Going To Bonaire! Yay!!!

[LouiseG]

:hysterical: I can't believe we got a 1 bdrm apt in Bonaire thru RCI! Going the last week in March to Buddy Dive. Anyone with previous visits there? I'm snorkeling, hubby is diving. Spending the last day on Curacao to catch the flight home early on Sunday. WooHoo!

 

[Judy]

I own there and go every year for 2-3 weeks. I've written lots of reviews. If you join TUG, you can read them. I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have.

 

[LouiseG]

Judy -
On our return, we're flying from Bonaire to Curacao on Saturday, but our flight home from Curacao doesn't leave until 10 am Sunday. Can you recommend an inexpensive, but clean place to stay Saturday night that is near the airport? Or would we be better off staying somewhere in town and cabbing it to the airport in the morning?
I can no longer dive due to my health, but my husband will be diving. Will he be able to readily find a dive buddy to do shore dives? I'll be doing a lot of snorkeling.

 

[wilma]

Judy -
On our return, we're flying from Bonaire to Curacao on Saturday, but our flight home from Curacao doesn't leave until 10 am Sunday. Can you recommend an inexpensive, but clean place to stay Saturday night that is near the airport? Or would we be better off staying somewhere in town and cabbing it to the airport in the morning?
I can no longer dive due to my health, but my husband will be diving. Will he be able to readily find a dive buddy to do shore dives? I'll be doing a lot of snorkeling.

I'm not Judy but have spent lots of time in Curacao. We have been bumped from AA several times when leaving Curacao and they put us up at both the Marriott & the Hilton and both are pretty close to the airport ($25 cab ride). There aren't any hotels right next to the airport. Either hotel is fine, they are both on the beach. The rooms are nicer at the Marriott but we liked the beach better at the Hilton. Your husband should be able to find dive buddies on Bonaire at your resort. Have fun!

 

[MuranoJo]

Congrats, Louise!
That is one I watched and watched over the years, but just never was successful. (Yet I saw a bunch in the rental program.)
One year, we booked an alternate trip to Aruba & Key West, and the week before we left, RCI called and said something opened up. When I told the rep we (of course) had already spent a bunch on alternate plans, she acted somewhat miffed.

Not watching for it lately and this year we are going for 2 weeks to Belize, another trip we've always wanted to do.

Anyway, have a great time. If we were there with you, my DH would do a buddy dive.

 

[jlwquilter]

How is the snorkeling? I actually had a Xmas week on hold for awhile but decided against it when it seemed diving was what was really the thing to do there. DD snorkels and DH does both (but hasn't dived in years) and I am a stay on thebeach and read person

Would the cost of a trip be worth it if all we did was snorkel?

 

[lvhmbh]

We were just there off a cruise ship and noticed that it is mostly shore diving but there were alot of snorkelers where the divers were going too! I was told the snorkeling was great by people who took the shore excursion.

 

[LouiseG]

Thanks all for the current info. We've never been to Bonaire and were hoping for an exchange into Curacao when RCI came up with this option. Every thing I've read indicates it's the best for diving and snorkeling both. The reef is right offshore to about 100 ft out so there is tons of interest without having to hire a boat and like Grand Cayman, there is a serious wall drop at the edge of the reef. I am so looking forward to this trip. I plan on snorkeling in that sea for 5 full days. We did schedule our flight back so that we can spend one whole day in Curacao. Each time we've stopped at Curacao on a cruise we've not had the opportunity to see and do all we would have liked to. Maybe we can cover some of the missed sites on this trip.
I'll be sure to let you all know how it goes.

 

[Judy]

Judy -
On our return, we're flying from Bonaire to Curacao on Saturday, but our flight home from Curacao doesn't leave until 10 am Sunday. Can you recommend an inexpensive, but clean place to stay Saturday night that is near the airport? Or would we be better off staying somewhere in town and cabbing it to the airport in the morning?

I don't know the answer to this one. When we stayed in Curacao, we stayed in a timeshare.

I can no longer dive due to my health, but my husband will be diving. Will he be able to readily find a dive buddy to do shore dives? I'll be doing a lot of snorkeling.

Probably. He can ask on bonairetalk http://www.bonairetalk.com/forums/ , scubaboard http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/content/ , or post a note near the dive shop at the resort. Also, all divers in Bonaire are required to attend an orientation. That would be a place where he might meet a buddy.

 

[Judy]

How is the snorkeling? I actually had a Xmas week on hold for awhile but decided against it when it seemed diving was what was really the thing to do there. DD snorkels and DH does both (but hasn't dived in years) and I am a stay on thebeach and read person

Would the cost of a trip be worth it if all we did was snorkel?

For snorkelers, yes The snorkeling is wonderful. Get a copy of Bonaire Shorediving Made Easy http://www.infobonaire.com/bsdme/ It has excellent information about snorkeling sites as well as dive sites.

But for a beach person, no. The beaches in Bonaire are either artificial (behind sea walls) or very small and come and go with the weather and tides. The only place I know of that has a decent beach is the Plaza Resort and you have to wear water shoes to go into the sea because of the sharp coral rocks.