Finally a cure for PBD (albeit a short term one )

Plans confirmed on Friday ... just before offices closed!! We have a flight to Bonaire from Toronto! It will take us 10 hours to get there, but don't mind it since we managed to get 2 weeks off this time! Securing flights & hotel arrangements was "touch and go" for a while since this is a last minute initiative.

This will be our 3rd visit to the island (2001 & 2003)..quite an accomplishment for my husband as he hates to go to the same place twice ... but he admits that there is no place in the world like Bonaire!!

Now comes the fun part, deciding what tours to take, how long to rent a car etc. Besides being snorkellers, we're also 'birders' so we'd like to really explore the island during this visit as we will have more time.

Any suggestions / ideas are greatly welcome and appreciated!!

We're doing the Toronto - Philadelphia - San Juan route Jan 25 - Feb 8th.

What airline please? So Toronto, PHL, SJU Bonaire and 10 hours of travel or door to door?

Kayaking in the mangrove is fun and interesting for birdwatching and viewing underwater life. I suggest not renting at the windsurfing area as this is the wrong side of the bay. Better access is from Cai. Perhaps you can request a tour that will include birdwatching. Goto Meer and Washington Park also have great birdwatching. The earlier in the day the beter. Heck, if you are going soon there will still be little ponds of water from recent showers that attract many egrets and herons right beside the main road 2 minutes from the airport. I bet after 2weeks you still won't be ready to go home. Have fun!

Sorry Ann... I miscalculated the hours, it will take us 13 hours. Us Air to Philadelphia & San Juan, then AA to Bonaire. Leave at 0645 and arrive at 8:41 pm. Bonaire is one hour ahead of us.

Thanks for the great tips Nathalie! I'll make sure I have my bins & camera ready for the trip from the airport to the resort! I was thrilled to see a Red Egret during my last visit. I have a feeling that you are right about not wanting to leave after 2 weeks .... other than Bonaire, the only other time my 'heart sunk' after leaving an island was after visiting Bermuda .... but that was in the mid 70's and I'm sure it has changed since then

Reserve ahead the Friday morning bird watching tour with Jerry Ligon at the dive shop for Sand Dollar. He's a great naturalist (also underwater). I've done this bird watching tour three times with various guests of mine. I live on Bonaire, and I have come to appreciate both the birds in my garden and the sea birds much more because of what Jerry has taught me.
I hope you will bring binoculars.
Enjoy!!

cheryl, some morning get up early and drive south toward willemstoren lighthouse. get to red slave before sunrise and park between red slave and the lighthouse. the flamingos will take off over your head just about the time the sun is coming up.

Tish, thanks so much!! I read up on Jerry in the Nature section and can hardly wait to meet him!! When you say reserve in advance ....do you mean schedule it prior to arriving on the island? We will arrive late on a Wed, would Thursday be too late to book it? I'll see if I can do this on line!! appreciate your suggestions!! If you can think of anything else ... please don't hold back **VBG**!! Cheryl

Pat!! Thanks so much for the advice!! I had heard about the 'pink cloud' in the sky but did not know where one would go to see it!! I am so looking forward to this trip I can hardly stand it!!!

By Thursday he could very well be sold out for the Friday morning bird watch. I would set it up before you arrive.

Thanks Tish!! Will do!! Cheryl

cheryl, we were told to park at the first pull-off after red slave. it worked pretty well but we think that going just a little farther would work out better....the flamingos were right over our heads or just a bit east of us. by driving farther they would have been a little west and the sun would have been behind us and given us a nicer picture. or you could go twice and try both parking spots.

Pat, that is excellent advice - less chance of fertilizer in one's hair :D ... and the photo op should be breath taking!! Do you have any other favourite birding sites?? Thanks again :o)

my wife is the bird watcher (when she's not waving...did you hear that kelly and cynde?). i'll ask her what she thinks are her favorite spots. i'm guessing she'll say the mangroves and pos mangel in the park....and sitting on our patio watching prikichis and chibi chibis.