ScubaBoard Invasion Central 2024 Bonaire

[Jake 10]

As a heads up, one week before traveling, you will also want to pay your $75pp Visitor Tax. while you can make payment at the airport, upon arrival, it is much easier to pay in advance. You can do this one week (seven days) prior to travel.

NOTE: be careful as there are both scam and “agent” websites charging more than the $75 fee that will come up in an online search. ONLY use the official Bonaire Government website for the Visitor Tax at:

Bonaire Visitor Tax Official Page

Bonaire Tax

tourismtax.bonairegov.com

and make sure to have an official receipt to show as evidence as the officer at the airport will ask you to show it before entering the "quick" line, or else you will be directed to the long line to pay at airport (been there done that)

 

[Diver-6873]

Yes, it's way too early to get excited about most of this except for airfare.

Now, for those of you who have been to Bonaire before, what's your favorite dive site?

Roxanne.

My wife and I typically dive here 4-5 days/week year round and of course have favorites - these are listed from the south of the island headed North. We personally avoid some of the more crowded sites, just our own choosing. You will note that we don’t list The Salt Pier, The Hooker, 1000 Steps, or Kapata (all fun sites but ones we usually avoid only due to crowds and number of divers).

For us, in no particular order of favorites:

Cistern Alley (UNMARKED, just north of Red Slave) - same dive as Red Slave just no tour busses and a nicer entry, Dive to the south toward Red Slave.

Margate Bay,

Pink Beach - mid entry (UNMARKED) - look for the path from the road, over the berm, to a single palm and usually a large trash bin

Tori’s Reef,

The Rock (UNMARKED) - just south of Invisibles,

Larry’s Lair,

In-Between (UNMARKED) - between Angel City and Alice in Wonderland,

The Lake

The Beach @ Windsock (restaurant - a great early afternoon dive, take cash or credit card in a dry box and enjoy great food, drink, scenery, and staff after your dive, just lay you gear next to your table and enjoy the sun),

In town (Kralendijk aka Playa) (all UNMARKED) listed from a south to North also, we enjoy Chahacha Reef (as long as a Cruiseship is not at the South Pier), Yellow Submarine (Dive Friends location), Kanti Awa Snack, Something Special (this is marked), Bari’s (hopefully by the time your group is here the public entry will be reopened following the current construction of a new park), The Cliff @ Hamlet Oasis.

In the North our favorites are Oil Slick Leap, Witches Hut (aka Webbers Joy) and Tolo.

Also in the South, If the winds are low and the Kite Boarders are not setup with the busses and kites - the Kite Beach and Fisherman’s hut just south of it are great.

I didn’t mention the East Coast of the island. There is one boat that does the East coast (a military grade RIB) where you can see up to 75-100 “sleeping” Green turtles and other great things. It must be books months in advance as it fills quickly, the operation is phenomenal. As for shore diving, it is recommended only for the most advanced divers who know the limited entry/exits well and on days with no/low winds.

Hope this adds ideas to your list, enjoy your time on island. Feel free to ask here if you have any questions.

 

[gypsyjim]

Yes, it's way too early to get excited about most of this except for airfare.

Now, for those of you who have been to Bonaire before, what's your favorite dive site?

There are a great many which I, we, love, but Karpata and north of there stand out because they so differ in structure from sites south of there.
When weather makes many sites less safe, though, we also really like diving an area called Yellow Submarine, because it is easy access, sheltered, and there is often a lot to see, right on the front porch of Kralandijk!
Salt Pier.....the list is long
We even enjoy an occasional dive on the Wild Side, as long as Dennis doesn't talk us into doing it from shore...

 

[cardzard]

I have been informed that the Plaza Resort has secured us another boat.
Those on the waiting list are getting notification from Bay Adventure.
We now have 4 diver spots open.

 

[Brett Hatch]

Sweet, thanks for opening up the additional slots Dennis! I just spoke to Al on the phone, and have booked as a single diver. I have a friend (not on SB) who might want to bunk with me, or might not. Trying to get the friend to make up his mind today

Edit to add: anybody familiar with Bay Area flights have advice for me? Best I'm seeing is American SFO -> MIA, 12 hr night-time layover, MIA -> BON. and then BON -> MIA, 1.5 hr day-time layover, MIA -> SFO. For around $1000 (probably plus another $100 for a hotel in Miami). Can't decide if that's worth booking right away, or better to hold out. SFO, OAK, SJC airports are all fine on the California side. Trying to avoid awful layovers so that I don't show up stumbling tired... willing to get home stumbling tired tho

 

[gypsyjim]

Damn, I just looked at the calendar. And it is nowhere near June yet..

 

[Curious_George]

Re: renting a truck. Al says he can offer $65 per day with full coverage and 0$ deductible for a truck from AB.

 

[Starzz]

Do you have any specific info on the rental. I had been looking at their site a few days ago and the AB rental truck I was looking at was going to be about $53 a day. Full coverage and taxes.

 

[Starzz]

I talked to Al. He's right. I had a feeling my calculations weren't right, or it was a different truck. It would be good to start a different discussion group for truck cost sharing, like we do for 'looking for roomates'. There's going to be many who want to do shore diving. I know I do.

 

[Jake 10]

I talked to Al. He's right. I had a feeling my calculations weren't right, or it was a different truck. It would be good to start a different discussion group for truck cost sharing, like we do for 'looking for roomates'. There's going to be many who want to do shore diving. I know I do.

Patrick and I do as well