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Trip Reports: Sand Dollar
Bonaire Talk: Trip Reports: Archives: Archives 2000 to 2005: Archives - 2004-02-06 to 2004-07-31: Sand Dollar
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Thompson (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #3) on Monday, April 12, 2004 - 1:17 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Just returned from a week @ the Sand Dollar and my wife and children could not have been happier. The 2 bedroom unit we had was great, the maid did dishes and keep the unit clean. The only thing we felt was not worth the money but had no complaints from the kids was breakfast @ Mangos. We were on a package, I think the breakfast worked out to around $14 each (we were 4) there was no change in the menu from day to day but it was very easy to get up in the morning have something to eat and continue your day. Diving as always was great, the dive shop at Eden which is "Wanna Dive" was very helpful with telling us were we could enter and how to get to the "Confidence". This was my sons first dive trip, he just received his Jr. C-Card (12 yrs.)he could not have been happier,saw three frog fish on Bari as well as Moray's, octopus,rays,tons of fish and on our very first dive we saw what looked like a chicken without a head that had what looked like turtle flippers. He was walking in the sand to the south of the dive dock. Jerry from the dive shop, told us it was a Batfish very rare. He continued to say only 1 in 10,00 Reef Surveys had seen this Batfish. It was a fantastic first experience for my son, now I have to figure out how to top this.My son also spent two days with Caren of Sea n Discover, he never stopped talking about her and what they did. See would pick up the kids @ Sand Dollar around 8:30 and return them around 12:15. They did some work in a classroom environment and then out to snorkel. For $30. per day less if you sign them up weekly it was well worth it.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Matheson (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #9) on Monday, April 12, 2004 - 6:43 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks for the post Jim. Our group will be heading to Sand Dollar for two weeks in November on our first Bonaire trip. I will have my 10 year old with me who should have his Jr. card by the time we get there. Planning on having him spend some time with Caren as well as I have heard so many great things about her program. Did your son do all his diving right there at Sand Dollar and Bari or were you able to hit some of the "road" sites with him as well. If so, how did that go?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Thompson (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #4) on Monday, April 12, 2004 - 8:01 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

We did most of his dives at Bari. He was very happy there. We did manage to do Andra, Windsock, Tori's Reef and Capt. Dons house reef (for the wreck). It was just so easy to dive Bari plus then my wife and 10 yr daughter, both do not dive were very comfortable snorkling there and spending time in the pool. I believe Caren's web site is www.seandiscover.com. One day she rented a boat to take the 6 kids snorkling.He enjoyed it so much. I cant say enough about her and the program she runs.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Robert Fishman (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #125) on Monday, April 12, 2004 - 8:23 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Jim,

Here's an image (most likely) of the exact Batfish that you and your son saw on Bari Reef. I photographed him in early March.

Enjoy!
kadushibob

batfish

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Robert Fishman (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #126) on Monday, April 12, 2004 - 8:28 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

And if you didn't happen to see his face:

batfish3bt

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Carole Baker (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3359) on Monday, April 12, 2004 - 11:04 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Wow! Now THAT's a face!! Great shots. Carole

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Thompson (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #5) on Tuesday, April 13, 2004 - 7:47 am:     Edit PostPrint Post


Great pictures Robert, I have a few good one's from the "Confidence", will try to post tonight.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Belinda Z (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #117) on Tuesday, April 13, 2004 - 8:01 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Robert,

WOW! Cool pictures! I think a fish that looked like that might frighten me :-)

Belinda

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Chet Wood (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #478) on Tuesday, April 13, 2004 - 1:04 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

During the couple weeks we were there in Feb/Mar, we spent a couple hours looking for that Batfish-and never did find it!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By DIVER DEBBI (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #373) on Tuesday, April 13, 2004 - 9:29 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Nice pics Kadushi Bob ! we were able to find the batfish three times and one time snorkeling...you just have to be patient and keep looking on the southern side of the dock in the shallower waters..be still and wait for the movement of the fish..good luck, as it is a once in a lifetime chance to see this unique fish !

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Frank Johns (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #2) on Tuesday, April 13, 2004 - 10:24 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hey Jim - glad you had a great trip. My wife and I sat between you and your wife and family on the flight from Montego Bay and enjoyed your sons enthusiasm for his up coming experience. I am sure he is beside himself with these experiences, especially now you have the excellent photos that Robert posted. We tried to make it to the "confidence" but never found our way. Did you end up diving it ? Is the rigging still in tact. Oh by the way remind your son the Red Sox are going to beat the yanks this year (hope springs eternal). Take care, check out our trip report. Bucky & Liz

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kelly Lott (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #957) on Wednesday, April 14, 2004 - 8:43 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi everyone, I thought I would share my batfish picture, however, it was taken in Panama City Beach, Florida, where apparently these are very rare sightings! I was very lucky!

batfish

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ron Edison (BonaireTalker - Post #17) on Wednesday, April 14, 2004 - 3:40 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

We stayed at Sand Dollar in September and had a great time. For breakfast anywhere, $14 per person is very expensive. Breakfast was included in our package. (They give you little tear-off coupons for each day.) It was included in almost every dive package at every resort I've seen on Bonaire. We had no complaints on the variety--choice of eggs, sausage, cereal, fruit, pancakes, waffles, potatoes, coffee and juices every day.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Thompson (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #6) on Wednesday, April 14, 2004 - 5:40 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

On our trip the choice for breakfast was eggs, cereal,fruit & potatoes, no waffles or pancakes. But the kids were happy and thats half the battle. I just can't figure out how to add pic's, any help?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Igor van Riel (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2362) on Thursday, April 15, 2004 - 4:01 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Jim,
at the bottom of the page is a link "Formatting". I u go there u will find information about formatting your posts and uploading pictures. A picture should be smaller than 50 Kb and u add it by the following code:
\ image{caption}
Just loose the space between "\" and "image" and your there. The "caption" is just a title. The software will ask 4 the picture after you hit "Post Message".
Hope this helps :-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Marge Lawson (BonaireTalker - Post #12) on Sunday, April 18, 2004 - 3:06 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Sounds like you had a lot of fun! We just returned from Bonaire (plan on posting a trip report in a week or so), and did quite a few dives off the Sand Dollar pier since we enjoy Bari Reef so much. In fact, we ended up buying a 2 bedroom townhouse at Sand Dollar for our future trips.

We found the batfish several times. Truly a unique looking fish. We saw 4 frogfish, an octopus, an orange seahorse, a lobster, plus all the more common fish/critters on a single 90 minute Bari Reef dive. It helped to have a "guide" (one of the owners of a Sand Dollar unit).

Bari Reef isn't as pretty as some of the other dive sites, but it can't be beat for the abundant and variety of fish life.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Thompson (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #7) on Monday, April 19, 2004 - 8:13 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

If I may inquire, what does a two bedroom townhouse at Sand Dollar go for. I don't need an exact amount. Thanks

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ruth van Tilburg (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #206) on Monday, April 19, 2004 - 8:56 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I can only speak for myself, but, given the option to not serve breakfast is one I think many resort restaurants (not owned & operated by the resort, like at Sand Dollar) would take. Most resort breakfasts are in the +/- $10 range, and have to include local sales tax (5%). Perhaps a service/gratuity (10-15%) is also added on. And let's not forget the travel wholesaler, and the resort itself, who will take hefty commissions to sell the "included" breakfasts, and so, yes, things can seem expensive (did you also figure all the hotel taxes, sales tax, per-person/per-night tourist tax, safety locker charge, etc, that were probably also included in your package?). From the restaurant owner's viewpoint, to serve breakfast, you need an entire full extra shift of employees to cover all those hours (+/- 7am - 10pm, 7 days/wk), and days off, sick leave, benefits, etc. And if the staff doesn't show up, you have to. And there goes any profit. (Sanity left long ago.) It's not like in the US, where if it's slow, you can send people home and make them punch-out to cut costs--if they're on the schedule, that's it-they're paid whether there are customers or not. At Mango's, since we are so not morning people, and since Sand Dollar insisted breakfast be served, this meal is actually catered by Eddie's Gourmet, served from our restaurant property. Eddie and his wife are very popular locally, and we've had no complaints. The pricing to the customer for that package is something we have no control over-really.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Thompson (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #8) on Tuesday, April 20, 2004 - 1:27 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks for the info on Mango's and Sand Dollar apt's. That answer's my questions.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Carol at Sand Dollar (BonaireTalker - Post #55) on Tuesday, April 20, 2004 - 1:59 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Just to set the record straight, the amount Sand Dollar charges for the breakfast buffet is $12.50 per adult, including the government tax and gratuity. Children 6 - 12 pay 1/2 price, and children under 5 get the breakfast for free. It was included in our packages in response to client demand, not so we could earn "hefty commissions". It is at best a break even proposition for us, but we did not look for it to be a money maker for Sand Dollar, simply a service that we offer in response to requests by guests and the travel professionals. It is not a mandatory part of the package, but based on the feedback we receive from our departing guests, most thoroughly enjoy it and glad they purchased it. We consider ourselves very fortunate to have Eddie and Sonja providing our guests with this meal service.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rita Daggett (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #138) on Wednesday, April 21, 2004 - 10:57 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Speaking as someone from the UK, I'd say that not having breakfast included is an American 'import' and was almost unheard of in UK until the US chains came to town. Bed and Breakfst was just the standard minimum, and I still find the concept of a hotel which doesnt have b'fast facilities (as some US places) strange! More usual in UK (for holidays) was full board, or, more recently half-board (almost invariably breakfast and dinner).
I hadnt come across all-inclusive until we went to the Caribbean and I was rather amused to find (when we stayed on Cayman Brac) that we were on half-board and all the Americans were on all-inclusive terms; I thought Americans would go for room-only.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ruth van Tilburg (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #208) on Thursday, April 22, 2004 - 6:26 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Nevertheless, commissions do contribute to the ultimate cost to the customer, in any business, and especially in the travel wholesale industry. Carol, sorry for the wrong impression--what Sand Dollar receives is minimal-especially considering the children's rates; but I would not say that what the wholesaler receives to book the meals is. There's a limit to how many 'break-even' situations every business is willing to accept, which is why Eddie & Sonja are catering breakfast at Mango's. I don't think any of us should have to excuse ourselves for wanting to make money; breaking even all the time won't keep anyone around long. The prices that Sand Dollar charge are totally within line of what resorts charge for breakfast here, and not $14 per person, including children, as was first mentioned at the top of this thread--which was really an unfair and potentially damaging comment to both Sand Dollar and Mango's, due to miscalculation.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Israel A. Sanchez (BonaireTalker - Post #23) on Friday, April 23, 2004 - 5:11 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I think the breakfast issue is being blown out of proportion. I don't think the island resorts have to be so apologetic about their breakfast rates. I do not think $14.00 is expensive, let alone $12.50. The issue should not even be discussed when we take into account that the price includes tax and gratuities. Let me put a breakfast in NJ/NY area:

- Cup of coffee with refills $1.50
- Fruit salad (small) $3.75
- 2 eggs any style $2.50
- Add a side (bacon, or ham, etc) $1.50
- Whole wheat toast (2 slices) $1.00

Total $10.25
NY tax $1.00
Tip $2.00
GRAND TOTAL $13.25

Order omelets and instead of paying $2.50 for eggs, you'll be paying $4.00. More if you add toppings. Juice is usually free, but this varies from place to place. Add $1.00 extra if you have to pay for juice. I'm surprised that people can still make money after charging only $12.50. We must remember that the island does import most of its items, so this adds up to the price of most food items found in breakfast buffets. For the variety, the abundance, and the TERRIFIC service provided by Sonia and Eddy (which I don't get in Manhattan) I believe the price is a bargain. Hey, keep up the great work! My wife and I look forward to our return to the Sand $ and more of those sunny mornings with the smell of omelets and toast greeting us along with the warm smiles of Sonia and Eddy. Coach Izzy

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ruth van Tilburg (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #210) on Saturday, April 24, 2004 - 7:56 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks Coach--Many times I want to know where people are eating out in the states, when I hear complaints about prices here. Denny's & Olive Garden? And warm & friendly service from a couple like Eddie & Sonja? You're right there too--that's near impossible to find off-island.

Off this particular thread's topic, I especially want to know what bars people go to when I read/hear complaints about drink prices. In the US, except for a 'draft night' here or there, I'm usually paying $7-$9 for a Black Label, and +/-$5 for a beer. I paid $11 for a martini in New Orleans last month (not incl. tax & tip). On Bonaire, a top shelf scotch is in the fls 7-9 ($4/5) range (like Black Label) & +/- fls 5 for a Heineken (fls 3,50/$2 at happy hour at many bars; at KFC, all beers are $2 all day--find that in the US!). And these comparisons are all moot if we bring Starbucks into the picture!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Israel A. Sanchez (BonaireTalker - Post #25) on Saturday, April 24, 2004 - 5:20 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Ruth, that thought also crossed my mind! Where in the States can you get a breakfast as varied and generous as the one catered by Eddie and Sonia and get away with paying less than $12.50? Even breakfast buffets offered by hotels charge at the very least $11:00, and that is only standard "continental breakfast" items. If you want an omelet or egg whites, you have order them and that will cost you at least $4.00 extra. The only time we paid less than $10.00 was when we were road tripping to visit my in-laws who live in NC. We stopped to have breakfast at this Virginia diner. $8.00 per person, not bad we thought. We received plates served with food-resembling, almost-edible, kind of looks like scrambled eggs thingies. You get what you pay for. It also took me by surprise that you mentioned people complaining about the price of drinks. I have not read many posts, but you are right when you mention how the prices in the island compare to those in US cities. Martinis for $11.00? Not bad! Same for black label drinks and top-shelf liquors. I think the ones who get "shocked" by the prices of drinks are the newbies to the island who came without researching enough. A lot of them are probably used to the "all-inclusive" kind of thing, where you go to the resort bar and order a drink without having to pay for it. Even when they tell you they use "top-shelf" for their drinks, I don't believe them. The taste buds cannot be fooled. I have yet to see a frequent Bonaire visitor posting here that he/she found the prices of dinning and drinks "exorbitant". In fact, many of them who reply to the annoyingly repetitive postings of "Hi I'm new! How's Dinning in Bonaire?" (that's a different issue) can testify that the prices for Dinner and drinks in Bonaire are well within reason, if not better, when compared to good dinning in the US (that means scratch off franchises and anything with pictures in the menu). Then again, if somebody does still have a problem with the prices, Cultimara is pretty close and the rooms are equipped with Kitchens. Well, enough said! You guys keep running your business the way you have. You must be doing something right to keep getting repeated business and referrals. Best of luck! Coach Izzy

 


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