We must be crazy...

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diverdowndh

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My fiance' and I dove Belize, Cozumel, and Fiji last year. We just got back from another trip to very buzy Cozumel. I have been doing some looking around on some alternate locations to dive, been to Grand Cayman twice and love it, but it is sooooo expensive. I actually had Curacao and Bonaire mixed up, thank you Liz for straightening me out! Anyway, did some looking around, just ordered the shore diving book mentioned in other threads. So, looking at places on the island and prices therein, wow, why haven't we been to Bonaire before? Even more shocking, I did a quick Orbitz for some flight costs from Denver to Bonaire and WOW - I just picked a week in October, Sunday to Sunday and it came back with a little over $760 round trip! My gosh, we spent SO much money going to Fiji, and it was incredible, but from what I see I could go to Bonaire twice for the money we spent going to Fiji... and the diving sounds just as good. I don't know about the soft corals, etc. but it still sounds great.
I also had someone tell me that flying down that direction was an overnight flight - that isn't the case either. It looks like a full day of flying to get from Denver down there and another back but there isn't any overnight that I can see.

So, I believe we are Bonaire-bound later this year... any suggestions on times around Sept thru Nov? We want NON-busy, laid back, good diving and good eats!
Any help is greatly appreciated.
 
I've heard that a lot of shops and restaurants close during September since it's such a slow season.

You can fly to BON on Continental's Friday night red-eye out of Houston that leaves at 11:55pm and arrives on Bonaire at like 5:15am on Saturday. If you can get out of Denver on an evening flight to Houston, that would be your overnight flight.

There's no overnight return flight that I'm aware of, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. :wink: Continental departs BON on Saturday mornings at around 7:30am and the only reason I know Continental's schedule, is because we're booked on it! :)
 
In September the winds die down and it can be hotter. Many restaurants do close for the owners to take holiday but it is not usually all at the same time. September through Nov is before cruise ship season so you do not have to contend with that. Check out the schedule of events that might be happening during your time frame by going to Info Bonaire - The Bonaire Information Site - The Most Current and Up-To-Date Information. The diving and food is wonderful!! Glad to hear the you ordered Bonaire Shore Diving Made Easy -- it will be very helpful!
 
So, October or November is before cruise ship season (which is VERY good in my book!) but hot? Hot is good... I am in snowy, cold Colorado so hot is good, ha!
 
Depending on what you are expecting out of your vacation; If your thinking of October...be aware that Bonaire hosts an International Sailing Regatta every year in October. Check for the dates. It may be something your interested in.....or want to avoid.
 
When you go, check out Will's Grill in town. It was our favorite meal of the trip!
 
We spent a week in Bonaire in Sept 06 and everything was great! I believe that is around the coral spawning time too, which is why we went at that time. We didn't see mass coral spawning though, but the diving is incredible.
 
but from what I see I could go to Bonaire twice for the money we spent going to Fiji... and the diving sounds just as good. I don't know about the soft corals, etc. but it still sounds great.
Just to set expectations, Bonaire is certainly good diving on a Caribbean scale, but I don't think it's any comparison to Fiji (where I haven't been yet, but will hopefully be in a few months.)
 
Oh yeah, didn't really mean to do a comparison. Bonaire just sounds like what I'm looking for in a dive destination....
Good luck on the Fiji trip Damsel, we stayed on Taveuni at the Garden Island Resort. Great trip all around, send me a PM for the only things I would NOT do again (wrong forum, as it were!).
 
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