Bonaire has thus far been one of our favorite dive destinations. We actually visited 3 times within a year and a half with a variety of dive buddies because we enjoy it so much. There’s something to be said for returning to places you are familiar and comfortable with. The people are friendly. The system for accessing your tanks for shore diving is very user friendly. It’s also an island that’s very easy to get around. Rent a truck at the airport, and off you go. The accommodations have been very nice at both facilities we’ve experienced, although the last time we stayed at Plaza Resort, the grounds keeping and rooms appeared to have gone downhill a bit. Rumor had it the place was up for sale, and it appeared they weren’t putting much money into the upkeep. This was disappointing because our first trip to Bonaire, the grounds were BEAUTIFUL, and well kept. Things may have turned around with new owners, but we have not heard anything differently as of yet.
To date, we’ve gone diving with ‘Buddy Dive’ and ‘Toucan Divers’ dive shops. Both Dive Shops were very accommodating as far as staff goes. Toucan Divers had a ‘one-up’, however, as their dive boats are stored in a protected area. You’re able to load your things and get your gear ready prior to leaving the dock in calm waters. The Buddy Dive boats were on a dock adjacent to open ocean, which was a nice view, but the boat is constantly slamming into the dock as you’re trying to board with your heavy gear. You also have to get your stuff ready on the way to, or at the dive site, because you just need to sit down and hang on as the boat bangs away after loading. Another reason I favor Toucan is one dive master in particular. His name is Jackson. He is ever enthusiastic about the sport despite doing it for years, and is always making a point to show divers the cool things, like frog fish, and the air pocket at the 99’ deep Hilma Hooker wreck. If those are the two choices, Toucan has always been my preference.
Bonaire’s marine creatures are plentiful. We started off our first dive with a beautiful floating eagle ray, and saw several more as the week progressed. There were also turtles on several dives. These will always be some of my favorites. Bonaire also has several dive sites where the seahorses tended to gather. These are definitely a creature you don’t see often, but I’ve seen them on every trip to Bonaire. There were also several chances to see the frog fish, which was a new one for me as I came into Bonaire. There were many more which deserve honorable mention, but too many to include them all here! Let’s just say the diving here gets a definite thumbs up!!
Bonaire is well known for its shore diving, and we have tried that several times. Although the freedom of the shore diving is wonderful, the entries at many sites are still quite challenging as they are often rocky and slippery. And watch your fingers because there are little eels everywhere! There are several sites we favor such as "Oil Slick" because you can enter via platform ladder. We also like "Angel City" because that site has never disappointed us. The old coral is a little bit of a tricky entrance, but it’s definitely worth it when you jump in and see all the squid that like to hang out here. I will always like the boat diving best because I like jumping right in to the water without the hazards of spraining an ankle on the way in (which happened to a friend of ours even before she made it to the water)! Also, if shore diving, make sure not to leave anything valuable in the car as we’ve heard of theft issues, but have never experienced them.
Our favorite restaurant is here in Bonaire as well – Casablanca’s. They have the best steaks, and great ambiance at their little establishment. The prices are decent for the food you receive. If you’re really hungry, get their meat platter. It’s a platter piled 6-8 inches high with steak, pork, sausage, etc, etc. It’s definitely something to be shared, and also nice for take home if you want to eat it for lunch the next day. Pasa Bon Pizza is another favorite. They make YUMMY pizza, and although I haven’t tried it yet, they were also famous for their lasagna. It’s so good, they were out of it by the time I got there that night! For cheaper quicker meals, there’s always the KFC and Subway. Our other meals were eaten at our resorts, and I thought all meals were exceptional. No complaints about the food here.
As far as the Nature Park goes…. Don’t cry if you have too much to do and aren’t able to make it out there. The last time we went there were so many deep pot holes, I don’t know how our trucks came out unscathed!! It was a several hour, incredibly bumpy and uncomfortable ride. The highlight was when the wild donkey stuck his nose in the truck to check us out. That was kind of fun! Also, the Flamingo Reserve is an okay drive, but the flamingos are often off at a good distance, not up close and personal. Take your binoculars. And watch out for the iguanas… they’re everywhere when driving. They also like to beg for food by scratching at the back door to your room! They’re fun to watch, but Bonaire might not be the place for you if you have an iguana phobia!! :)
The only last bit of information is we strongly recommend you bring your DEET or OFF, as we’ve progressively noticed increased mosquitos with each visit. This, however, could have been due to going at varying times of the year. If you’re armed with your insect repellent, however, they are very tolerable, and won’t serve as a deterrent to spending evenings out and about.
All and all, we highly recommend the overall Bonaire experience. It’s a reasonably priced vacation, provides great food and experiences, and fantastic diving. It’s definitely on our list of places we look forward to returning to.
