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Trip Reports: Beaches and swimming
Bonaire Talk: Trip Reports: Archives: Archives 2000 to 2005: Archives - 2001-05-19 to 2001-11-29: Beaches and swimming
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ann Phelan on Sunday, June 17, 2001 - 7:05 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I travel with my child and Mom in Dec. for XMas..I windsurf but Mom is a fish..will she be dissappointed in the beaches? I cannot stand hearing her fuss as she did after I took her to the Keys..she LOVES Antigua, Aruba, Bermuda..

Thanks..Annie

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Sarah on Sunday, June 17, 2001 - 7:33 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Annie, here's my selection of Bonaire Beaches in order of preference. Should you go to any of these, your Mother will be just fine:) No Name Beach,(Klein Bonaire, accessible only by boat, Klein Bonaire is an uninhabited island home to sea turtles and other indigenous wildlife). 1,000 Steps Beach, Nukove Beach, and Pink Beach. As you're a windsurfer, your place is Lac Bay. Make sure you have a map (all beaches are located on map).. and a car along with refreshments....

Have a wonderful vacation, we too will be on the Island in December.. your picture
Sarah

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Nancy on Sunday, June 17, 2001 - 2:12 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Ann,
From the many posts you could wade through on this site, you will find -- if you haven't already -- that Bonaire is not loved so much for it's beaches, but for its diving, snorkeling, windsurfing, and great people. Birds there are also pretty cool. If your mom is looking for expanses of beach, from what I could tell while there, she won't find them. I didn't get to No Name, but it does require a boat ride, so access isn't the easiest. 1,000 Steps does mean there are many steps to descend to the beach. Truly, I wonder if there isn't another island where you will both find great conditions for what you want: windsurfing and beach bumming/swimming. We loved Bonaire, but were willing to sacrifice the long and/or wide beaches for the snorkeling and general low key relaxation that are so easily accessible there.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By michael gaynor on Sunday, June 17, 2001 - 2:59 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Harbour village and Plaza are probably as close to what you are looking for as far as Bonaire is concerned. It would be a shame to miss Bonaire since we have so much for your family to see and do.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Sarah on Sunday, June 17, 2001 - 4:00 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Agreed, Plaza and Harbour Village also have nice beaches.. perfect for sunbathing and snorkeling:)

You might find this useful..

http://www.skyviews.com/bonaire/map.html

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Niki Harris on Sunday, June 17, 2001 - 4:25 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Ann, you're asking us if your mother will disappointed in the beaches. Personally I agree with Nancy, rather than Sarah. (S. might be thinking of (already tiny) Nukove before the Lenny surge. I don't consider it a swimming location now. Nor is there much of a beach.) Ann, you have to make one of those really hard decisions in life. Getting the whole family to agree on one place to go isn't always easy. Really, unless you choose the Plaza or Harbor resort beaches, the other beaches are a trip away from "home base" and none are the same type of beach your mother likes. If there is any chance she can be open to new experiences and find pleasure in snorkling, only she can say... I think you should tell her the truth about the beaches and see what she says.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Sarah on Sunday, June 17, 2001 - 5:31 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Annie, so sorry, didn't mean to mislead you, I completely forgot about the damage to Nukove Beach... the storm seems like such a long time ago.. It's always my intention to give the most accurate information I can..:) Hope you find a place with a beach that's suitable for you all:) The other beaches I mentioned are still there (well, they were in December anyway)!!! Here's a shot of Nukove before the surge..
your picture

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ann Phelan on Sunday, June 17, 2001 - 6:18 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Big hugs and thanks to ALL of you. I will take your advice and show Mom the info on Harbour and Plaza and let her decide. She loves seabathing so I think she will be content. Will keep you all posted. Annie

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Carole Baker on Tuesday, June 19, 2001 - 5:29 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Gorgeous shot, Sarah! Feels as if I am there right now....I WISH! Truly beautiful. Thanks for the posting.

Ann: We have a timeshare at the Divi Flamingo Beach Resort. There is a small beach there with nice beach chairs on the water and umbrellas and chairs up on the tanning pier, etc. as well as the Chibi Chibi Restaurant all right there, too. The snorkeling at the reef at the Divi is phenominal. We saw several "elders" in the water at our beach this past May 2001. You might want to consider Divi as an option, too. More things to think about!!! Oh no!! Here is a pic of the beach and one of Renee's Woodwind which is moored at the Divi
beach.CaroleDivi Beach and Woodwind

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Carole Baker on Tuesday, June 19, 2001 - 5:31 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hmmm...the beach shot is not here. I will try again. CaroleDivi Beach

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Carole Baker on Tuesday, June 19, 2001 - 5:50 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Here is another shot at the Divi...the tanning pier is directly in front...there are umbrellas and beach chairs down the entire lenght...the actual beach is directly on the "other" side of the pier. It is a nice set-up. Carole1,divi tanning pier

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Carole Baker on Tuesday, June 19, 2001 - 5:57 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Sorry for the error...had to resize. I am trying to get the posted pix to look as good as the CD ROM pix but it is not working. My apologies. CaroleDivi tanning pier

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Sarah on Tuesday, June 19, 2001 - 7:30 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Carole, I really enjoyed your shots too.. the Divi looks so nice:) Thanks again, Sarah:)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Josie on Monday, June 25, 2001 - 9:46 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Just a note about no-name beach on Klein -- it has NO shade!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By thomas brossard on Tuesday, June 26, 2001 - 7:50 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Another word about the Divi beach...Carole's picture is great, but that is exactly how big the beach is (perhaps 25 yards). It is very nice for lying on the chairs, accessing the water or playing with the kids but there will be no long walks (lol).

Additionally, there is virtually no sand at 1000 steps beach and while Pink Beach is recovering, the beautiful and only true beach Bonaire had is now mostly rock, as well.

No one has mentioned (I don't think) Windsock Beach. This has been renovated and seems to be the Beach du jour, with sand (although it was imported), easy water access & some benches & shade trees. This Beach is also relatively long (but skinny) and right on the main road at at the airport's end.

I believe Harbor Village is your best choice for a real beach at a Resort, but make no mistake, based on the beaches, you will not think you're on
Aruba!

 


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