Hello All,

We will be visiting Bonaire during the first week of August, and plan to shore dive as much as possible. I've been reading your posts for a month or so, and have learned SO much about Bonaire before even getting there. Thanks for that.

A question for those of you who have experienced the roads/conditions on the island: Which is a better vehicle for shore diving, the little vans or a truck? The vans seem to be a little cheaper to rent, is there a drawback to using one of those rather than a truck or jeep?

Thanks for your help!
Cheryl

Cheryl:

A small open bed truck is ideal for shore diving. You just walk out of the ocean and place your gear in the bed of the truck. No worries about getting anything wet. The truck we had was a stripped down Toyota 4 door truck with island airconditioning (4 windows). The inside was all vinyl and it had a rack in the bed to hold tanks. The vinyl interior is also very forgiving to a wet - wetsuit straight out of the ocean (if we had a short ride to the apartment). It wasn't a BMW, but I would pick it anytime for shore diving. I can't help from past experience about a van but I would think it wouldn't be as convienent. I guess it all depends on how many people your taking diving. Hope this helps a little. Feel free to email any other questions.

Jeff

Cheryl:

I recommend neither; splurge on the RAV4 instead.

Factors to consider...

1. "Trucks" are not covered by credit card insurance benefits. This definitely counts against pickups. The vans? Dunno. Better call cardmember services and verify the exact vehicle class exlusions.

2. Credit card vehicle insurance is MUCH better than accepting CDW; there is usually no deductible and only minimal exclusions. Example: If a spare tire is stolen (it has been known to happen) you are liable for the full retail price of a new one UNLESS you expressly rejected coverage at the rental agency and instead used your MC, VISA or AMEX for payment in order to get your insurance coverage via your card. If you did, such a theft loss is a covered claim.

3. However, your credit card vehicle insurance usually does NOT cover anything that is a "truck". Strangely, SUVs are usually NOT excluded.

4. The Hiace vans are slightly roomier than, but not as comfy as, a compact car like a Starlet or Corolla. Hiace vans have wheels about the size of roller skates, so don't plan on any off-roading if you chose this option.

5. On a tight budget 2 or 3 divers and all their gear can get around in a little hatchback just fine. Anything with an enclosed trunk is bad; if you can't ventilate the space where your gear rides, the saltwater being soaked up by the carpet will stink up the whole car within a few days.

6. If you want to dive the really good northern leeward sites - in the national park especially - you really should have a 4x4 (although a pickup may do). There is also a very scenic shortcut across dirt road - with some notably rough rutted spots - coming back from the Karpata area. In any less than an SUV or pickup you have to go completely around the east side and back through Rincon, which is about twice the distance but only half the fun of the "shortcut".

7. Forget about the new Suzuki "Jimny" cars - cargo area looks too small for anything more than a pair of fins and a mask. The similar Samurai might be OK, but is probably not easy to get gear in and out of. Plus they are older and thus more likely to break down.

8. My money is on the RAV4. The littlest RAV4 perfectly fits 4 tanks across inside of the rear cargo area when the rear seats are folded away. They have big tires and a comfy ride, most with A/C. Definitely worth an extra $100/week to go "first class". The bigger 4 door version would carry as much/as many as the Hilux, I think. Plus, with either the 2 or 4 door RAV4, being able to gear up with a little shade being provided by the roof over the tailgate is nice. Not much shade to be found at most sites.

9. The tank rack thing is nice, but think about wanting to stop for lunch between dives and not wanting all that gear just lying in an open pickup bed.

10. Most roads are paved. From road to shore is worn coral in most places. Thus, any vehicle will get you to and from all but the national park divesites and Klein. Now, if somebody could suggest a rental car that can be driven out to the sites around Klein? ;-)

I notice you live in "Big D". Me too!

Good driving and diving!
I'll be waiting for your trip report...
-LS

Thanks Jeff, that's exactly the kind of info I was looking for. It looks like I'd need the CDW coverage with a truck though - AMEX doesn't cover pickup trucks. They do cover small SUVs though, and minivans.

Was the "island air conditioning" sufficient when you weren't wet? I know the temps aren't that high on Bonaire, but that humidity looks daunting at times...

Any rental company recommendations? After reading the posts on this board, it appears that most of them are okay - I've not seen too many posts from unsatisfied renters.

Thanks for the info.
Cheryl

More good info, Leif. I'll look into more options. We're kinda on a budget on this trip - that's why I was looking at the lower-cost vans. But, you often get what you pay for... it might be worth the splurge!

I've been enjoying your trip reports. Just another week there, and I'll start making notes for mine!

c.

Cheryl,

We had five people going shore diving so we rented the Toyota Lite Ace minivan. The van comfortably fit everyone, our gear, and 15 tanks in the rear. I found that rolling down the windows was fairly comfortable, especially when wet. They don't have a lot of power, especially when trying to get five people and 15 tanks up a hill. Based on my experience, I would certainly decline the CDW and rent a vehicle that is definitely covered by your credit card company. Also, if you do rent a van, make sure that the spare tire is properly secured into place. Unfortunately I did not do this and it quickly disappeared.

Island A/C...

A/C in your rent car is a nice luxury but not a necessity. It is always 10-15 degrees (f) cooler than any summer in Texas, for sure. Bonaire has a good cooling wind at practically all times and a bit of humidity still doesn't make it seem too hot. Relative lack of shade is the only real issue. Gearing up in direct sunlight can sap your energy quickly, and A/C in your car won't help that. (But thinking about how you park and whether you have cover to sit under will.) Besides, how much time do you plan on being totally dry anyway?

-LS

Yes, the RAV 4 is a good choice.. we've only ever rented a RAV, there's plenty of room in the back with seats folded down, and if you're following Bas on one of his "shortcuts" the 4 comes in handy!!!

Actually, Bas himself fits reasonably well in the back of a 2door RAV4, even with a half dozen tanks and all the gear for you, your buddy and Bas too... ;-)

-LS

We love the RAV 4 SUV, too! Lots of room, air conditioned and 4 wheel drive for when you need it. It is a stick shift (standard) trans, however. That's OK by us, tho! Carole

We had a truck when we were ther and it worked great for all the driving we did on the island. Whe we go back in 2003 we will switch to a rav 4 just to have the a/c!!! We also will make sure we have a car for each couple, we tried toi save $ last time and 15 people shared 3 trucks, this is a bad idea. Looking forward to our second trip to Bonaire!!!!

Thanks for all the input. A lot of really good points have been made.

I just found a web site, Travel Guard that sells CDW for $6 a day. It doesn't mention a deductible at all, or if it is valid all over the world. I'll be looking into it though!

Cheryl

How many people can a RAV 4 hold and are the seats vinyl? I don't know what a RAV looks like but we do want A/C. Can it hold 5 people and luggage?

Travel Guard does cover Bonaire not Aruba.
I contacted them concerning the CDW for our truck which is part of our paid package. They do not cover trucks, so we have to get the insurance through AB Carental $10.00 per day and that does not cover spare tire or flat tires, etcetera. Next time a van and a personal Amex card which will cover rentals in Bonaire but not trucks. Call all your credit card companies, we have Corp. Gold Amex and it does not have insurance..go figure.

Ida, where are you staying? What car agency are you using? I'm still looking for one with a good price that accepts AMEX. Not all of them take that card.

If I'm not mistaken, I think you and I will be passing in the night, as it were - we leave Bonaire Aug. 8 at 6:00 am, and you arrive Aug. 7, right? I do I have you confused with someone else?

Cheryl

Deanna:
The 2door RAV4 will be perfect for 2 or 3 people. There is a 4 door version which is clearly a little longer, and it may be good for 4. 5 would be a stretch b/c it is not really built for cargo like a "full sized" SUV. Either version is pretty much the same as you can find in the U.S., so I suggest visiting a Toyota dealer to get a closer look so you can judge for yourself.

-LS

And the Rav4 seats are decent cloth - but despite constantly throwing wet gear and damp towels on the seats and floor we had no odor issues as long as we remembered to leave the windows open whenever reasonably possible.
-LS

For the past 8 visits to Bonaire we have been really happy with the Suzuki mini van from Nettys car rental..she meet s you at the airport and has the best prices...the minivan is practically a "divemobile" perfect set up for shore diving..4 people and ALL the gear fit in perfect,tanks fit right across the back I think we have taken up to 10 tanks , plus a place to sit and gear up off the back..solar shower sits atop.. no worries about saltwater as the floor is coated and forget the AC..who needs it ? by the time you get to where you are going ..your there! our credit card covers the insurance cost..check yours..

Cheryl,

We are staying at the Divi Flamingo Resort and using AB Carental. They do accept Amex.

Ida

Not that more input is needed but I also agree with Leif.

One point missed, and one that is very important to me is: Being from that cloudy state of Michigan, be it a Rav, or Suzuki Samarai, or similar 4x4, it must be open air. First thing I do is remove the top and store it in my room. Love that driving around with the natural A.C. and the sun burning my underexposed Michigan skin.

The (very)mini-vans are fun to drive and great for diving. I like to rent them because it's something I don't see everday in the states. My credit card's insurance covered the van but not the small pickup trucks...

Divemobile Votes so far...

1 vote for the Hilux pickups
3 votes for micro-vans
4 votes for RAV4
1 vote for anything, as long as it is a convertible.

We've chosen one of the small SUV things. It fits our budget, it is covered by AMEX, and I think it is even a convertible! We'll post our experiences with it when we get back.

Leaving in just 48 hours - can't wait, can't wait!

Cheryl

Have a great time, Cheryl...then again...it's almost impossible NOT to have a great time on Bonaire! Carole

Thanks, Carole! I'm really looking forward to getting to know Bonaire.

Now if I could just reduce that 11-hour travel time - 2 hours early, 11:00 am departure, five hour flight, hour and a half in San Juan, 2 more hours on a little plane... but I guess if it was easy to get there, it would be overrun, and wouldn't have the same charm.

Cheryl

Anything worthwhile must be earned...you will quickly forget the "travel day" once you hit those waters! It IS well worth it, believe me! Say hi to the fishies and the gang down there for me, OK? Ayo. Carole

PS I think it does tend to keep out the hordes of folks, too...only those "serious" about their water and love of nature tend to make the jaunt.

Uhmm Leif, about point #6... that was defenately not the regular short cut :-) The other (regular)shortcut from Karpata to Sabadeco is not that rough.

For 2 people the RAV is great. It's got a lot of 'go' and corners real well for an SUV!
I was fine in the back of it for the day but would surely complain if I was back there for a whole vacation.

Bas...

I stand corrected. Probably better if I had disinguished between the "really short, but rough, cut" and the "short, but not too rough, cut." We did them both by the time our time was up. When we took the "regular" route, a gull literally led/followed us all the way from the top of the hill to the traffic circle! It was transcendental, like Jonathon Livingston Seagull had come to take a stroll (at 40km/hr) with us personally. It was almost weird; we even slowed down, sped up, and the bird just kept pace. Ever rational, I figured it was just hunting for the scurrying motion of a disturbed lizard as our car approached so he could swoop in for a snack, but he never did.

I see you are getting over to the windward side this month... waaaaah! No fair!
Maybe you can borrow a digicam and post some pics of the nurse sharks and rays and all that other cool stuff, since it is SO rare that any of us non-regs get a chance...

-LS

Leif..
Funny you mention the bird thing. I thought of that story yesterday coming back from a dive in candyland north of bopec we had 2 loras flying next to the car for about 15 seconds.

Yessss, I want to but I'm waiting for the day a digi will come out small enough to fit in my BCD pocket and still take decent pics. Most of those dives are pretty rough entry and have my hands full with my fins in one and the other to keep mask, snorkel and regs together. It's very easy to loose it or get smashed up. I lost many tank bangers there.. they just get sucked off the tank by the surf. I now use one of those 'duck callers' that fit the inflatorhose. Works great but freaks out certain creatures.
Anyway... it's not that rare. I get to dive the east coast almost every week at least once. More if I can find the right buddies.

And the answer was... Suzuki Jimny!

It was a great vehicle for two people diving. We laid the back seats down flat, and had plenty of room for our gear. We could have taken two extra tanks with us. We even took another diver with us on a couple of dives - it took more space planning, but was not uncomfortable.

I guess my only complaint about the vehicle is the lack of engine power - it "whined" a little about the hills up past Karpata. It climbed them, but it required downshifting.

We found the best method for us was to set our gear up at our hotel when we picked up the tanks, then lay the tank/bc/reg setup down in the back. When we arrived at the dive site, we just sat on the back bumper, shrugged into the unit and were ready to dive. At the end of the dive, we reversed the process, drove back to the hotel, picked up another tank, set it up, and when our shore interval was done, we were already set up to dive.

Gee, I miss Bonaire....

HI there - where did you rent the RAV4?

Hi Cheryl - so how many tanks could you fit total (for the two of you)in the back? My husband and I are going to make rental reservations soon and I'm scoping out the options.

Thank you for your info.

Stephanie

Hi Stephanie!

We planned our diving one tank at a time, so we only carried two, but we could have fit two more in. Especially after we took the headrests off of the back seats, lifted the seat cushions, and laid down the seat backs, giving us a flat area for gear.

Here is a portion of a pic taken at the street cam - the Suzuki Jimny is behind us. As you can see, there wouldn't be much room for four people, but for two people it was fine. Given a larger budget, I might choose the Rav4, but this was at least $100 cheaper for the week.

Hi Stephanie!

We planned our diving one tank at a time, so we only carried two, but we could have fit two more in. Especially after we took the headrests off of the back seats, lifted the seat cushions, and laid down the seat backs, giving us a flat area for gear.

Here is a portion of a pic taken at the street cam - the Suzuki Jimny is behind us. As you can see, there wouldn't be much room for four people, but for two people it was fine. Given a larger budget, I might choose the Rav4, but this was at least $100 cheaper for the week.

Doh! Sorry for the double post!
c.

Stephanie, we rent a RAV 4 (2 door, Standard trans) from AB Rental each year. Air conditioning works fine, too! It is 2 doors but can hold 4 in a pinch. We use it for the two of us and the cooler and snorkel gear, etc. in the back seat We just love it. It is great in the Park, too, as it has 4 wheel drive if you need it. Good luck! Carole

Cheryl B:

Did you adventure much off the paved roads at all? If so, how was the little Jimny on dirt and rutted paths? When I first looked it seemed that the Jimny would be too small for two divers with full gear and 4 or 6 tanks; your report that it is possible suggests I underestimated its true size.

-LS

Hi Leif!

No, we really didn't venture off road much, so I can't speak to the Jimny's handling on dirt. It was fine driving on the beach areas, like at Angel City, Hilma Hooker, and the other southern sites, but we didn't go to the park or down the dirt trails around the island. Maybe next trip.

Ahh... next trip.... sigh... ;>
c.