Recommendation for single diver

[flounderin]

I will be escaping cold winter to Bonaire in January by myself. I usually go with the local dive club and stay at divi( the hotel was awful last year but still love the DMs) Anyhows, as a woman traveling alone I want to do a couple of days of diving, a bit of snorkeling, and some pool sun lounging. Can anyone recommend a safe place with a pool and walking distance for snorkeling? I don’t want to spend a fortune. Thanks in advance for any ideas.

 

[decompression]

Buddy Dive has 2 pools and a very private “beach” area.....an amazing reef right off the dock. Also, the boasts leave right there so easy to be buddied up for regular dives.

 

[dmaziuk]

single diver surcharge's gonna suck though

 

[KathyV]

Ask @drrich2 for advice, I believe that he recently did a solo trip to Bonaire.

 

[drrich2]

I stayed at Sand Dollar Condo.s, solo in Studio Unit F1, and was quite happy with it. Their pool is actually over by Eddy's restaurant, and you won't be looking at the ocean from it I suspect (didn't really pay attention to it). On the other hand, while Bonaire is not a sandy beach destination, Sand Dollar happens to have a small but respectable one, set immediately north of the pier they share with Den Lamen Condo.s (which also has a sandy beach, but Sand Dollar's looked way nicer).

 

[diversteve]

The Beach is the hard part since the resorts on the good ones are all going to have a sibgle supplement - and it's often 50-5060% or more.

IDen Laman does not really have a beach but is adjacent to Coco Beach Club. Downside is they just started construction on a new resort on I believe the north end of the property - someone recently stayed at Den Laman and heard it all day.
No Pool at Den Laman. Some really nice Studios bu I believe they face the parking lot.

Plaza Resort just south of yoen (walking to shops/restaurants has a bice beach. big pool and Toucan Diving onsite, Probably a single supplement also altough they offer the full AI package.

Everything you want is in town at the Divi also but their beach is Not great.

There's also some smaller rental units at Eden Beach resort plus pool and Wannadive onsite but their beach is oddly awful. terraced with timbers to keepit in place. There's a low curb you step over to access the ocean and when the tide is out there's maybe 29' of sand.

There's Delfins Beach resort down near Lighthouse Point with (I bellieve) a Dive Friends shop but everything would be a 10 min. drive to town from there. Also Not the cheapest place.

If you can do w/o the Beach, either BelMar Apts (the other Buddy Dive Shop) or Port Bonaire Condos )Dive Friends - have some smaller condos. All the units at BelMar face the ocean with nice Patios. It's a drive from there for food though - nothing onsite or walking distance.

All the places I mentioned have sborkeling just off the property. IMO Den Laman's is best. there's a rubble field just offshore and it's on the Bari Reef dive site - so is Sand Dollar.

 

[KathyV]

I will be escaping cold winter to Bonaire in January by myself. I usually go with the local dive club and stay at divi( the hotel was awful last year but still love the DMs) Anyhows, as a woman traveling alone I want to do a couple of days of diving, a bit of snorkeling, and some pool sun lounging. Can anyone recommend a safe place with a pool and walking distance for snorkeling? I don’t want to spend a fortune. Thanks in advance for any ideas.

You might also try checking out this site for single divers at the link below. They plan trips and they have a message board that provides advice for divers traveling alone. If someone is looking for a buddy they try to match them up, or if you are traveling alone they try to inform you about good deals for solo travelers. I have no personal experience with them but they've been around for a long time.

SingleDivers.com - About

 

[GrafCanuck]

I second DL or Sand Dollar. Captain Don's is ok. Also consider the Carib Inn just next to Divi if you want to remain in the immediate area and close to town. I stayed at Divi a year or so ago and won't go back.