualify as ocean view, not oceanfront since they're (and just about every other business in that area) across the street from the water.

Bonaire Seaside is just north of downtown - it's in an area that traffic to the north dive resorts goes thru. We're not exactly talking rush hour though...lol.

Bonaire Oceanfront is closer to downtown - a couple hundred yards north? of Town Pier if I'm correct about the location - cruise ships now dock there regularly about 1/2 the year. Karel's Bar, City Cafe, all the shops, other restaurants are in that area also. You can also walk to the market. On weekends City Cafe may have live music till late.

Town Pier used to be a good night dive b4 the cruise ships started mooring there. Afaik it's now permanently closed. Looks like the ships will be there when you will - here's the schedule: Cruises To Kralendijk There's likely no shore dive there - downtown Bonaire has a concrete boardwalk waterfront with boats moored offshore. I think the first picture on the cruise site was taken from very near Bonaire Oceanfront to give you an idea of the proximity. There should be a dive at/near Bonaire Seaside.

Lighthouse Beach is quiet - it's south of town in south Belnem. The view can be obstructed from some of the units - some are waterfront, some are pool front but set back a little and others are blocked by the pool front units. We almost rented there once. This photo shows it: Location Map This is the dive there: Shore Diving Site Page for: Lighthouse Point - the buildings shown in the aerial shot at the bottom are LBR. It's a short drive to town for food from there - there's nothing nearby. All the really good southern dive sites start less than a mile from there though.

Consider Belmar Oceanfront Apts. in Belnem also. Belnem is very quiet, the units are fairly new (maybe 10+ yrs. old), it's a smaller complex with some 1br units so less likely for kids. There's a pool and their house dive is 50' from your patio. The other Buddy Dive shop is onsite so you get use of the Buddy drive-thru when diving north. Ground floor units have a locking dive closet outside the back door, the upstairs gets a locker next to the dive shop. 24/7 access for tanks/wet suit hanging etc. As seen in the photos, it's on an ironshore bluff so no beach. Every unit faces west so there's a view from both the living room and your patio. Decent shore dive, you'll do it on your BMP orientation dive. Food is within a five minute drive - either at the Plaza Resort or south Kralendijk. A/C only in the bedrooms unless that's changed recently.

One difference between Bonaire and Curacao is that there's absolutely no facilities at any dive site except those off the resorts. The upside is that the dive sites are much closer together than Curacao. Don't leave stuff in the truck while diving - there's some theft at more remote sites.

 

[diverrex]

I tend to stay at dive resorts, like Buddy Dive, so I can't help...

I really don't mean to be offensive but I always do wonder why in the world does anyone make a post saying they having nothing
meaningful to add, like why bother? I just told my wife what I was writing and she asked if I'm known on Scubaboard as an a-hole. Sorry I just couldn't resist making this comment.

I have not stayed there but just two weeks ago used the Buddy Dive op at Belmar. I think Belmar might meet your criteria. The dive op was great. I would also look for private condos on VRBO but the good ones rent fast, possibly already booked for January. The private condo we rent is already booked solid the first 11 weeks of 2013.

 

[Lorenzoid]

My dive buddies and I like the Belmar condos. Since their dive op is affiliated with Buddy Dive (as diverrex said), you have your choice of either facility. The drive-through air station at Buddy Dive is pretty cool.

 

[morecowbells]

Thank you everybody for responding and messaging me in response to my query. I looked into everyone's suggestions and combed through the internet. While Belmar and Den Laman look amazing, they ended up costing more then we were hoping for. Between the outrageous airfares and traveling to Bonaire during it's peak season, it has been more challenging from a budget perspective. The unit at The Lighthouse which we really liked ended up getting booked during our time frame.

After our exhaustive research, we decided to book at Bonaire Seaside Apartments. It is a 2 story one bedroom unit which has the bedroom on the opposite end from the road. It is located next to Dive Friends Yellow Submarine where we will be able to store our gear in a secured area. An additional bonus is that it is an easy walk to the restaurants.

I really am pathetic. I am completely looking past Thanksgiving and Christmas in eager anticipation of our dive trip. I will be sure to post a trip report and share the experiences of our first trip to Bonaire.

 

[phoenix31tt]

I really am pathetic. I am completely looking past Thanksgiving and Christmas in eager anticipation of our dive trip. I will be sure to post a trip report and share the experiences of our first trip to Bonaire.

lol you call that pathetic? then what would you say about me... i'm completely looking past christmas and everything that lies between our trip to bonaire in april 2013 lol...

hope you have a great time

 

[wwguy]

I really am pathetic. I am completely looking past Thanksgiving and Christmas in eager anticipation of our dive trip...

lol you call that pathetic? then what would you say about me... i'm completely looking past christmas and everything that lies between our trip to bonaire in april 2013 lol...

We're definitely pathetic... last thing we do before leaving Bonaire is leave behind a post-dated deposit check for our next visit a year away. 78 days away and counting. <sigh>.

 

[DeputyDan]

I have booked Belize for next summer and am looking at a liveaboard two years out.
I always book at least 9 months out