Trip Report--Christmas in Bonaire and the Belmar Oceanfront Apartments

[wwguy]

Their house reef is Oil Slick and as mentioned is a nice dive with super easy entry and exit. It may be the house reef but you want to drive your gear the one block to it.

Oil Slick may be the nearest reef to Caribbean Club, but calling it a house reef is stretching things a bit. Oil Slick's dive site entry is 300 yards downhill and across the road from Caribbean Club's parking lot. In the context of Bonairean diving a "house reef" is typically adjacent to and/or easily accessible for diving directly from the property. This just isn't possible at Caribbean Club due to the inland hillside location.

 

[Sorrows]

Nice picture. I meant which resort on Bonaire did you prefer; trying to compare disparate places is harder.

Richard.

Sorry, Richard! There are good points to every place we've stayed at, but I think we prefer Buddy's. We find the apartments comfortable, the dive operation very good, breakfast decent, location convenient for downtown and for the Northern sites which we prefer. And the house reef at Buddy's is excellent--outstanding for night dives, which we love, love, love!

The Caribbean Club is very nice--less expensive than Buddy's--and every cottage has its very own rinse tank. Breakfast is so-so. Oil Slick Leap is the closest they have to a house reef, but, of course, it's not really a house reef when you have to drive to it!

As for Sand Dollar, I heard that they no longer have access to the pier at Bari Reef?

 

[drrich2]

I like Buddy's, too, although I'm hoping to go back to Bonaire Solo and hear Captain Don's has some solo rate-friendly accommodations which may put me there, for a similar experience that's not so high dollar when traveling alone.

I haven't stayed at Sand Dollar as yet. I have dove Bari Reef. Got there a couple of ways:

1.) From Buddy's, enter the 'house reef' and head left (south); it's a good ways down, but if you stay shallow and your air consumption's not too bad, you can make it. But don't stay too shallow; one of the Buddy staff explained boats come through that way, and while they watch for divers, it's also nice if dives watch for boats...

2.) Pull out of Buddy's onto the main road, taking a right, and driving southward to the round-about; a small road to Bari Reef comes right off the circle, if I recall, easy to miss if you're not looking for it. It's a shore dive as usual.

When I dove Bari from the round-about, I saw the (in)famous Bonaire Dive & Adventure Pier. The one that people have posted about BD&A pretty much ordering people who aren't their paying customers to stay off of it, if memory serves.

So what?

I found entry & exit at Bari Reef typical for Bonaire shore diving. I imagine that pier is a convenience, but not necessary.

Richard.

 

[Sorrows]

Thanks for sharing such a wonderful trip report! While Cozumel is my favorite place to dive, I avoid visiting during the mid winter months. Too many dives missed due to rough weather. Your report is making me even more excited about our Feb visit to the island. I have heard great things about Candy Land and Tailor Made. Hopefully will get to those sites this trip.

I'm actually considering Cozumel next Christmas--risky, I know, but it's so easy for a one-week trip.

Btw, I am a Virginian, and I must tell you that Thomas Jefferson, a brilliant and learned man whose ability with the English language has never been equaled in this or in any other country, never wrote or said anything like this catchy quote you ascribe to him. I don't know who did say it, but I think it highly unlikely that it was someone in the 18th Century! I'm sorry to have to call this to your attention, but it's very aggravating for us to have so many mediocre clichés attributed to the epitome of the Enlightenment and founder of the University of Virginia! I hope you will make the appropriate corrections.

 

[morecowbells]

I'm actually considering Cozumel next Christmas--risky, I know, but it's so easy for a one-week trip.

Btw, I am a Virginian, and I must tell you that Thomas Jefferson, a brilliant and learned man whose ability with the English language has never been equaled in this or in any other country, never wrote or said anything like this catchy quote you ascribe to him. I don't know who did say it, but I think it highly unlikely that it was someone in the 18th Century! I'm sorry to have to call this to your attention, but it's very aggravating for us to have so many mediocre clichés attributed to the epitome of the Enlightenment and founder of the University of Virginia! I hope you will make the appropriate corrections.

Signature modified...

 

[Sorrows]

Morecowbells thank you, but there is nothing apparently about it! Dude, take it and make it your own if you must espouse your strongly-felt sentiment. God bless America! Or find something that TJ actually said that mirrors your belief. But please don't besmirch the talents of this great man by coupling his sacred name with a bumper sticker catchphrase. That's just wrong.

But don't change your name. Can't read it without smiling.

---------- Post added January 9th, 2014 at 07:55 PM ----------

I like Buddy's, too, although I'm hoping to go back to Bonaire Solo and hear Captain Don's has some solo rate-friendly accommodations which may put me there, for a similar experience that's not so high dollar when traveling alone..

We did stop by Captain Don's last trip and the place is looking very good--I guess they have done some remodeling? I've heard the rooms have been updated as well.

Btw, I'd always heard that CD's also doesn't allow non-guests to use their facilities. I've been on that reef a couple of times, but got there by swimming from Buddy's (went the other way to get to Bari.)

 

[Tunaman68]

We asked ahead of time at the office at Captain Don's and they told us we could park and gear up in the lot, walk down to the little dock, jump in, do our dive, get out and leave without using the showers or rinse tanks and there would be no charge. We did two dives there during our trip (one at night), and also ate dinner there (great pizza). Next time in Bonaire I would seriously consider staying there. Food was good, the place was clean and looked very well kept, and the dive site (Cliff and beyond) was one of our favorites of the week!

 

[Sorrows]

Good to know, Tunaman! The place really does look great; obviously updated. I like the Northern sites, too!