I just wanted to add our version to the list, that we just took our first trip to Bonaire at the end of Feb. and I am sure that it will not be our last. We had a wonderful time!

Accommodations - We stayed at Bonaire Town Homes (http://www.infobonaire.com/bth/). Benny, the owner, is very friendly and generous and makes you feel immediately comfortable on the island. The town house had a bedroom, living room, kitchen, great front porch with a hammock, and back porch to rinse everything off on. We made lunch there several days, and usually picked up something for breakfast that we ate out on the porch. BTH is conveniently located close to Kralendjik and the airport. It also is easy to head north or south for snorkel/dives from there.

Transportation - We rented a car from Budget. After turning down another reservation with another vendor, because I wanted to make sure we had an automatic with power steering, we still ended up with a manual with no power steering, but it turned out to be fine. For a second trip I think I would rent a truck, and continue pushing the boundaries of where we could explore, but for a first trip, having a car was fine. We were snorkeling too so, having a truck for gear wasn't necessary.

Food - Our favorite food experience of the trip was Maikey Snack. We tried many of the other restaurants recommended on this website and found most of them to be typical tourist fare. Fine, but nothing to really write home about. Maikey Snack in comparison was definitely local and food tasted homemade. We tried the Papaya Stew - which had goat meat in it! And the Fish plate. We also tasted the Iguana Stew, which we both got the biggest kick out of, and it was quite good. It takes a little bit of adventuresome spirit to find Maikey, but if you pay attention to the signs you should be all right. It's worth it.

I also really liked Catcus Blue. They had a great key lime pie dessert.

The other foodie placed we frequented, nearly every day, was The Last Bite Bakery. I like my pastries, and she had delicious turnovers and brownies. Both were perfect snacks before or after getting in the water.

Snorkeling - Our favorite sites were Karpata and 1000 Steps. I loved Karpata because that's where I saw a turtle, but also because there was so much to see in the shallows. We actually went there twice during the trip. 1000 Steps we enjoyed as much for the view of the site, as what we actually saw underwater. We happened to get there at a time when we had the beach to ourselves and it was a great chance to get in some good pictures. Surprisingly, for such a simple site, we actually saw a lot at Airport. Tori's Reef was our first snorkel, and it was a good one for me to get in and get used to my gear and how this was all going to work. Also one day while my husband went diving, I tooled around in the shallows at Bari's Reef and really enjoyed just watching all the activity on the sunken pier.

Flights/Getting There - We flew on Saturdays. On the way down Boston - NYC - Flamingo and on the way back through Atlanta. In both directions flights were fine, on time, and mostly full.

All in all we had an amazing time in Bonaire. The pace is relaxed and laid back. The snorkeling and diving community is one I look forward to becoming more a part of. Bonaire was an easy place to be a tourist for us, as most everyone spoke English and we could spend US dollars. The weather was perfect, the water warm. I can't wait to be back! I am already thinking about our next trip!

Oh, forgot one thing! We also went to the Mangrove Research Center one morning for the kayak / snorkel. I had never seen a mangrove before, so I found the tour interesting. It also was nice to spend a morning kayaking, and take a very short break from snorkeling. It also seemed like a good cause to support. If you've never seen a mangrove before, I would recommend it.

Coery, welcome to the club... Now beware of the PBD. Some are more susceptible then others. For me it usually starts to set in just after the last day when departure becomes inevitable.

Glad you enjoyed yourself, thanks for the report.

Corey, next time, think about snorkeling the mangroves with a guide. It is an incredible journey into juvenile fish, and beautiful corals on the roots of the mangroves. Welcome to Bonaire Talk, and I am glad you loved the island. It is not hard to do.

Corey - Thanks for the report. As Geoff says - watch out for PBD or as I call it BDD (Bonaire Deficit Disorder).

Glad you had a good time ! Nice report