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Accommodations: 2 weeks for first timers. Sand$ for one, ? for the other
Bonaire Talk: Accommodations: Archives: Archives 2000 to 2006: Archives - 2003-05-01 to 2004-02-12: 2 weeks for first timers. Sand$ for one, ? for the other
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Matheson (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #3) on Monday, February 9, 2004 - 5:46 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi, What a wonderful treasure of advice this board is. Unfortunately, I think I’m at that paralysis by analysis stage now. After reading the mouthwatering descriptions from this board over the last year a bunch of us are headed to Bonaire for the first time from our local dive shop in Alaska in November. For most it will be their first warm water dives after tons of drysuit diving. Most of the group will be staying for just one week and have just about settled on the Sand$, mostly for the price and access to Bari reef. My wife, 10 y/o and I are going to stay a second week and I’m trying to decide where to stay for week two. Like most Bonaire places, I’ve heard both good and bad about Sand$. I’d appreciate opinions from folks who have been there in the last six months or so about the latest situation there. We are pretty easy to please so we’re not expecting the Ritz. We intend to dive pretty heavy with the group around the island in week one but will probably stay closer to a hotel in week two just relaxing, snorkeling and diving the “house reef”. My 10 year old will be certified as a Jr. open water diver and won’t be able to go below 40 feet so an easy location at the hotel is a big plus. The wife, while a good diver, is just as happy to sit by the pool with a book and umbrella drink and watch us cavort in the water for hours. With the pool being removed from the ocean at the Sand$ she kind of has her sights set on Eden Beach or the Belmar which both seem to have more than their share of fans on this board. So, your thoughts? If we stay at Sand$ can she still have a comfortable place to hang out and “chill” while my son and I dive, snorkel and sunburn our lily white Alaskan bellies off for week two? If we move to the Belmar is the “house reef” accessible and typically calm enough to let him snorkel around (strong swimmer) while still allowing her to hang out at the pool and watch? How about Eden Beach as a compromise between the two? Any and all advice is welcome. The information I have already gleaned from BonaireTalk has been invaluable. Thanks to all who make this site so active and worthwhile.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Linda Stoltzfus (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #169) on Monday, February 9, 2004 - 8:41 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Sounds like a cottage at Capt. Don's would be ideal for your second week. Read my 2001 trip report for details.
http://www.oldbonairetalk.com/newsgroup/messages/1022/31140.html?1021997999

We will be returning there for our third time the end of March. The diving, snorkeling, pool area, Pizza for our 14 yr old, etc. etc. meet our needs to perfection. Email me if you need specifics.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By mary pequinot (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #357) on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 7:56 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Or think about Lion's Dive. Both are located at Bari reef, which should be a FABULOUS place for your son to dive.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dean Botsford (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #296) on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 8:37 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

...or Buddy Dive. In order heading north you have Sand Dollar, Buddies, Lion Dive and Capt. Don's.

I am partial to Buddy Dive, but have stayed at Sand Dollar also. Choices...at least they are all pretty good. Enjoy your trip. Prepare to be spoiled by clear warm water.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Randy P (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #193) on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 11:47 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I cast my vote for Buddy and Lion's as GREAT choices. Sand$$ is a fine destination as well, but I really enjoy having my morning after-dive coffee and breakfast at Buddy's restaurant at the water's edge, watching the dive boats heading out and feeding my scraps to the fish below. Same goes for lunch and dinner. And sunsets with a frosty cool Polar in hand can't be beat. The food at Mangos (Sand$$) is fantastic, the goat stew can't be beat, but it is on the road away from the water.

The Divi offers the same niceties, by the way.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark E. Anderson (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #3) on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 1:55 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

We stayed at Lion's last May, got a good deal on airfare + hotel on Expedia.com. Great place, dove the house reef 6 times 2 night dives, great dive shop, can't wear swimming suits in restaurant though, my wife had a nice fake beach right on the water to read and wait for me to come back from my boat dives and she liked the snorkeling there. She saw lots of stuff in the shallows toward Captian Dons. Lions is between
(across the fence) Caption Don's and Buddy Dive, all have steps or ladders to get in or out of the water.
We are checking out the Belmar in a couple weeks.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cynde (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #10450) on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 2:08 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

John, it seems to me by your post that you would like a pool by the ocean for your wife to relax the second week in while you and your son are diving...unless my cold medicine is playing tricks on my memory, Buddy's has a pool by the bar on the waters edge, right?

Randy, watch where you are throwing your scraps, last summer as Kelly and I surfaced from a night dive, we were hanging by the stairs talking about Charlie, and someone threw an orange slice off the side and it hit me on the head...

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Linda Stoltzfus (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #171) on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 5:31 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

John ,
Here is a photo of the pool at Capt Don's and a view of the "beach" from the pool area. This also shows that there is a great view from the pool. Lion's also has a nice pool and "beach" area. Buddy's pool was not a good fit for me. I also enjoy relaxing and reading on my vacations.
Pool
Beach

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Matheson (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #4) on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 6:38 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Once again the folks on this board come through. Thanks so much for all your input. I take it no body has any current sad stories from Sand$ so I can't see any reason to try and talk my buddies out of that for week one. Week 2? Decisions, Decisions? I wish I could stay at all of them. Bottom line is they all sound a whole lot better than home in Alaska in November. Let's see, 52 weeks in a year, one week at each resort, I wonder just how open minded my boss really is???

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Randy P (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #194) on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 7:07 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Jeepers Cinde,

Maybe someone just thought you were a-peeling?

What I found also worked last year were broken bits of dog biscuits. I had brought along some for Grendel & Blikje and would stand on Buddy's dock and flip them in to the waiting schools.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cynde (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #10468) on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 7:15 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Randy, that would explain the fish with ears and large noses...as for the orange slice, it kind of hurt and took me off guard...I was like "what the hey?"

John, you will love Sand$. The property is clean and the new dock and dive facility is just great:-)

(Message edited by cyndelee on February 10, 2004)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cynde (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #10469) on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 7:21 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

John, to see the pool by the sand at Buddy's, here is a good link...scroll down a ways, they have 2 pools. One in from the shore, and one next to the shore...

http://www.buddydive.com/resort.html

I think someone mentioned BelMar as well. Lots of folks have good things to say about the place, and they have a pool on the water as well...

http://www.belmar-bonaire.com/

It will be a tough decision if you move the second week!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Yana girl (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #149) on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 7:30 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

John,
I vote for Belmar. Our last 3 trips were booked with them. I am sending you an Email.
Yanagirl

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Thompson (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Wednesday, February 11, 2004 - 2:08 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Does anyone know what happened to the pool at the Sand Dollar?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cynde (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #10470) on Wednesday, February 11, 2004 - 2:52 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Jim, the pool is at the center of the Restaurant Mangos which is on the Sand$ property (Ruth, correct me if I worded it wrong! LOL!...RUH ROH)

(Message edited by cyndelee on February 11, 2004)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Carol at Sand Dollar (BonaireTalker - Post #49) on Wednesday, February 11, 2004 - 2:56 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Jim - Cynde is correct, the pool is still in its original location, which is right next to the tennis courts and Mango's Restaurant.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Thompson (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #2) on Wednesday, February 11, 2004 - 3:49 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks, I guess I misunderstood John's message of 2/9. thanks again

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cynde (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #10475) on Wednesday, February 11, 2004 - 7:45 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Carol, thanks:-) It is a great location, right next to the bar and all:-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Marvin Lowman (BonaireTalker - Post #21) on Friday, February 13, 2004 - 11:13 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I can't recommend an alternative for your second week as we have been to Bonaire only once and stayed at Sand Dollar. If I could spend two weeks in Bonaire, I wouldn't hesitate to spend them both at Sand Dollar. We were there last September and had a very positive experience. The accommodations were very adequate, well maintained, comfortable, well-equipped, and private. We enjoyed the quiet atmosphere. By the way, their new restaurant should be completed by the time of your trip.

The dive shop on premises - Bonaire Dive and Adventure - did a great job. The staff was very helpful and the facility is very convenient. We enjoyed diving Bari Reef at our leisure. Of course, we dove other places but Bari was so convenient for an early morning or late evening or night dive.

We had such a great time, we have made reservations for July to stay at Sand Dollar and are taking our daughter and her family, too.

Marvin

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By v.cioffletti (BonaireTalker - Post #29) on Sunday, February 15, 2004 - 1:29 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I haven't stayed at Sand Dollar so can't comment but one charm of staying "closer in" to me and my friend was the ability to be able to walk into town at a moment's notice, and esp. go meandering down the oceanside walkway to go find supper at whatever time we felt like it - or lunch - or just find chocolate! <g> So a second week at Divi or Plaza may be interesting just for the comparison? Have fun either way!

Speaking of Alaska, yesterday I was waiting in an office and picked up a magazine...well, it had some vastly wide flung real estate ads in it....one was somewhere in Alaska, backing up to some National Forest/ a log home X number of acres with "wildlife out your back door" ie moose, bears.....BEARS? Grizzlies I presume? Sorry, the house and view were lovely but.......LOL! I think I'd rather take my chance on a big fish in the Caribbean!!!!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jay Hinze (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Tuesday, February 17, 2004 - 12:11 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

This is a great message board with lots of positive people giving useful information. What a great way to plan a trip to Bonaire!

My wife and I together with friends will be visiting Bonaire in May. We are considering the Sand Dollar after reading many positive reviews. We are concerned about the mention of a restaurant being built on the premises. We just got back from 3 weeks on Caye Caulker and were dismayed to find construction immediately next door to our efficiency. We didn't enjoy the sound of jack hammers, air compressors, hammers and power saws in our ears. Any info that anyone can share about the construction would be greatly appreciated. When is construction to be completed and where is it located relative to the condominiums?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Carol at Sand Dollar (BonaireTalker - Post #50) on Tuesday, February 17, 2004 - 8:33 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Jay - the construction is not on Sand Dollar property, it is just off the southern end of our property on the far side of the dive center. The construction began in August, and we have not had any complaints of noise disruption from any guests, not even those in the building closest to the construction area. The work being done involves the laying of concrete and support structures for the most part - which does not generate a great deal of noise. The property owners also constructed a wall between the construction and the dive center, which further sheilds it from Sand Dollar. If you look at the top image on our home page at http://www.sanddollarbonaire.com, you can see the Sand Dollar property layout. At the very tip in the far right corner, you can see a part of the dive dock. The construction is still further "right" of this. So I think you can see that it is quite some distance from most of the condominiums. I hope this helps, and we can look forward to welcoming you and your friends here in May.

 


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