Hi everyone,
we are going to bonaire in may - 1 windsurfer and 1 lounger/snorkeller, has anyone stayed at kontiki / lac bay - we are not old but don't want to be staying at party central! any advice would be great
Mary in cold snowy boston!

Hi Mary, welcome to the board! The windsurfing is great at Lac Bay but it is a bit out of the way and there is not a lot there. No distances on Bonaire are very great so you might want to stay more centrally and get a hire car. I think it can be 'young livley' at times.

It's a super property and very close to the site. Not sure what you mean by lively Julia. I was a guest there a year ago and it was down right mellow but when they have jazz the first Sun. of the month it sure is lively..ahhh, Mary, NE is snowy this year, eh?

Annie

Mary-
Greetings from Nantucket! I think Kontiki is a little too mellow. It is relly quiet out there. I recommend Coco Palm Garden which is a straight shot down the road (5-6 miles??) from Lac Bai. It is one block from the water (Bachelor's Beach), south of town. Funky, tropical, fun decor, hammocks, palm trees, small swimming pool, and very affordable. Check out their website www.cocopalmgarden.com . Good luck!

I concur with Kate. Belnam sits right on the intersection of the road to Lac Bay and the N-S road that runs all along the leeward side and through Kralendijk. From Coco Palm/Casa Oleander it is:
about 5 minutes to Lac Bay,
<5 minutes to the airport,
<10 minutes to Kralendijk,
<10 minutes to all southern dive sites like Hilma Hooker, Angel City, Pink Beach etc.,
<25 minutes to northern sites like Karpata, 1000 steps, etc,
about 20 minutes to Rincon
... and that's all driving within posted limits.

LS

Thanks to all for the great tips!
Is coco palm within walking distance of bars/restaurants? although we are renting wheels we're not too keen on driving under the influence - not that we're major boozers!!!
casa oleander looks v cool - we will have 12 nights in Bonaire so maybe we'll split them and stay in 2 places! oh dear decisions decisions! whats a girl to do!

ps. great skiing in the freezing north today!!

Mary, you cannot really walk to dining and bards at CCP nor from KT. But, it's a 3 minute car ride.

So many choices..ahhhhhhhhh

One place that is similar to Casa Oleander or Coco Palm is Babs' studio and 1bd. apartments at the DIVE INN. They are right on the waterfront at Cha-Cha-Cha pier. The dive shop is right there, of course, and from the center of town - or from Karel's - your room would be just a short stroll, or stagger, away. Wouldn't be as quiet or secluded as Belnam, though.

BTW, Babs at Dive Inn and the Kleys and Marion at Coco Palm / Casa Oleander are also linked up so that you can book your diving package and room reservations together as a package, at least when last I travelled.

Mary-
With 12 days to spend, splitting your accomodations up between 2 places is a good idea! Coco Palm isn't far ("as the crow flies") from town and restaurants/bars like Old Inn, Richard's, China Nobo, Rendez Vous, Mona Lisa, Blue Moon, Karel's, City Cafe, Swiss Chalet. It's just that the road does a big "U" around the lagoons near the airport. I totally understand the DUI thing and what you're talking about. The other reastaurants, in general, are sort of clustered in "hotel row" starting at the rotary and going north, and then it's a bit more of a drive from Belnem. Still, it's all relative, and nothing is really that far.

A huge big thank you to Julia, Ann, Kate & Leif for all the tips !! Well I bit the bullet and booked the 'Bromelia' apt at coco palm, its looks funky and appears to be every colour under the sun, I booked direct and my email was responded to very quickly. I can't wait - Boston is wet and miserable today! Thanks again, this is a great message board!
PS. If anyone is going to be at coco palm may 16-28 maybe I'll see you there - I'll be the tall really white one!!

Say HI for me!