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Dining: Our travel tips for food in Bonaire
Bonaire Talk: Dining: Archives: Archives 2007: Archives - 2007-04-01 to 2007-09-30: Our travel tips for food in Bonaire
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By robint (BonaireTalker - Post #13) on Monday, June 18, 2007 - 7:37 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

We just got back and we thought we would be sure to share a few tips for those coming down. We did 3-4 dives per day and this really helped us!!!
take a few items with you - powdered gatorade, 2-3 boxes of granola bars, individually wrapped snacks, a collapsible cooler

The first day go to one of the stores and buy some bottled water. In 2-3 of the bottles, each day mix gatorade to take with you in your truck to the dive sites. Also take 1-2 of plain water to drink and/or wash off your face and camera gear after dives.

The granola bars we kept in fridge and ate between dives when we went back to room, etc. Service at all restaurants can be slow so don't go famished or you will be too cranky to enjoy dinner.

Sodas and beer are relatively cheap at the grocery stores so buy them there. Also, you can get fresh bread/buns, yummy cheese, and sliced meats for light sandwiches. Several nights we had a light dinner in our room before night diving. (Some in our group tried to go out for dinner and by the time they got food and bill it was very late and they were exhausted.)

We ate out at Lion's Den (excellent food and service), Cactus Blue (good), Den Laman (okay), and the lunches at the pool bar at Buddy's where we stayed. Since Buddy's has the free breakfast buffet for guests we made sure to eat a big breakfast daily before heading out for diving. Lunch at pool bar restaurant is 1/2 price for guests - good sandwiches, etc. and convenient!

hope this helps!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ayorkiemom in Virginia (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #496) on Monday, June 18, 2007 - 9:21 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Robint....great tips. We will be at Buddy's again in a few weeks. We enjoyed the 1/2 price lunches on our April trip but it will be gone bye bye when we get there in July :-( Great thing they have going and it saved us almost $70.00!

Thanks again for sharing your tips!!

Kobi

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Derek Emmett (BonaireTalker - Post #13) on Wednesday, June 20, 2007 - 2:36 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hey Robint,
thanks for the tips, we will use them next week when we go. Something that has concerned me and maybe you can help answer? It looks like it will be very warm (100+ counting humidity index) while we are there next week. I'm thinking of bringing a light weight and compact portable shade.. Does this make sense, or is there plenty of shade at the dive sites? I guess the other concern is that if I go to the trouble of brining portable shade, will it still be there when I get out of the water? Ha.. Ha...

Thanks
Derek...

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By robint (BonaireTalker - Post #14) on Thursday, June 21, 2007 - 8:20 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Derek,
There is NO shade at any of the dives sites. You park right out on the beach or close to it and the sun is blazing hot. Bring a hat and sunscreen to keep lathered on so you don't get fried! We have a 30 SPF sunscreen that lasts 8 hours and doesn't wash off except with soap and warm water (got it at the dive shop before leaving) which we used every am. It works very well. I use a tube of "faces only 30SPF" for my face and reapplied it between dives. We only got too much sun one day when we forgot to lather up before the am dive. Both of us got burned on our shoulders from the am shore dives - so be sure to lather up before going out!!!

As far as air temps, we were concerned too. But doing 3-4 dives per day keeps your core cooler and we actually didn't even feel hot until the last day (when we had been out of the water for 12+ hours). In fact, we didn't even use the A/C in the room at night, only the ceiling fans were good enough. Especially if you are doing night dives, your body stays nice and cool unless you spent too much time in the sun.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tribs, AKA Jah-neen (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #4431) on Thursday, June 21, 2007 - 9:49 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Great food tips, but some of the dive sites do have shade: Andrea II, Karpata, 18th Palm, Windsock, Bachelor's Beach... It really depends on where you dive. That said, I have to agree a good sunblock is the key! Maybe we could get Susan to add a shade index to the diving guide? :-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mara - just a little more or less (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2203) on Thursday, June 21, 2007 - 1:31 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Great idea Tribs. And just a little FYI - we had a dermatologist at work a few weeks back to talk about skin cancer and his said that while the products do claim to last 8 hours their effectiveness wears off relatively quickly. So to that I would consider lathering up before your AM dives and then again at or after lunch for the remainder of the day. What he really suggested was putting it on every 2 hours but we know that isn't always realistic. However he did say do NOT scrimp on the sunscreen. It should take 1 ounce to cover you. OUCH!!! Now that hurt. But I'd rather do that than burn.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Derek Emmett (BonaireTalker - Post #14) on Thursday, June 21, 2007 - 4:36 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks Gang,
I'll just bring pure zinc oxide! Ha... ; )

7 more days until I'm on Bonaire time!

Cheer
Derek...

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Scott Knobler (BonaireTalker - Post #70) on Friday, June 22, 2007 - 9:38 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

What are the "rules" with sunscreen? Doesn't it damage the reef when it wears off?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Marcella Moy (BonaireTalker - Post #17) on Friday, June 22, 2007 - 6:31 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I invested in a fleece wetsuit. It sheds water immediately when I exit the water and is dry on the inside in less than five minutes. Then, I just wear it all around. (Well, in appropriate places anyway!) It keeps me cool when I'm not in the water and keeps my skin protected in a way allows me to protect the environment. Also, a fleece suit has the added benefit of being neutrally buoyant, so it doesn't inhibit my freediving. I just wish they were easier to find.

 


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