Sand Dollar or Den Laman

[Kharon]

Neither - Hamlet Oasis - Best house reef, best dive shop (Dive Friends Bonaire).

 

[diversteve]

Neither - Hamlet Oasis - Best house reef, best dive shop (Dive Friends Bonaire).

Nowhere near as nice as Den Laman, not waterfront and Cliff is not as good as Bari reef.
All 3 are Dive Friends shop locations though but to get on a boat you have to drive down to DF at Den Laman from Hamlet. Or Yellow Sub in town.

About the only advantage the dive has is the verticalness. It's certainly a more difficult entry. It's almost easier from Habitat's dock except for the swim.

 

[Trailboss123]

Nowhere near as nice as Den Laman, not waterfront and Cliff is not as good as Bari reef.
All 3 are Dive Friends shop locations though but to get on a boat you have to drive down to DF at Den Laman from Hamlet. Or Yellow Sub in town.

About the only advantage the dive has is the verticalness. It's certainly a more difficult entry. It's almost easier from Habitat's dock except for the swim.

 

[lmorin]

To correct a few things...The pool at Sand Dollar is not in the parking lot. It is on property belonging to Eddy's Restaurant which is adjacent to Sand Dollar. Sand Dollar guests are permitted to use the pool at no added charge.

Yes, both locals and guests at Den Laman do, unfortunately, use the nice little beach at Sand Dollar, but it is quite frowned upon by Sand Dollar owners. Use of the beach is open to all, but access to it is either via the water (which is ok) or across Sand Dollar property (which, as signs so state, is not ok, except for guests and owners).

Potential guests should know that there is a generational turnover of ownership underway at Sand Dollar. It will take a while to complete, but as a result, an ever increasing percentage of the rent-able units have been significantly upgraded. The renovation process is ongoing on a unit-by-unit basis.

Yes, the furthest unit from the dive shop might seem a long way, but nobody at Sand Dollar complains about walking along the longest resort shore frontage on Bonaire! That frontage is wonderful and serves as the focus of the almost nightly guest/owner sunset socials which are such an attractive feature at Sand Dollar.

 

[diversteve]

To correct a few things...The pool at Sand Dollar is not in the parking lot.

I stand corrected - sort of....The Pool is not in the parking lot - it's actually slightly farther beyond it. View is still blocked by the condos though.

 

[peeweediver]

Thanks to all and anyone else who comments going forward. I think I may wait until DEMA and see if anyone knocks my socks off with a DEMA special. Buddy Dive, Captain Don's, Sand Dollar and others are there. If no socks knocked off, Den Laman it shall be. First, however, 15 glorious days in Raja Ampat, both live-a-board (11 days) and land based (4 days) after Thanksgiving. What a year ahead!

Rob

 

[Dark Blue]

Last time I stayed at the sand dollar (Summer 2017), the AC in one room (of a 3 bedroom unit) was inoperable and another had a sewer line backed up so the shower wouldn’t drain and the room filled with an impressive stench. The staff failed to resolve either problem or relocate us (and insisted we pay an additional fee to turn on the AC in the living room to make it livable for people to sleep in).

I guess you could put my vote down for Den Laman

(FWIW, though, that was my first bad experience after many visits there. It was, of course, enough not to go back)

 

[Doctorfish]

I stand corrected. That would be enough for me as well.