Where to stay on Bonaire? No, really!

[chicagofish]

I've read about every dive resort on the island, it seems. Every single one has people raving about how fabulous it was AND people complaining about how horrible it was. I don't know who to believe anymore.

Here's my deal: I'm a solo traveler but never a solo diver. I usually dive with shops with a good-sized boat so I can get paired with someone or tripled with a pair. I'd like to shore dive on Bonaire so I'd need a place that might have other solo travelers (or travelers with non-diving partners).

I can afford maybe one big dive trip a year, so I have to spend my money carefully. That doesn't mean I'm going to cheap out...I did that on my last trip and ended up in a hotel that was being renovated...very loudly from about 7 am to 9 pm every day.

I don't drink, so packages that include drinks are a waste of money. I don't need perfection or luxury, but I'd like to feel safe and not get eaten alive by bugs in my room.

I can live without a truck or vehicle as all I plan to do is dive. A night dive would be nice but not crucial.

Where the heck should I go on Bonaire??

All recommendations appreciated. Thanks.

-Amanda

 

[herman]

I know what you mean. Knowing there are some folks that are not happy reguardless of how they are treated or the conditions....they see one bug and to them the place is infested with huge roaches and then there are folks that darn near can not be made unhappy. And realizing that unhappy people like those above tend to overpost, I throw out the glowing reports and the horror stories and put an average to the remaining reports. You will soon see a pattern. Honestly, I have stayed at Golder Reef Inn, Sand Dollar, Buddy Dive, Bel Mar, Den Laman and Wannadivehut and will go back to any of them at the drop of a mask (headed to Den Laman this month). I lean to the easy going side......I consider the lizard in my bath room a pet...so I am not too hard to please. Unless you lean to the hard to please side, pretty much any place on Bonaire will work for you.

Just noticed this is your first post, welcome to the board.

 

[chicagofish]

But things like construction while I'm sleeping off the morning's nitrogen, or not being able to find a soda after 8 pm, or lunch after 3 pm...those are the kind of things that bother me. Mysterious bug bites while I sleep bother me. A place being advertised as "steps from the pier" and it turns out to be 1,357 steps, that bothers me. Loud party people in the courtyard at 3 am and the front desk doing nothing about it...that bothers me. Being afraid to leave my stuff in the room (even with a safe) bothers me.

So, where will I be safe from most of that stuff?

 

[RJP]

So, where will I be safe from most of that stuff?

A liveaboard.



Why not find a group trim (maybe with your LDS) that's going to Bonaire?

PS - if you want to shore dive you'll need a truck, unless you intend to just do the house reef wherever you're staying.

 

[RJP]

I consider the lizard in my bath room a pet...so I am not too hard to please. Unless you lean to the hard to please side, pretty much any place on Bonaire will work for you.

+1

A good attitude is the most important thing to bring on any trip, anywhere.

 

[herman]

You are way overstressing this. In 15 trips to Bonaire I have never had an issue with any of those things, remember to complainers I talked about? One of the biggest Bonaire trashers I know of has only been there once and had no problems but yet squeals like a little girl about how bad it is. I am sure construction has been an issue somewhere at some time, seems like Divi was doing some construction a while back.
Sodas are in the fridge, never had an issue finding food day or night and frankly the only thing I put in the safe is my passport and cash. Everything else is out in the open and so far so good. Sure a breakin is possible but that is the case at home...or more so for you in Chicago. It's an issue that gets blow way out of proportion. As for being close to the water, no on water place I know if is far off the water, most resorts are fairly small. I can spit into the water from my room at Den Laman and all the rooms at Bel Mar are less than 50 ft from the water. Even the most distant rooms at Buddy Dive and Sand Dollar are less than 75 yards from the water. Oh and Lover Ice Cream is located close to SD, Buddy and DL they are open until 11pm and have drinks, light food and ICE CREAM!!!....sorry... next trip is coming up soon and I am looking forward to the nightly walk to Lovers.

 

[DCBC]

I've been to Captain Don's Habitat several times and will continue to go back.

 

[DiveMaven]

I think if you're interested in doing a lot of diving, want to be somewhere that you can find another solo diver pretty easily, and want a good place to stay, you should consider Buddy Dive. They have lots of boat diving options, are on the water so you can likely find someone to dive with down on the pier, night diving will be super easy on the house reef, and you'll be able to sign up as "looking for a buddy" and likely find more than one given the size of the place. Breakfast is also included, so that's a plus in many people's books.

 

[diversteve]

One of the dive resorts north of town is probably what you want. The tradeoff will be that it's a ride to town - maybe a mile or more from them. Staying at Buddy's or Den Laman puts you near the center of the area. It's a short walk to Capt' Don's north or Eden Beach to the south. Since all have restaurants/bars it's a good location.
I'd second hermans suggestion of BelMar for the quiet, but there's no on-site food, no shopping within walking distance and since it's a smaller place, finding a buddy might be more difficult. Decent house reef (we stayed there) and they had lights u/w off the dive dock.

When do you plan to go? There's a SB group doing a trip there the end of this month, maybe you could join them. http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/groups/2010,++bonaire+odyssey.html The DiveNY club also has a trip scheduled for next summer.

Most dive package vehicles are 4dr. small trucks. So it's likely that someone you meet would have room for you for shore dives. Most of the known shore dives are 5-15 mins. drive from the resorts, either north or south of town. We dove Bari Reef (between Sand Dollar and Den Laman) and Cliff/La Machaca at Cap't Don's and thought they were among the better dives. At night Cap't Don's has lights that shine into the water - you can watch the tarpon feed from RumRunner's patio. CD's is the original dive resort, Buddy's looked newer. Den Laman is the newest, it's only a few years old now. I've read that the studios there face the parking lot and not the water.

The plaza herman mentioned for Lover's also has a small market and and bank with ATM. I've read there's also a new deli nearby and Chinese food place within walking distance.

There's no real AI's on Bonaire (except maybe Divi?) so drinks aren't bundled anywhere. Most are stay/drive/dive pkgs. I never really found a bar at a resort that was loud late at night except maybe Plaza's on Beach BBQ nite. Even that ended by about 11 or so.

 

[chicagofish]

You are way overstressing this. In 15 trips to Bonaire I have never had an issue with any of those things, remember to complainers I talked about? ...

I don't anticipate being able to afford more than one trip to Bonaire in my lifetime, so yeah, I'm stressing a little. I'm self-employed, I have no paid vacations, and I really have to save up to afford a dive trip. I don't take any other trips. If I blow my vacation budget on a place that ends up being really gross, or in the middle of nowhere, or under construction, or a drunken party palace...or on the other extreme, full of luxuries I'm not going to use, like a spa, a dance club, a casino, or a fancy restaurant. Been there, want to avoid that. If I could afford to make a mistake, I wouldn't be so stressed.