By shellie simpson (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Monday, July 7, 2003 - 5:34 pm: |
Hi All! This message board has been very helpful in planning my first trip to Bonaire. I had a friend mention that the crime rate in Bonaire is high. They specifically mentioned that hotels rooms were broken into (sometimes by hotel employees) and that if anything was left ashore for a shore dive it was certain to be gone when you returned. also, they mentioned that you shouldn't leave your car doors locked or windows up at the shore so locals don't think you are hiding something valuable. Any thoughts or experiences on this subject would be appreciated. One travel agent suggested Curacao over Bonaire for this reason.
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By Marc @ CrystalVisions (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1121) on Monday, July 7, 2003 - 5:57 pm: |
LOL! To suggest crime on Curacao is less than on Bonaire is like saying New York is less crowded than the Northpole.
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By Liz Ginocchio (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #142) on Monday, July 7, 2003 - 6:04 pm: |
Shellie,
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By Angela Strozier (BonaireTalker - Post #34) on Monday, July 7, 2003 - 7:51 pm: |
Shellie, WOW, I can't believe someone told you to be afraid of crime on Bonaire. We were there last Sept. and will be going back this Sept. I am one of those people who tends to be concerned and I could not have felt safer on Bonaire...Forget what you were told and go with plans to have fun....Like Liz mentioned don't leave out camera, money, etc for one to pick up but don't by any means go with a fearful attitude...We love Bonaire and I bet you will too.
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By shellie simpson (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #2) on Monday, July 7, 2003 - 7:57 pm: |
i knew this was going to be the response i would get! don't know where my friend is getting his information, but it sure sounds like it is inaccurate. i am not usually a concerned traveler and take the generally safe precautions , just wanted to get a little input from previous travelers. i will be booking my trip for january. thanks again!
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By Marcus L. Barnes (BonaireTalker - Post #48) on Monday, July 7, 2003 - 8:10 pm: |
Shellie: Your concern is understandable. However, based on my expirience shore diving on both Curacao and Bonaire, I would not make the decision based on the crime factor. In fact, I remember driving up to one of the northern dive sites on Curacao; both on the way up and on the way down several locals flipped us off as we drove by them. Nothing like that has ever happened to us on Bonaire. I agree with Marc and Liz; the crime that does occur on Bonaire is petty in nature and can be pretty much handled with common sense (no offense intended to those who have expirienced it). We have shore dove Bonaire for the last 2 years and have never had anything taken from our vehicle by taking precautions we would take anywhere else - don't leave anything in the vehicle you don't want to disappear. I think this is common sense step one would take anywhere in the world. Bottom line - I think your agent is mistaken and if shore diving is what you want to do - Bonaire is #1 in the world and is definately the Home of Diving Freedom - Go For It!
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By Annea (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #3) on Tuesday, July 8, 2003 - 4:21 am: |
I agree that you can take precaution concerning your car - but how about your hotel room??
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By Meredith Lynch (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #9) on Tuesday, July 8, 2003 - 7:09 am: |
OK, so do we leave the windows UP or DOWN in our rental vehicle when we are diving??? This is getting confusing!! Insurance wont pay if the windows are left down and the battery is stolen?
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By Cecil Berry (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2700) on Tuesday, July 8, 2003 - 9:09 am: |
Meredith, a battery is cheaper than a side window. Leave the window down and if they steal the battery tell them it was up.
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By Marc @ CrystalVisions (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1122) on Tuesday, July 8, 2003 - 9:11 am: |
Make that 32 murders in Curacao already this year.
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By Kitty @ CrystalVisions (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #243) on Tuesday, July 8, 2003 - 1:51 pm: |
34, and counting....
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By Meredith Lynch (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #10) on Tuesday, July 8, 2003 - 9:09 pm: |
Good idea, Cecil. Im not used to having to worry about this stuff!
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By Newsgroup Moderator (Board Administrator - Post #57) on Tuesday, July 15, 2003 - 9:40 pm: |
Thread moved from the Accommodations section since it's really a more general topic than just accommodations.
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By Cynthia Barnes (BonaireTalker - Post #19) on Wednesday, November 12, 2003 - 12:29 pm: |
Our truck window was smashed while we were doing our very first shore dive, to the tune of over $200. No insurance available for this sort of theft. The police were very blase and one of the DMs said that she knew of at least seven smashings that day alone. She herself had lost $700 from her vehicle and mentioned that another tourist had had $2000 stolen the last month. It was all I could do to say "Leaving cash in your vehicle is WHY this is rampant."
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By Yana girl (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #134) on Thursday, November 13, 2003 - 9:09 am: |
Cynthia,
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By Marc @ CrystalVisions (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1205) on Friday, November 14, 2003 - 9:31 am: |
Cynthia, that day was a particularly bad one and most likely due to the fact that the Regatta was coming up... "they" need drinking money then. Since Regatta there have hardly been any incidents (knock on head).
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