Bonaire: A Scuba Diving Oasis

We almost moved to Bonaire when I was a kid for my dad’s job. Having loved the ocean all our lives, I think even we would have found the change of beach scenery a bit odd. Not all Caribbean beaches are the same. Some are more undeveloped and focus on other attractions. This is not to say the swimming and playing on the beach is absent, but the pristine white sand beaches are not typical of Bonaire, though some areas have shipped in sand. Others have pink sand from the monumental amount of coral that has smashed and grounded into its present pinkish hue of sand. The water however is a beautiful turquoise and will not disappoint.

Visitors come for a few major reasons: the scuba diving and snorkeling, the bird watching, and the quiet lack of noisy tourist mile high hotels. The place is protected scrupulously from overdevelopment, though Bonaire is very welcoming for tourism and want your business. Snorkelers and divers are in awe of the tropical fish and the coral. Apparently the population of flamingos outnumber the humans, and there are around 200 specifies of birds so bring a pair of binoculars.

Sunken ships, coral reef and marine life are easily accessible at the walk-in dive sites. There are over 100 of those walk-in sites, marked by yellow stone markers along the island. With over 230 foot underwater visibility and over 100 boat dive sites, you will have your pick of either method to explore the turquoise waters.

Beaches: Pink Beach at the southern end is good during the week if you want to be more alone, and on the weekends if you want to have company, the citizens of Bonaire tend to gravitate to this area.

Klein Bonaire, a tiny island one mile offshore, does have a beautiful beach and is known for it’s snorkeling and diving. The hotel on the mainland may have a boat to take you over. The sea turtles are also inhabiting Klein Bonaire, so there is no end of natural attractions.

Playa Funchi beach, has no sand really and is mainly for snorkeling. It is within the Washington Slagbaai National park and I mention it so you don’t drag your children with you if you are hoping for a sandy beach to play on. Some of the most wonderful fishing in the Caribbean is in Bonaire’s offshore fishing areas. You might reel in blue marlin, sailfish, snapper, tuna, mackerel, amberjack, or heaven forbid, dolphin, called mahimahi.

Bonaire is made of reef, and sits on the top of a submerged mountain. It has about 10,000 people and is about 113 square miles. People speak English, Dutch, Spanish, German and Papiamento, which is the country’s dialect. The U.S dollar is well accepted, but the national coin is the Netherlands Antillean florin (NAf), also called a guilder.

Getting to Bonaire: From the United States and Canada, you can fly Air Jamaica several days in the week. It will fly nonstop from several major U.S. cities and also will take you from Montego Bay to Bonaire. Delta Air Lines also is used as a carrier for this country. American Airlines has three flights per week from many major U.S. cities, as well as flights between Puerto Rico, San Juan and Bonaire.

Accommodations: Some of the least expensive include the Coco Palm Garden & Casa Oleander, which are small guest houses, studios and apartments. Think showers instead of baths and you’ll be fine with your surroundings. Everything is there for your convenience, but you can also eat out at the restaurant, stop at the bar and enjoy the pool. Other than that, you are on your own to come up with the activities you want. There is babysitting services. Prices start at 66.00 and go up to 105.00. An extra adult could cost 16.00 while an extra child would cost 10.00 per night. There are sun beds and hammocks. What more could you want if trying to get away from the noisy busy tourist spots. Their site is cocopalmgarden.org

For serious diving enthusiasts, the Bruce Bowker’s Carib Inn is one of the best for price and occupied by scuba divers because of its five-star dive setup. The inn does not have children’s programs or babysitting, but if you are trying to get your teens and preteens into scuba diving with you, this is the place. There are kitchenettes or kitchens depending on the size of the unit, maid service, showers but not tub, outdoor pool, no phones, but they do have tv and air conditioning. Rates start at 119.00 and go up to 189.00 depending on the size of the apartment or house. See their site at caribinn.com
They book well in advance because it is so popular for repeat divers.

Divi Flamingo Beach Resort & Casino: This place has had a major renovation completed and instead of housing German Prisoners as it used to in World War II, it now has private cottages and rooms with balconies. These cottages rest on piers so you can watch the rainbow colored fish swim under you as you look over your balcony. Pretty beautiful. See the photo below. Rates start at 203.00 and go up to 267.00 U.S. dollars. There are also some inclusive packages. There are two restaurants, a bar, 2 pools, fitness center, children’s programs, babysitting, dive shop, and many other amenities. See their site at diviflamingo.com

There are other very expensive accommodations on Bonaire, including Harbour Village Bonaire, Captain Don’s Habitat and The Deep Blue View. None of them have children’s programs unless they recently changed, but some do have babysitting services, and more amenities and recreational options. Some have 7 night packages and youll get a better deal there. But overall, the accommodations are not going to have the same standard of children’s programs you may be accustomed to in locations in the Caribbean, Mexico, etc., that have fantastically organized days of activities all catering specifically to various age groups. Here in Bonaire, you’ll basically have to make it up as you go along with your children, and maybe that’s the best kind there can be.