Last Updated

1/1/18 PM

ON ISLAND MODE

New!

Current Weather Beta Test ..got to love the heat index

Working

Dive site info and Doing site repair and getting links and pages working like they should. the Search Engine is working again

Map Program

a navigation program for your mobile

device that

doesn't require internet

(after download the files that is)

try maps.me works great on Bonaire

General Information

Want a good neutral site for island information ? Try www.geographia.com

Shopping for Food

Shoppers advisory. December index of supermarket Price. Who is most expensive.

Cruise Ships

High season foe the cruise ships. There is pretty much at least one crusie ship a day often two. This means between 2500 and 5000 people are dropped on the islamd a day. TCB, the local tourist agency, loves that , although very litte of the revenue goes to the true locals, just new busineses started to cater to them. This means increased congestion down town, major obstacles on the tourist roads that were built for two donkey carts and are just a complete pain in the ass. This is the focused future of Bonaire Tourist industry. You as a diver seemed to be looked upon as a burden, Enjoy

Travel Advisories

Air Travel

Finally things are looking up for inter Island travel. We have gone from famine to a decent buffet With One zombie (Insel), one rock solid (Divi Divi) one so so (Winair) and two newbies, Aruba Airways and Ez Air

 

Divi Divi

They have been around a while with small capacity airplanes but rock solid performance and the most flights

Insel Airlines

The "major" local airline, Insel Air is dying again. The annouced outcome is that a Trans Caribbean was going to take then over during december. Theye are down to 2 or 3 flighta a day if their one plane is flying. Talk about day of the living dead

Aruba Airlines

Aruba Airlines is a new player. Only a couple of flights per day but they actually fly and understand a schedule.

Win Air

There is also daily service now being provided by Win Air .

Ez Air

Our newest player. They have been around for almost 20 years providing air ambulance service. With the air travel issues the BES Government loaned funding for their expansion with 2 Beech 1900 . Now five round trips a day to Curacao. their web site is www.flyezair.net

Hell at the Airport.

Withe the addition American and Aruba Airways, air travel exceeds the capability of Flamingo airport. Add in the tendacy to have a single immigration line and single security line, well it isn't any fun of weekends. Expect extremely long lines and confusion espeically on Saturdays! Departure lounge will be packed . Oh good news it wil get worse before it gets better with airport terminal reconstruction starting soon.

Getting to Aruba

Service connectng through Curacao is now available. Although adding significantly to air cost it does add flexibility for the price but lacks the functionality of direct service. Both Insel and the "new" Aruba Airlines offer this service and now Divi Divi. Aruba Airlines has several flights a day from Bonaire via Curacao ... They are planning direct Divi Divi is also connecting through Curacao

Rental Car Companies

Read the fine print on your rental agreement. At least one of the companies, Avis, now will charge you extra if the interior of your vehicle isn't cleaned before you turned it in

Crime

I keep mentioning this because the tourist boards try to hide the fact and the facebooks pages say its "getting better" Not a week doesn't go by when i talk to another diver who has been ripped off or had their vehicle gone into it. The general buzz on the street is that past salt pier is not phsyically safe at night. If you do a night dive at salt pier you car will be gone through.

Crime on Bonaire has become rampant.. break-ins at rental properties, Inns and around the island continue. The traditional resorts have security forces that seem to work. One of the forums actually said "lock your car when diving" logic being they will go for your battery. Hey batteries are under $100 . Glass is much much more.. take what you don't mind losing and leave it unlocked On the bright side the police are cracking down on parking So be careful where you park downtown. The general rule of thumb is thar the southern dive sites past Lake aren't real safe after dark. And last year (2018) they have killed a Police Officer, a Cruise Ship employee and a local resident.

Its a public Beach!

Some of the published dive guides state that divers have the right to enter ANYWHERE. This is not really true. Yo can enter anywhere in on PUBLIC land like along the Boulevard down town and along the "tourist road" Sites in developed area like Andrea 1 and 2 are limited to day light hours essentially 7-7. Entries in front of resorts are private and can involve a fee if you use facilities or be closed completely if resort is busy. South of town,the area is all owned by Cargill Salt and subject to closure if abuse (leaving trash, driving in the sand) continues. Salt Pier ,while reopened, is being so trashed by divers that they are thinking of closing it off. Courteous divers get more dives

Nice to haves

Now available a fish guide for your IPOD Touch , IPAD or Iphone

 

also available

a guide for the android

 

How to Beach Dive

I have added my own two cents on how to beach dive... but remember you get what you pay for

Questions?

e-mail

jason at kasdivi dot com