We are deciding between Bonaire or Hawaii
(Kauai and maybe Molokai) for an early December
trip.
Anyone familiar with both places have any feedback?
Any ideas if weather will be better one place or other?
And: mosquitos, ease of plane travel (coming from
west coast), cost, accomodations, swimming/snorkeling beaches,
beautiful things to see...

I have been to Hawaii and never had a problem with bugs. BIG waves in Dec.

Where do you live? If you are on the West coast it will be cheaper to go to Hawaii. The economy is VERY bad there right now so you can get a really good deal.

Both are vastly different: Bonaire is dry and arrid and small. Hawaii is diverse, lush, big..Molokai is small and perhaps something closer to Bonaire. My friend just got back from Lanai. He LOVED it..I was in Maui and Oahu.

I really cannot imagine having to decide between the two..they are so different. What a nice decision tho!

Annie
Cape Cod

Annie has said most of what I would have input. Two extremely different types of islands...night and day! I love them both, but my heart is in Boniare. If you are on the West Coast already, Hawaii would be the "easiest" and more convenient trip to take. Maybe some day you will explore Bonaire, tho, and learn to love her the way we do on this board. I have not been to Hawaii since 1976 but fell in love with Maui at that time. Did not have enough time to visit the Big Island, Kauai or Molikai...only Oahu and Maui. I did learn quickly and the hard way that one week's time is not enough time to spend in Hawaii, especially traveling from the East Coast, as we did. Good luck on your trip no matter where you go! Carole

I was on Kauai, Big Island (Hawaii) and Molokai early 90s. Very enjoyable trip. Kauai was fascinating. Totally different climate where we stayed (north) from Poipu (south). Drove from one world to another in a couple of hours.

Molokai was nice. We hiked, looked around and thoroughly enjoyed all three islands.

BTW, the first exposure I had to snorkeling was in the Kona area on the Big Island. I was hooked for life, had to learn to swim so I could do it without being on an inner tube. Once I discovered Bonaire, I became hooked on Bonaire and finally had to learn to dive. Will be on my 5th trip to Bonaire in Feb. Love it there, but would also go back to Hawaii in a heartbeat. Very different places, but both lovely.

I'd say it will probably be easier for you to get to Hawaii from the west coast, although I understand Air Jamaica flies from LA directly to Montego Bay, then a connection MB to Bonaire.

I've not experienced any real bug problems on either islands, although I think Bonaire has less because it's dry (no big indoor nasties). Both places I use mosquito repellant because I just can't STAND getting bitten.

It seems to me that, at least under normal circumstances, Hawaii accommodations were more expensive, but right now I guess there is a fire sale on there so that may not be true now.

I'm sure you'd have a great trip to either place, you just have to decide on the "style" of the island you want. One area that I do think Bonaire excels is the pleasantness of the local people. I sort of felt I was tolerated on Hawaii, but I feel very welcomed on Bonaire. That too may be different now.

i'll add my 2 cents on this one. I have been to Oahu,Maui, the Big Island & Kauii many times. It rains a lot on the islands at this time of year. The snorkeling and diving are less desirable to me because there is almost no coral. It is mostly volcanic ash & rock from previous lava flows. On the other hand, there are fish species in the Pacific Ocean that you won't see in Bonaire. There is also a lot more non-water-related activities in Hawaii, including fascinating petroglyphs & discount outlets for the pricey clothing line, Jams World.
You cannot make a bad or wrong choice. Flip a coin and have a great time.
mimi

We went to Maui and Big Island in Feb 2000 and the best thing was the Humpback whales. They arrive mid December till April. We never saw them underwater and it illegal to harass them, but the Whale song was so loud your chest vibrates with the sound. Diving was mixed with Maui (Ed Robinson's) excellent Sharks, Turtles and Frogfish etc mostly off Molokini Crater. Big Island we did the guaranteed Manta dive (No Manta's) and the rest of the diving was tame. We have been to Bonaire 3 times and it is good for coral with lots of fish life and the diving is excellent. So for me it would be the whales that led my decision, other than that Bonaire. If you don't dive then snorkelling would be better in Bonaire.

Do you hear frequently the songs, or is it a rare event (in Maui)?

Every time I was in the water I could hear them, on the way to the dive sites we had to stop 3 or 4 times to let the whales pass. Would love to see them underwater but it is a rare event.We saw whales every day but the last day (big island) and as our plane taxied out we could see them again just off the coast. Bonaire also gets good visitors we saw juvenile black tip reef sharks several times and a lot of people saw a manta.

The first time I heard the Humpbacks singing while diving off Maui I thought someone in our group was humming loudly in their regulator. During the rest of the dive the sounds became mesmorizing. February is a good time for whales in Hawaii and we saw them and heard them the whole time we were on Maui..not so much on Kauai.
Enjoyed Hawaii but too many people..Bonaire is less crowded and the ability to get in the water from almost anywhere on lee side is hard to find on most islands. If you love the water and easy access to it Bonaire is the place. However, from the west coast it would be a long trip.