I posted this question on the Fodors forum but got no replies, so am trying it here - I just discovered this forum yesterday! After having gone to Aruba twice, we are beginning to find it too busy for our taste. We particularly detest the jetskis which are everywhere.
From the trip reports I found, Sorobon seems very quiet which is exactly what we are looking for. I assume that there is no jetski activity on that beach? Perhaps no motorized watersports at all (would be best of all)? I would be grateful to hear from anybody who has stayed there or knows the place.
And oh yes - we are not nudists by any means (have never stayed at a 'clothing-oprional' resort before) but have no problem with nudity and wouldn't mind staying in such a resort at all if it is quiet.

All of Bonaire is probably quieter than any of Aruba. There are some motorbike twits around, but only in town from what I've seen. Some neighborhoods have a group of dogs that will have barking contests when the donkeys wander by, but that is pretty much it. There are a few jetskis around, unfortunately.
That said, I've never stayed at Sorobon, I do know that though the resort is clothing optional, the beach is clothing free.

If you are looking for "quiet", I could suggest Sand Dollar Condo Resort. They have Studio, One-, Two-, and Three-bedroom apartments, all with full kitchens. There are restaurants nearby if you don't want to cook. The atmosphere is quiet - not the hotel kind of activities you find at other resorts. Check out their website: SandDollarBonaire.com

Maria, being a "former" Aruba traveller of 10 years or so, believe me.....Bonaire is NOTHING like Aruba when it comes to crowds and noise! We have written off Aruba and now return to Bonaire every year for at least two weeks at a time. You will be amazed at the difference between the two islands. Bonaire is sooo much better for peace and quiet and diving and snorkeling and exploring. There are only 11,000 residents on the island of Bonaire compared to approximately 120,000 on Aruba. (then you have to add on thousands of tourists, too!)

Bonaire does not have the long, white sandy beaches (Palm Beach and the likes) but there are a few places with enough room to stretch out and relax. The waters are phenominal in Bonaire. The restaurants are excellent, plentiful and very reasonable in prices (in our minds being from the expensive Northeast USA). You don't have the crowds and waiting lines you have in Aruba, either. Laid back and chilled out...it is sooooo nice on Bonaire! The people of Bonaire are also more laid back and friendlier, in my book....I guess they are not as overwhelmed by hordes of tourists and stressed out as they probably are becoming on Aruba with the multitude of resorts and development which has taken place over the past fifteen years or so. (We watched them "destroy" the place, in our eyes, at least, over a period of years from the eighties into the nineties.) All that development even with a "building moretorium" in place, no less! LOL).

I think you will be pleasantly pleased with what you will find when you reach Bonaire. If quiet and serene is what you are looking for, look no further....you have found it in Bonaire!

It is probably "quieter" over by Sorobon Resort, but the rest of the "resorts" are also extremely quiet compared to what you have been seeing and hearing on Aruba. Have no fears of staying on the Western side of the island, at all, if you aren't certain about Sorobon Beach Resort. It is a great place...everyone who stays there raves about it. It is just a bit away from the restaurants and other areas closer to downtown and on the ocean/sea.

The terrain is the same as Aruba...arid climate with rocks, cactus, caribbean waters, birds (more in Bonaire) goats, donkeys (lots of each) and millions of fish to play with on Bonaire....Aruba can't touch Bonaire for the underwater shows...right at your finger/toe tips, too....no need to hike down to Baby Beach/Aruba or out to DePalm Island for a fee....Bonaire is not commercialized like Aruba...you are in for a treat, indeed! Keep us posted as to what you decide to do. Ayo. Carole

Maria...welcome to Bonaire Talk!! I just noticed it was your "first" posting with us. YOu will find this board to be the most helpful and informative place in the world when it comes to Bonaire. Everyone here (99.9% of us) are very warm and friendly folks who will go out of their way to help folks out.

Enjoy your visit to the board and cruise around a bit and you will find all sorts of photos and trip reports and other helpful hints and ideas.

Welcome to BT....and you will love us for not letting you return to Aruba!! It will all be just a "bad memory" for you! LOL. Ayo Carole

Jet skis are forbidden in Lac Cai. Sorobon Beach Resort is right next to the windsurfing place so the loudest noise would be the occasional crack of a sail in the wind.

My Wife and I just returned from two glorious weeks on Bonaire and we totally loved where we stayed. It was at the Caribbean Club Bonaire on the Hiltop. It's out of town and towards Karpata. It sits on the side of the Hilltop and gets wonderful breezes, is very quiet and peaceful with lots of lush green around. All the staff we're great and we didn't want to leave. The only down side is that you will want transportation for getting into town and to other parts of the Island. We're going to be posting much more detail later but I wanted to mention it if you're looking for some place quite.
Can you pack us in your suit cases?
Rod

I can tell you that Sorobon is a very quiet and a relaxing wonderful place to spend a Bonaire vacation. My husband and I enjoyed our first trip to Bonaire this past October and have already booked our 2004 October trip. Sorobon actually has a beach which is unusual compared with most other places. You won't find a friendlier staff anywhere else on the island. If you enjoy a real break from the outside world (no radio, no tv, no phones) I can guarantee you'll love Sorobon. (Plus you won't have any tan lines when you go home!) We met many really nice people from England, Germany, Belgium, France, Switzerland and the US. The accommodations are very comfortable (but not luxury) and very clean. They have thought of all the things that you really need with out any of the frills. If you're open to the nude thing (and believe me it's very liberating) you'll love Sorobon. We rented a car but there were guests there that didn't. We ate some our (evening) meals there and some at Kon Tiki a short drive away (Kon Tiki will even pick you up from Sorobon and bring you back) and some our evening meals in town (just an easy 10 minute or so drive). (We made our breakfast and lunches at Sorobon unless we were in town for errands or other reasons.)

We are avid snorklers and we found the reef in the bay to be the best on Bonaire.

We haven't been to Aruba. We go every spring to St. John in the US Virgin Islands (our favorite place on the planet). Bonaire is not a beautiful island but it has a kooky sort of charm that wins a special place in your heart. My husband loves it for 2 reasons. He can be naked most of the time and there's not much in the way of shopping to spend money on. He wouldn't stay any other place than Sorobon. It's stress free. If you want quiet I highly recommend Sorobon!

Thanks everybody - am really grateful for, and overwhelmed by all those fast, detailed and very helpful responses! Keep those great suggestions coming! It does sound as though Bonaire is indeed the place for us, and probably Sorobon too, although you have given us some very nice alternatives as well which are definitely under consideration. There is still plenty of time because this vacation would only be in January or February of next year, but I love planning and dreaming about our trip in advance....

We a Dutch name like de Waard you'll fit right in on Bonaire. If you can speak Dutch that's a real plus (we don't). My husband is Dutch too (from Holland, MI). We couldn't get over how so many of the islanders look just like people back home. If you have additional questions please feel free to ask away. I found so much helpful information here on Bonaire Talk prior to our trip and much of it was invaluable (like take extension cords and multiple electrical plug adaptors [that make one plug into 3]). The chalets don't have an abundance of outlets but if you have extension cords you're all set.

Yes, we are Dutch actually, and live in Holland. That is another reason why I chose Bonaire - direct flights from Amsterdam. So, I could probably do this in Dutch (zou dit ook in het Nederlands kunnen doen) but figured most of the people on this forum, if not all, are probably American.
We have actually been to Bonaire once before but it was a very long time ago - I do remember the salt ponds (very striking!) and the little 'slave houses'. The colours were so exceptional! Anyway, I'll surely come back to this forum for further information, so far I am finding it extremely helpful!

It's a wonderfully relaxing and peaceful place! Absolutely fantastic.

We posted in info about Sorobon Beach resort. 13 posts below this one. It is the BEST! Place to stay feel free to email us if you have any questions.

PS. NO motor boats of any kind near Sorobon.

Maria,
My wife & I have spent two vacations at Sorobon. It is the most relaxing place in the world, the snorkeling at Lac Bay, is beyond anything that we have ever seen, including sights of sea turtles, octopus, and even a shark, who did not bother with me. I dive, and I was able to meet people at the resort also interested in diving. Since my wife loves the windsurfing, that is immediately next door, and it is far better than Aruba, which we have also visited. The staff at Sorobon is so friendly and helpful, and the international mix of guests is wonderful. We have had wonderful conversations before dinner with people from all over the world. There is no TV, radio, and very little night life, if these things are not important to your vacation, you will enjoy Sorobon immensely. Lac Bay is absolutely incredible, and you can kayak over to the mangrove stands, and paddle for hours into little inlets.
Good luck with your vacation,
J

Thanks Jim - yes, Sorobon does sound wonderful! There is just one thing that worries me slightly, not so much about Sorobon as about Bonaire in general - we are not divers!!!! (everybody goes into shock at this point...). We don't even snorkel (much); we have done so once or twice but always got a lot of water in our nose - perhaps we should try again???.
All we are looking for really, is a very quiet and relaxing vacation hanging around the beach, paddling in the ocean - without being bothered by loud music or noisy motorized watersports. We are never bored - we read a lot, we usually rent a car and drive around a little, we like to try different restaurants... It does sound as if Sorobon is the place for this - or do you think it is better not to go to Bonaire at all if one doesn't dive?

Maria,

If you don't go to Bonaire you will definitely be missing out on one of the greatest places on Earth - whether you stay above the water or venture below it.

I do have one question - how did you get water up your nose snorkeling? Did your mask not fit properly? If that is the case then buy a properly fitted mask and definitely try it again - it is a wonderful experience floating among the sea critters.

I have not been to Sorobon but Bonaire as a whole is Heaven on Earth!

Belinda

I don't dive and I'm going to Bonaire. There are many sites to see, a completely different lifestyle to witness and experience, foreign food to taste, and plenty of ocean to paddle and relax in. Lots of photo opportunities, wildlife, cactus...the list could go on.

Maria,

Don't be worried if you don't snorkel or dive. If the mood hits you, then do it. Otherwise just relax and do what you like.

To us, Sorobon has been the most relaxing place we have ever been. If you're looking for an absolutely beautiful place to depressurize...two thumbs WAY up!

Bonaire itself is a way laidback and traveler-friendly island. Yet very modernized in a totally non-builtup kinda way. A funny thing: When we came back for our second time (a year later, almost) it was as if we were coming home...that good, comforty, familiar-with feeling. Now how many vacation spots can actually do that to you?!

Yes, it all sounds great, and I think I shouldn't worry too much about the diving - it's just that just about everybody who posts here seems to be a diver! (Well, not everybody of course - I do remember reading a few posts from non-divers).
Belinda, I think the reason I got water in my nose during snorkeling was just a complete lack of experience - I simply went down too deep and the snorkel got under water! Perhaps it's time for another try....
We have been to Bonaire once, ages ago - I remember it as a special place, beautiful in a stark way. The pink of the salt ponds was astonishing! So, I think we're on - this site has been great so far and I look forward to checking in here often and reading about everybody's experiences. Any tips re good restaurants (or places to avoid) are also very welcome!

Ahh, that could explain it. The snorkel goes in the mouth ;)

Take a look at the Dining section of this site. Loads of great tips! Close to Sorobon is Kon Tiki--very good. Right next door is the windsurfing place that offers a great crab sandwich (from what I hear). Maiky Snack is not too far away for fantastic LOCAL (do mean local!) food. Sorobon does have a little restaurant and bar, the Sugarbird, but can't comment as we haven't eaten there yet. We really liked the Garden Cafe, DeTuin, and Mona Lisa in town.

Do get a car and explore the whole island! Or, better still, get a truck or 4WD and go through the park up north--take a picnic and drinks and go early. Some very interesting stuff up there!

Sorobon even has coolers you can use for such excursions.

Oh, and another thing to recommend is to try and find the "blow holes" and the Spelonk lighthouse. Very off-the-beaten path! You sorta have to look at the little map from the car rental place and "wing it"!!! But well worth it! The Spelonk lighthouse is just so remote! It's truly stepping back in time.

Maria,

Go to one of the dive operations like Bonaire Dive & Adventure at Sand Dollar and get a snorkeling lesson. Less/no water up the nose and instruction about weighting, diving to some depth. You can also do the snorkel fish id course there. Both would really be worthwhile.

Sorobon Beach Resort, Bonaire Trip Report, 20 – 27 September 2003.

This trip report actually starts ten years ago when Jennifer and I first got married and started talking about getting “Two Tickets to Paradise” (an Eddie Money song). Well, ten years and two daughters later we finally made it.

20 Sept – The alarm goes off at 2:30 am, just as Jennifer gets home from patrol. We shower, grab our bags and head to the Louisville KY airport 70 miles away for our 6:45am flight on American. The fog is so bad, it is worse than pea soup, but we finally arrive at 4:15 am and then wait for the ticket counter to open at 5:00 am. Since we were staying at Sorobon, the baggage was limited to one carry on bag with snorkeling gear and one with a few pieces of clothing and a lot of film, which was hand checked at our request at all the security check points both to and from. After getting the tickets we headed for the gate. The flight left on time and arrived at DFW early, which added to the 1 hour 45 minute layover. We boarded the plane at 9:45 and departed 15 min late on the 4 hour 30 minute flight to San Juan, made all the much longer by the people that were so proud of their cologne they put the whole bottle on and then refreshed it every 30 min. We sat with the A/C turned on our faces the whole trip to keep from getting sick of the smell. We arrived in San Juan at 3:30pm and began the 2 hr layover that was extended by a 1 hour delay in departure. Finally we arrived at Bonaire at 8:11pm, after clearing customs we exited the airport and were pleasantly surprised by the ride to Sorobon waiting for us. After dropping off another couple at the Divi Flamingo, we were taken to Sorobon and greeted by a smiling face and shown to our chalet where we rapidly disrobed. Once we donned the “appropriate attire” we went to the “Sugarbird” for a late supper, took a walk on the beach, and went to bed after a long day.

21 Sept –Wake up at 7:30 to nothing but the peace & quiet that we grew to love. Put out a bowl of sugar and a bowl of water for the sugarbirds. They had the sugar eaten in no time and took baths in the water. 8:00am we go and have breakfast and then hit the beach to soak up the rays, or so we thought, 9:30am the clouds roll in and it starts to rain. Back to the room we go, spend the rest of the AM relaxing and watching the liquid sunshine (hoping this is not an omen of things to come) until lunchtime. After lunch the weather clears out and turns into the beautiful Bonaire that I have been hearing about for the past nine months that I have been working on organizing this trip. The first thing we do is grab the snorkeling gear and walk out the 600 yards to the floating raft near the reef in Lac bay and pass an upside down jelly fish. After arriving at the dock we rest for a while then don the gear and snorkel to the center of the reef. It was absolutely beautiful, Jennifer was amazed at the sea life there, one of the first things that we see is a young brown moray eel. After a 45 min snorkel we head back in and spend the rest of the day laying out in the sun, have supper and a few drinks at the Sugarbird and enjoy the beautiful evening.

22 Sept – Today we were to go on the nude Woodwind cruise but it was cancelled. We were awakened at 7:30am by a loud clap of thunder and pouring down rain. Fed the sugarbirds again. I was beginning to worry about the weather, but after breakfast it once again cleared up. We contacted AB car rental so we could see more of Bonaire and they picked us up at 10:00 am. We got a Hilux for three days, returned to Sorobon and headed out to the second raft again. We laid out there and soaked up some rays for 20 min then snorkeled to the reef where we saw an octopus, 5 reef squid, one very large well fed barracuda, and a huge balloon fish, along with the other reef fish. Once we got back to shore we drove to other snorkel sites on the island—Vista Blue, Alice in Wonderland, & Hilma Hooker. They were pretty uneventful so we went back to Sorobon, cleaned up and drove to Kon Tiki for supper. The food was wonderful, but we were on the menu also—the mosquitoes were just awful, we threw the food down our throats and went back to Sorobon, “dressed down” then had a few drinks and sleep.

23 Sept – I got up early to watch the sun rise over Lac bay, and found out that this a local hobby, everyone was out and I found out why, it was beautiful and it wasn’t raining!!! The sugarbirds were waiting for their meal on the front porch. Jennifer and I were just about to leave for Washington Park when the owner of the Woodwind called and asked if we wanted to take a snorkeling trip with them. Change of plans, off to the Woodwind we go. After boarding we sail over to Klein Bonaire and do a drift snorkel at No Name and see 5 sea turtles then we head back over to Bonaire to Andrea I & II. Here we see Cornet, Puffer, Trumpet, and Cow fish, and the ever friendly Barracuda. Andrea was more like the diving that I did off Okinawa and the Philippines, I really enjoyed this site. Afterwards, we did some shopping and bought gifts for our 3 daughters and headed back to Sorobon and changed into the “proper attire.”

24 Sept – We got up early to watch the sunrise and take some pictures. The sugarbirds were again calling to us to feed them. One joined us at the breakfast table. After breakfast we headed up towards Washington Park, enroute we stopped off and saw the Indian inscriptions. This is where we had a strange experience that reminded me of a scene in “Jurassic Park”, while we were looking at the inscriptions these little lizards started coming at us from every direction and then followed us as we walked along the lava flow. I kept wondering when they were going to attack and if I missed a post about this on BT!!! We took the long and rough route through the park, stopped and went snorkeling at a dive site with a sandy beach (don’t remember which one) to get cooled off and then finished the park drive. Stopped to look for parrots even though the batteries died in the 35mm camera, and while hiking the path to the area an iguana ran up the path to Jennifer. Seemed he took a liking to her and separated the two of us. He got aggressive towards me whenever I moved. Jennifer tossed me the keys to get the Polaroid to take a picture of him and he started running towards me to get the keys! No parrots, on the road again. Between the combination of bad suspension on the rental truck and the rough road and after jarring about 3 fillings loose we made it back to Sorobon. Once again after donning the “local attire” we were off to the far reef, this time we went towards the left (north) by blue hole. This is where we saw the most variety and largest fish of any place we snorkeled during the trip I was extremely impressed here. We saw about a 6’ Tarpon, 2 Octopus, a large Green and a smaller Spotted Eel, Angel fish, the largest Parrot fish I have ever seen (Super Male) and he wasn’t bashful at all about showing his teeth. Also saw 5 Barracuda, two of which started following me around with drool hanging from the corner of their mouths!!!! After we laid in the sun some more, we cleaned up for supper and after dark went hermit crab hunting and got some good shots of them (our daughters have two small ones from a Gulf Shores Alabama gift shop). I was joking about how I would like to see one carrying around one of those big conch shells. Upon completion of a successful hunt we hit the sack.

25 Sept – Got up and watched the sun rise, fed the sugarbirds, had breakfast (the sugarbird was waiting for us at “our” table) and headed out in the bay to the north side of the reef. Once again ran into a very aggressive Barracuda that we gave a wide birth. What is it with these guys? I have never seen Cudas behave like this before. Also saw 3 octopus on the way back to the beach and if I wouldn’t have had seen it for myself I wouldn’t believe it, it was the biggest hermit crab I have ever seen carrying around a conch shell!!!! Finished snorkeling for the day, took the truck back to AB car rental with no problems at all. Spent the rest of the day on the beach doing the rotisserie thing. Went to the Sugarbird for happy hour and supper and turned in for the night.

26 Sept – Up at 7:30, fed the sugarbirds, and ate breakfast, went back to the room and read for a while then headed out to the beach to finish cooking our skin until lunch. Took a kayak out to the far raft and snorkeled to the right side of the reef where we saw a spinney lobster, and no Cudas!!! This side of the reef was very shallow and wasn’t as good as the left side so we went back to the raft and laid out for a while and then kayaked back to the beach where we spent the remainder of the PM. Tonight we ate out on the porch by our chalet because the cook was not around I think he was sick as the bartender had been sick with the flu the night before. One brave sugarbird started eating rice off a plate on the table before we got to sit down and eat. PBD starts to set in as we pack knowing that we have to leave in the AM. It will be nice to see the girls again, but I am not looking forward to going back to work.

27 Sept – We got up at 3:30am and finished packing the last of our stuff and said goodbye to Sorobon. The taxi picked us up at 4:00 and took us to the airport and we went through the rest of the check in and customs inspection and checked our bags. Unfortunately the flight left Bonaire on time and arrived in San Juan on time where we had a 5 hr layover (would rather had the extra 5 hrs in Bonaire). The flight to Chicago was uneventful and arrived 30 min early, here we had a 2 hr layover and then boarded for the 55min flight back to Louisville, KY. When we arrived it was around 55 degrees out. After we got home around 11:00pm and went to bed with the 3 blankets piled on top of us, I realized that I missed the sound of the surf, the breeze, and the smell of the salt air.

Jen’s comments – Sorobon was more relaxing than one can imagine. No telephone, TV, radio, traffic…complete quiet with the exception of birds and ocean. It was a long trip to get there and a long trip back, but one well worth it. Seeing the wild donkeys and goats was unusual, and the lack of grass was strange. Seeing cactus tall against the sky…right next to the ocean was such a contradiction. You don’t really think of so much water together with cactus. The lizards were everywhere, and hearing the scraping of the iguanas crawling across our tin roof was awful, but they were neat to see sunning themselves and were really no bother. We saw a lot of bright-colored flamingos close to the road, and saw one fly across the bay. The residents’ homes and areas they lived looked almost like a third-world country. Very small, very plain adobe homes, dirt yard, sometimes goats fenced in most likely for milk supply. The overall attitude of those who lived and worked there was very laid back. Nothing seemed to happen in a hurry. There was such a mixture of languages, too. Dutch is the official language and we heard that, but also people spoke Spanish and the native Popiumento which is a mixture of Spanish, African, English, Dutch, and more. Of course most people spoke English to help out the tourists. It was very difficult to get on the plane and come home. The landscape wasn’t really anything to fall in love with, except for the ocean view, but the weather and breeze and water temperature was wonderful. Most of all was the feeling of total contentment and peacefulness. I can’t remember the last time I felt no stress whatsoever. More than anything else I want to hang onto that feeling. This trip definitely was one to paradise, and I hope to return again.

Tod’s comments –
Sorobon Resort;
Sorobon was wonderful, this was our first time to a naturalist resort, or any resort as far as that goes, and we were completely at ease, the feeling of total freedom and relaxation is something that I hope to hold onto. I normally am not able to just sit and do nothing, I have to be busy with something, but here I finally just relaxed. The food was also great here, however we did not venture out but one time, and didn’t feel the need to either, I had no complaints only compliments for the chef. The staff was outstanding, friendly and helpful, and I hope to see them again soon. Sorobon by far exceeded all of my expectation.
Snorkeling;
Of the seven sites that we snorkeled, Lac bay was by far the best. It had the most abundant and varied plant and animal life of any of the sites. Not to mention its relative ease to get to, at least for a Sorobon guest that is, you can either walk the 600 yards in ankle to chest deep water or take a kayak out to the raft, gear up and just roam around inside the reef.
Overall;
I can’t wait to go back. I just wish there was a faster way of getting there than the airlines, where is Scotty when you need him?????? Last but not least I want to thank all the people who helped me and answered all my questions. You are a great part of why this trip was as great as it was, Thank you.

Thanks Tod, for posting your report for me! I had actually already read it (and even saved it on my computer for reference, and to show to my husband), and it was one of the reasons I became interested in Sorobon.
I was wondering about one thing actually, although judging from your report and other people's remarks it doesn't seem to be a problem: is Sorobon terribly windy, I mean, does one really get sandblasted on the beach? We plan to go in February, so we wouldn't like to feel TOO chilly from the wind!
Thanks again for your report!

Sorobon is on the windward side, and has an almost constant trade wind blowing, but it is a welcome breeze. You will not be sand blasted!!!! I do not recall ever seeing any sand blowing at Sorobon or any place else on the island. After the sun started to go down the temp dropped maybe 5 degrees and the breeze also seemed to let up. We were never chilly from the breeze, at night we never used the blanket, a sheet was all that we needed. As I stated before with an air temp of around 89 +/- degrees the light breeze is welcomed. You will not be disappointed with Sorobon , especially if you are looking for a nice quiet - relaxing - unforgettable vacation. And with a rental all the dive spots are just about 15 minutes, if even that away.

Thanks Tod, it does all sound wonderful! At this point, we're thinking of splitting our vacation between Sorobon and Harbour Village. Harbour Village seems to be more luxurious, but is a bit out of our price range for the whole period. And also, Sorobon sounds like a very nice and exceptional experience.
We do plan to rent a car, although (unlike just about everybody else who goes to Bonaire, it seems) we don't actually dive.... But we like to drive around and check out various restaurants, just explore the island, etc.
While in the hotel, we just like to hang around, read a bit, paddle around in the ocean... in short, simply relax - and Sorobon does seem to be the right place for that!

We are going to be at Sorobon 24 October to 6 November this year for the first time. To make it even better it is our honeymoon! Can't wait. It sounds like the most fabulous place for peace and quiet and getting back to nature. As we are travelling a long distance we will probably hire a car and put on clothes (what a drag) to explore the rest of what sounds like a small piece of paradise! We may even venture to Gibi's on Tuesdays to meet fellow BTers. I can't even swim let alone dive and I still think it sounds like the best possible destination for a full-on chill-out holiday.

Annie, congratulations on your upcoming honeymoon! We had ours there too. What a great place to have one--so peaceful. Do indeed explore the whole island with a car! There are lots of cool places all over (this board is a fantastic source for locating them, as I'm sure you've found already). If you are aqua-challenged, Lac Bay is nice and shallow. Do be abit cautious if venturing out to the second floating platform at Sorobon (way the heck out there). It's shallow till you get real close to it then it can start to get over-your-head-level...but real gradual though. Maybe consider getting a snorkel vest to float around and see the beautiful fishies? Have a wonderful time! We're going back (third time) mid-May. Can't wait!