Trip Report, 2-10 August

This was our first trip to Bonaire, and we had a wonderful time. The island was everything I'd hoped for, and our visit was successful in no small part because of the input from this discussion group. I lurked here for about two weeks before we left, and I'd like to say a big "thanks" to everyone who posted their experiences, comments and observations. I really wanted something unusual and off the beaten track, and I certainly found it in Bonaire.

Travel: we booked our trip through AAA, and they put us on AA. We flew from PHL to San Juan, and then AE to Bonaire. Travel went without a hitch, although leaving the hotel at 4:30am to catch that 6:10am AE departure back to San Juan is rough! No delays, no lost luggage, no weather problems and the leg back to PHL was half-empty. It just doesn't get any better than that!

Hotel: we stayed at the Plaza, and we all loved it. We are not divers, but we do love to snorkel, and we found the excellent beach suited us perfectly. The landscaping at the Plaza is fantastic, and the two-bedroom villas are huge and just right for us (we have 3 children, 21 - 14 in age). I highly recommend the Plaza for anyone, especially those with families. The entire apartment was air-conditioned, and that made it a pleasant stay, especially in August when the temperature is in the 80s and the humidity in the 70s.

Dining: for evening dinners we went to:
- Old Inn: excellent food, good service. We had ristaffel for five, and took enough home to eat lunches for the next 3 days. Go early in your trip so you have time to eat all the leftovers!
- Richards: good food, fabulous view. I could have sat by the ocean all night.
- Le Wok: billed as Indonesian/Indian/Thai. Not particularly authentic, but very good. The young man who appears to be the only waiter/bartender is definitely on island time, though!
- Rondevous: we sat outside, which, considering the amount of street noise, was a mistake. But the food was very good, and we had our first taste of Keshi Jena here.
- Mi Poron: one of the highlights. I had to try the goat stew. Delicious, but tough. Be prepared to gnaw the bones! The sauces were great.
- Den Laman: the seaside view is wonderful. I had the seafood bami - probably the best meal of the trip.
- Thursday night the Carribean Point at the Plaza has a buffet with local music. I'm not usually a big fan of buffets, but this one was huge and quite varied, and most of it was good. We also ate ate the breakfast buffet once, and it's not bad either. The made-to-order omlets are the best part.

I found it startling that we could walk into restaurants of this caliber without reservations and be seated immediately. I imagine that at Christmas things are quite different, but coming from the Philadelphia area, is was refreshing not to have to wait. Most restaurants seemed fairly empty.

I discovered that the Cultimara makes fresh bread and crossiants every day, which between that and leftovers from the night before solved the breakfast and lunch issue. Also, you can get real Dutch Gouda there for about $2.60/lb. We ate a lot of cheese!

Snorkeling: we went to Klein Bonaire, Playa Funghi, 1000 Steps, 18 Palms and Windsock. Great fish in all locations, but I thought the corals were the best at Windsock. In many places you can see the post-Lenny recovery taking place. I am sorry I never saw it pre-Lenny - the corals must have been awesome. The sheer numbers of fish in some places was staggering. To be able to float with a school of 100-200 fish was a wonderful experience.

Car Rental: we used ABCarrental. Efficient and friendly.

Excursions: I wanted to drive all over the island, and we saw most of it. The south road is closed a few hundred yards past the lighthouse, and although we went to Sorobon, we never saw the southeast side. We spent the better part of a day in the Park. The northern yellow loop around the coast is beautiful, especially the ocean cliffs. The ride back from Slagbaai was tedious, though (probably aggravated by having my 3 kids in the back of a Rav-4 the whole way!). The road around Goto Mere is worthwhile, as well.

We went on a sailing cruise with Mike and Jewel on their boat Mistress. A delightful couple. It was just the four of us, and we had a great time with them. Highly recommended.

All in all, a great experience.

Regards,
Dean Macinskas

Dean, it is so wonderful and rewarding to hear that you and your family so thoroughly enjoyed your first (but not last) trip to our beloved Bonaire. You now can see why so many of us return over and over again. My husband and I are not divers, either, but we do love to snorkel and can't get enough of Bonaire's waters and all else which she has to offer. Truly a magical place and experience. Glad to see that you now know her wonderment first-hand. I'll bet you are planning a return trip already, right? Carole

Wonderful trip report! My husband and I are going to the Plaza in a couple of weeks, and we can't wait. Thanks for the restaurant report... Last time I had a ristaffel was in Amsterdam years ago and I've been wanting to have it again so now I know where to go ;)

Dean, one question for you - I wanted to book a villa instead of a suite but we were told that the villas were a lot farther away from the beach so we got the suite. What was your experience with the location/view?
-Casana