Headed for Bonaire
- Thread starter BBP
- Start date
The house reefs off the hotels are very good, rivaling any of the reefs you would travel off site too. When driving around the island, any beach is a good dive also. When your there, you can pick up a dive guide book that lists all the named sites and markers for beach dives. They make it easy down there. However, there are some words of warning. Do not leave any valuables in your rental car or unattended on the beach. Petty crime is unfortunately common there. When traveling, make sure anything you can not live without is carry on. Lost luggage was very a very common phenomenon when I was there several years ago, and talking to the airline and airport officials is rather useless.
Tanks are pretty much a dime a dozen, but personal gear such as reg's, camera's etc are all fair game. In fact car theft is bad enough that The Club is standard issue with rental cars and you'll see them in use in the cars belonging to locals too. At the same time while petty theft is a problem, the people on the whole are very nice.
Joe Damone
New member
Hi ,
I have been going to bonaire for 20 years and have lost track of how many times I have been there.And love it
1-great shore diving rent a mini van and go.90% of sites are divable from shore
2- leave van open with nothing of value.
3-watch out for petty crime in car and room.
4-most of the crime is car related or room breakins done by wanna be GANGSTAS or guys from Curacao. 99% of the locals are great!!!
where are you staying? Who are ypu diving with? Level of diving experence?
any help qustions let me know
Joe
I have been going to bonaire for 20 years and have lost track of how many times I have been there.And love it
1-great shore diving rent a mini van and go.90% of sites are divable from shore
2- leave van open with nothing of value.
3-watch out for petty crime in car and room.
4-most of the crime is car related or room breakins done by wanna be GANGSTAS or guys from Curacao. 99% of the locals are great!!!
where are you staying? Who are ypu diving with? Level of diving experence?
any help qustions let me know
Joe
Joe Damone
New member
PS my avitar is a frog fish at the town pier in Bonaire
jd
jd
Thanks Joe. We're booked for June 2-12th. We're renting a beach house for our stay ( dreambonaire.com ).
As far as diving experience, I'm right at about 50 dives and just need a couple more dives, deep and boat, to get my advanced cert. Almost every dive I've done has been a boat dive , but I haven't taken the 'official' one to get finished up. I've taken the PPB course but I may go to the refresher they offer in Bonaire, just to brush up and hopefully get some reef info.
Can't wait to do that night dive at the town pier. I've read all about and it sounds very cool.
Any advice on car rental places? There's four of us and I was thinking the club cab pickups might be the ticket.
BKB
As far as diving experience, I'm right at about 50 dives and just need a couple more dives, deep and boat, to get my advanced cert. Almost every dive I've done has been a boat dive , but I haven't taken the 'official' one to get finished up. I've taken the PPB course but I may go to the refresher they offer in Bonaire, just to brush up and hopefully get some reef info.
Can't wait to do that night dive at the town pier. I've read all about and it sounds very cool.
Any advice on car rental places? There's four of us and I was thinking the club cab pickups might be the ticket.
BKB
as you exit the airport walk across the parking lot (very small lot) and there is a strip with all of the car rental companies. go for the truck. but check the handle on the back hatch mine broke when I had it and it cost me, the lady said it happens a lot and it was the first thing she checked when I brought it back.
sasscuba
New member
I have been diving Bonaire since 1984. If you are confortable and the current is not too strong definetly dive Lac Cai on the other side of the island. It is where they do windsurfing. You enter the water between 2 large piles of conch shells. Probably 15 feet high on the island. You keep that heading straight out and you will run into what they call a small blue hole where hundreds of tarpon just sit and circle 24/7. They break off to feed but it is an awesome site! You will also see hundreds of groupers and turtles and schoolds of eagle rays. We also have seen 20-30 green morays there in one dive! Very nice dive! Like I said the entry can be tricky if the surf is high but some days it is perfect. Enjoy your trp. Wife and I will be back there in March. Cannot wait!
here are some pics from my trip
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=863746
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=863746
Joe Damone
New member
Im gonna be there in march as well 2/28 thru 3/12 housesitting.When Im there I get my tanks filled and any boat dives I do at the Carib inn. Great palce will repaire your gear while you wait. As far as the car rental goes I ussually get a mini van. The rental place I allways rented from seems to be out of biz (nettys) I would just look on line and get the best price. Make a reservation as sometime they get booked up. As far as diving goes. Some sites I really like are
1-invisibles (south)
2-red barrel (south)
3-salt pier (late afternoon or night) but you need a local guide
4-Town pier at night also need a local guide.
5-Rappel need to do it from a boat. (north)
6- I would also do a couple of boat dives to klien Bonaire a small island right off of Bonaire
As far as diving the east side I would not do it with the # of dives you have unless you are with a local guide. You can dive the east side with larrys wilde side diving. Very competant dive guide althuogh a little pricy. The dive opperation may offer some guided shore dives as well. If you have not picked out a dive opperation I would go with the Carib Inn www.caribinn.com
food wise there are 2 or 3 supermarkets and a good pizza resturant (bon pizza)
Go to Richards if you want a nice meal on the water
jd
1-invisibles (south)
2-red barrel (south)
3-salt pier (late afternoon or night) but you need a local guide
4-Town pier at night also need a local guide.
5-Rappel need to do it from a boat. (north)
6- I would also do a couple of boat dives to klien Bonaire a small island right off of Bonaire
As far as diving the east side I would not do it with the # of dives you have unless you are with a local guide. You can dive the east side with larrys wilde side diving. Very competant dive guide althuogh a little pricy. The dive opperation may offer some guided shore dives as well. If you have not picked out a dive opperation I would go with the Carib Inn www.caribinn.com
food wise there are 2 or 3 supermarkets and a good pizza resturant (bon pizza)
Go to Richards if you want a nice meal on the water
jd
Joe Damone
New member
ps I think I know where your house is. I believe its in the Belnam section. That is down south. They may have an option for delevering tanks to your door every day. The diving down south is my personal favorite.
jd
jd
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