Hi, my name is yettay and I just returned from Bonaire after spending Christmas week there. I went with my dive buddy for the past 12 years, Gail and her daughter Marissa (a new diver) We flew from Miami Dec 26th at 9:30 am on Air Jamacia. The airport security went good and we made it through with minimal delay due to the fact that we arrived at 6:30 am. The food sucked! Why bother to even offer it. Stick to serving the champaign. We were on time to Montigo Bay and off to Bonaire. We were greeted at the terminal by a Dive Buddys Resort rep and promptly driven to the resort to our rooms doorstep. After settling in we formally did our check-in and got our rental truck at the front counter. The resort has four buildings with 1, 2, and three bedroom condo's. The units were very nice. We missed diver's orientation so we took off to have dinner in town and show Marissa some of the downtown district. We wound up having a lovely dinner at Chib chib in the Divi Flamingo where we stayed last year.
The next morning after breakfast we signed up for an afternoon boat dive, listened to the orientation speech and got our diving tag for the year 2002. After doing a checkout dive on Buddys reef we were off to South Bay off Klein Bonaire for our first dive and got to see Sea horses on our very first dive. What luck! We took a drive down south by the slave huts and lighthouse making the circular route back to town. It's great to have a rental truck included in your dive package. The next few days we did 2-tank am boat dives and shore dives. The town pier is a must do dive. We did the hilma hooker on one early am. shore dive and found a school of tarpon hanging around. Best to get there before the first dive boats arrive.
One of the highlights of this trip was too find the perfect place to watch the best sunsets and moon rises from. That place is Seru Largu which is a monument to the virgin Mary located on the hills that overlook the whole southern half of the island. It was New Year's eve when I found this place and it was a fantastic place to see the fireworks over the town. The next day I brought my dive buddy their and watched the elusive green flash during the last moments of a beautiful new years day sunset.
One of the best fireworks displays I had watched in recent years was put on at Buddys dive resort and the resort next door. The show lasted a good half hour and was followed by a great party. There were no boat dives scheduled for the next morning and that was a good thing.
New Years day was the last diving day for us. We started off with Alice in Woderland and Sweet Dreams. After lunch i went up north to Ol Blue and followed a school of fish feeding off the algea on the coral heads. Beware that you are on a one way stretch of roadway and have to go thru Rincon to get back to town. One last night dive to feed Charlie the resident tarpon and my super dive vacation was coming to a close.
We dropped off our checked bags early so that we didn't have to stand in long lines and went back to the resort to enjoy the remaining time before checkout. One last trip to Seru Largu to say so long to this True Diver's Paradise.
Some of the places we ate at were the Swiss Chalet, Loin's Den, Old Inn were great. Wanted to go to Le Wok but found it closed the days we wanted to go. Went to the Blue moon and found that a disappointment. I should have made some notes of other's recommendation from this board, but theres always next time. They have great ice creme at the store just north of the traffic circle near Buddys. (Also called a roundabout).
As a diver I found the package offered by Buddy's to be the best so far. The rental truck that came with our lodging holds four diver's and their equipment and the drive-thru fill station makes exchanging empties for full tanks easy. They also offer Nitrox for an add'l charge. I regret not trying their rebreather intro, maybe next time.
I'm sorry for being so long winded but I hope it helps the future traveler's. This being my first post, I wanted to let you know what Bonaire is like during the holiday season. Bon nochi!

Oh I was dying to hear a fireworks report. You were up at Sera Largu? Was it a mob scene? Was town crazy?? Details man.

Who else has New Years Eve stories...

The ice cream place is Lovers. You did it in style..cool.

Annie
Cape Cod

Hi Annie -
The gang from Milwaukee spent New Year's eve at Captain Don's. Great fireworks, some of the best I have ever seen up close.

Joe from Milwaukee started his Dive Salvage company at 11:34 PM AST on the 31st. Someone lost a set of keys off the big dock at Captain Don's and Joe volunteered to find them. For $55 US and $20 NF and various drinks Joe found the keys in about 12 feet of water in about 5 minutes.

About 1 AM Patty and I went to bed and the 2 young guys went out dancing with Dutch girls.

Mark from Milwaukee

OH, how I love reading those long, beautiful trip reports especially when I am leaving for Bonaire in just a few short hours!!!!! Thanks

Have a great trip Darlene.....

Hi Annie, I was up there at sunset on new years eve but wasn't up there for the fireworks show at midnight. I went up there the next AM. to watch the sunrise and seen empty fireworks tubes laying around. Yes Loves has the best ice creme around.