Two new resorts announced for the old Sunset Beach property near Bari Reef

[scubadada]

I'm currently staying at Den Laman. The Chogogo resort construction is well underway. I can't tell, but have been told the 2nd resort is in the plans. The Coco Beach Club is still pumping out the bass, or the subwoofer, on the weekends. The construction noise next door does not seem very loud, of course we're gone essentially all day, every day. It appears that access and parking for Bari Reef will continue to be available between Den Laman and the resort. Personally, this is not a positive development. This is my 4th stay at Den Laman in the last 2 years.

 

[diversteve]

Apparently Coco Beach Club will go away - unless one of the resorts absorbs it.

 

[scubadada]

I am assuming the new resort(s) will have to access Bari Reef the same as all other visitors who do not have access to the Sand Dollar/Den Laman pier

 

[uncfnp]

The last time we were in Bonaire and tried to dive Bari, well it wasn’t pleasant. It was breezy and the dust was extreme. We were covered before and after the dive. All over us, the gear and in our eyes. We couldn’t get away fast enough.

 

[scubadada]

The last time we were in Bonaire and tried to dive Bari, well it wasn’t pleasant. It was breezy and the dust was extreme. We were covered before and after the dive. All over us, the gear and in our eyes. We couldn’t get away fast enough.

We've seen the dirtstorms coming off of the parking area, from the Sand Dollar/Den Laman pier, sorry

 

[undrwtr1]

scubadada - I staying at Den Laman in February - how far along are they with the Chogogo construction now? Was the dirt/dust from the construction a big problem? I remember the open parking lot being dusty itself, I'm wondering how bad it is with the construction. Anything that would make you reconsider Den Laman now?

 

[scubadada]

We were here in April and they had just started on Chogogo. They are now in full swing, many partially finished concrete buildings, a very large crane, earth moving equipment, concrete deliveries... We are not here much during the day, not all that loud. The parking lot area/entrance to construction area is often quite dusty, today, it is a lake of mud following a morning downpour. Coco Beach and Spice Club can be pretty noisy over the weekend.

If I had my choice I would stay on the north side of Den Laman, away from the construction and parking lot. The resort(s) are not a positive addition to my version of Bonaire, it's progress.

They started completely redoing the inside of the gear storage area on Monday, it will probably be nicer, when finished. For us, temporary storage behind the DFB office is a POS.

The diving is very good, still.

 

[tarponchik]

I am assuming the new resort(s) will have to access Bari Reef the same as all other visitors who do not have access to the Sand Dollar/Den Laman pier

If they build a resort, what stops them from building their own pier?

 

[tursiops]

If they build a resort, what stops them from building their own pier?

Approvals.

 

[scubadada]

If they build a resort, what stops them from building their own pier?

Approvals.

There was a pier from the Sunset Beach Hotel that was blown down by Hurricane Lenny in 1999. There are still some remnants just south of the public entrance to Bari Reef. I don't know if the permit for this pier still exists in some way and can be used by Chogogo. Nothing would surprise me. Somehow, I can't see a 197 room resort taking care of that number of divers without an onsite dive operator, a pier, their own boats... Of course, I guess Dive Friends could expand yet again. We'll all see. And...then there is the second resort to be built just south of Chogogo