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Trip Reports: April 15-22 - Trip Report
Bonaire Talk: Trip Reports: April 15-22 - Trip Report
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Gustavo Viviani (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #3) on Saturday, April 30, 2011 - 5:39 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

After two year reading the BonaireTalk forum, I finally went to Bonaire. First of all, I enjoyed it as much as I thought. Now for my first Bonaire Trip Report:

Getting There:
We flew San Juan, PR to Bonaire through Insel Air. It consist of 3 very short trips. San Juan to St. Maarten then St. Maarten to Curarcao (were you have to get down from the plane, pass through check point again and pay the $2 Transit Tax) and finally Curacao to Bonaire. We flew all the trip in Insel's MD-83. From Curacao to Bonaire is the shortest fly I have ever had in an Airliner.

Accommodations;
We stayed at Den Laman Condominiums in the two bedroom oceanview. The apartment was perfect. AC in every room including kitchen and living room, all the amenities you would expect from a nice place. Monique, the administrator, was wonderful and very attentive to any of our needs. I cannot recommend them enough.

Transportation:
Our package was through Total. The car work great, except that is was not properly align to the point that you could not let go of the steering wheel. Apart from that it was in good shape for 13 year old truck. AC work well and the car never fail to start or give us any problem. The car was reliable but unless total update their cars, next time I will try another place.

Dining;
Most of the time we ate at Sunset Bar and Grill. We did try City Cafe, Plazita Limona, Pasa Bon Pizza.

Diving:
We dove through Bonaire Dive and Adventure (“BDA”). Absolutely nothing to complaint about. There staff was always nice and ready to chat. I have to say special thanks to Jordy, Travis and Annie for all there tips (including the frogfish at Invisibles). They do have closing times, so you must prepare accordingly. If you plan to dive nitrox before 8:30 am or after 4:30pm you must take the needed tanks to an outside locker.

I did a total of 19 dives my buddies made 20 & 21. Bari Reef day & night, Invisibles, Red Slave, Hilma Hooker, Tolo, 1000 Steps, Karpata, Something Special, Front Porch day & night, Tori's Reef, Angel City, Salt Pier, Bari to Eden Beach drift night dive, Andrea I, Andrea II, Oil Slick Leap and Rockpile @ Klein Bonaire.

The diving was great, we are used to diving in the Caribbean but Bonaire has much more life on the reefs. We got from great to bad visibility. I think it was on 60 feet vis most days.

Final Thoughts
I will go back next year. I didn't believe in PBD (Post Bonaire Depression) and now I can only look at my pictures to calm the symptoms. I will post pics in a later thread.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Lloyd H (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #661) on Saturday, April 30, 2011 - 7:37 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Welcome to BT and thanks for the great report.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By R J (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #198) on Sunday, May 1, 2011 - 3:58 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks for posting your trip report.
Glad you enjoyed your visit.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Denise K (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2997) on Sunday, May 1, 2011 - 3:59 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

when I read your words " my first Bonaire Trip Report" .. I knew you had already decided you'll be back :-) Thanks for the report, glad you enjoyed your trip !

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Gustavo Viviani (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #4) on Wednesday, May 4, 2011 - 9:20 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks for the comments. Definitely, I am going back.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ivan Ramirez (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Wednesday, May 4, 2011 - 10:05 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I was fortunate to be one of Gustavo's Buddies, there were three of us on the trip. I have to say I concur everything Gustavo described before. I just didn't have enough diving, there are endless possibilities of dives to do and I'm looking forward returning ASAP.
Bonaire rules!

 


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