Roatan vs. Bonaire

[pilot fish]

Ellen, you were right. Thing is, someone has to tell divers the truth, right?

John, I told you this would happen.

 

[Adaveke]

...
Caribbean nations, like Bonaire, do not publish statistics on crimes against tourists, for obvious reasons.

lets note that Bonaire is part of the Netherlands and not a Caribbean nation per se.
Since the oficial language is Dutch maybe one should try to search on dutch sites and scientifical databases?
http://www.cbs.an/files/Publicatie Slachtofferenquete BonCurSXM.pdf
Page 12 of this PDF file and some babelfish will give you a good idea about the statistics. But still you can interpret any statistic in any way you want. Please keep in mind that "there are lies, damn lies and statistics". (Benjamin Disraeli)

Further down the line you can see that the percentage of people who experienced a theft from their car is higher on St Maarten and Curacao than on Bonaire. I'll take my chances.

Now back on toppic: I've not yet been to Bonaire (going in March) and have not yet been to Roatan. So, OP, I'm sorry that I am of no value to you.

 

[Reef Tank]

Also, I heard that Buddy's was broken into and I think at Capt. Don's, someone broke into a room when the guests were in there.

I loved diving at CCV. I thought the reefs were more lush in Roatan than Bonaire. I may be wrong but it seemed to me that there were less fish in Bonaire this past December than when I was there two years ago.

I was at Captain Don's that week, 12/5. They came in through a window at night. A diver on our boat had his trunks stolen from the clothes line and dived all week with shorts. The island doesn't have a lot of money to solve the problem.

 

[pilot fish]

lets note that Bonaire is part of the Netherlands and not a Caribbean nation per se.

oooooooooooooooooooooooh, thanks for that. :laughing:

 

[pilot fish]

I was at Captain Don's that week, 12/5. They came in through a window at night. A diver on our boat had his trunks stolen from the clothes line and dived all week with shorts. The island doesn't have a lot of money to solve the problem.

Well, divers making unintentional/forced donations is helping

 

[Papa_Bear]

To the OP, I have been doing Roatan for many years and they have their problems as well, but the diving in both places is great! I like Roatan's big groupers and the frog fish in Bonaire! Roatan is only 2:20min ride from Huston and you get there are a reasonable time! From LAX the time to Bonaire is longer but better as far as traveling time of day! I did Bonaire twice in the last 4 months and would go back in a heart beat! The problems there are over com-able as I see it. Roatan is about more boat dives and Bonaire is Shore and some boat! So I would say do both! BTW the Bugs in Roatan steal more from me than the ones in Bonaire!

You can see both places on my web site!

 

[Papa_Bear]

PF If I were you I wouldn't go to Bonaire! Especially since you declared WAR on the Island Nation!

 

[Trixxie]

I have the PERFECT Solution... have your buddy (OP) join us to Roatan and then they can see which they like better

 

[1_T_Submariner]

I'm going to start spreading the word that Bonaire is a Crime infested dump for heaven sakes they don't even have stop lights, fast food, or chain hotels. NO Wal-Mart!

SO I must say STAY AWAY don't go you will have a miserable time.


Well I hope that keeps Bonaire a small paradise. I'll be back for our fall trip in October (But I probably won't like it again!)

 

[robint]

Back to the OP.............
I hope you got the information you were seeking about the differences in diving at Bonaire and Roatan.

And sorry this has once again turned into a Bonaire bashing thread.