wgw04024
Contributor
p.s. I still always get my tank rentals from the plaza.
What Is Your Opinion of the Plaza Resort Bonaire?
- Thread starter KathyV
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caffeinedreams
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I stayed at the Plaza this month with the SB Surge group and had a blast! I don't normally spring for all-inclusives when traveling. But that aside: the rooms were super clean and spacious, the staff was friendly and attentive, the internet was fast and I enjoyed the food (especially the beef and seafood).
Toucan diving organized fun and varied boat dives every morning. They really seemed to go the extra mile - keeping track of who needed Nitrox and DIN and making sure our boat was stocked with the correct tanks before we arrived each morning. Our DM (Mariska) had eagle eyes for safety, was really aware of the whole group each dive and even provided one-on-one instruction to those who requested it. She was also really good at finding tiny creatures that the rest of us would've missed otherwise.
To me the best value of the place was the convenience. The house reef is gorgeous and the night diving there is spectacular. You can label Nitrox tanks and leave them out and the resort staff will deliver them to the house reef, so you don't need to spend time lugging tanks around. And the tank room is located right next to the parking lot which made grabbing tanks, loading up the truck and driving to shore sites a breeze.
If (hopefully when!) I return, I'd be more likely to rent a condo + truck and skip the resort. But if I was looking for another all-inclusive I wouldn't hesitate to return to Plaza.
Toucan diving organized fun and varied boat dives every morning. They really seemed to go the extra mile - keeping track of who needed Nitrox and DIN and making sure our boat was stocked with the correct tanks before we arrived each morning. Our DM (Mariska) had eagle eyes for safety, was really aware of the whole group each dive and even provided one-on-one instruction to those who requested it. She was also really good at finding tiny creatures that the rest of us would've missed otherwise.
To me the best value of the place was the convenience. The house reef is gorgeous and the night diving there is spectacular. You can label Nitrox tanks and leave them out and the resort staff will deliver them to the house reef, so you don't need to spend time lugging tanks around. And the tank room is located right next to the parking lot which made grabbing tanks, loading up the truck and driving to shore sites a breeze.
If (hopefully when!) I return, I'd be more likely to rent a condo + truck and skip the resort. But if I was looking for another all-inclusive I wouldn't hesitate to return to Plaza.
mbs
Contributor
Hey whats going on with the little bar Toucan setup next to the shop? Last May they had just started using it. Said they were thinking of doing snacks there along with drinks. Forgot the gentleman's name from the shop who was spearheading that effort. I believe he used to own one of the popular food trucks.
That would be Hagen Wergerer of Cactus Blue Restaurant & Bar fame. He eventually closed the restaurant bought a food trailer on eBay, which he had shipped to Bonaire where he fixed it up a bit and opened his Cactus Blue burger "truck" at Atlantis beach (where he also liked to kite surf a lot.)
He sold the burger trailer and went back to Europe for a couple of years before returning to Bonaire to work as Operations Manager for Toucan Diving. He's a good guy.
They are very much improved and I would go again. The food was passable, but not great. The diving was great and the staff was better.
mbs
Contributor
Silty Sam
Contributor
Three of us did the lion fish hunting course with Hagen, really enjoyed the course and our interaction with him. He took it very seriously. His captains and dive masters were very good as well.
As I said above, my second experience was much improved from my first, and it's safe to assume that the Plaza team felt they had all there ducks in a row before inviting the ScubaBoard Surge event there.
Favorite Memories of the SB SURGE 2018
Someone above commented on the long walk from the rooms to the boat - I looked at it the other way, it was a very short walk to the house reef and waiting AL80s.
As I said above, my second experience was much improved from my first, and it's safe to assume that the Plaza team felt they had all there ducks in a row before inviting the ScubaBoard Surge event there.
Favorite Memories of the SB SURGE 2018
Someone above commented on the long walk from the rooms to the boat - I looked at it the other way, it was a very short walk to the house reef and waiting AL80s.
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