Planning 1st Trip to Bonaire, Happy Holiday Homes vs Sand Dollar?

[laikabear]

Hi,

I'm planning a one-week trip to Bonaire in November for a dive buddy and myself. I've looked at a lot of old threads about Bonaire and did some price checking and I think I've settled on Happy Holiday Homes, but wanted some insight.

My male buddy and I are not a couple and I'd prefer a 2 bedroom. He is fine with sleeping on a sleeper sofa if we get a 1 bedroom that has one in the living room, but I think most of the places don't have pull-out sofas.

Having a good house reef is important to me because I want to be able to get in a lot of dives and I think we'll do more diving if we have a really close option. I think both Happy Holiday and Sand Dollar have a house reef, although I'm not sure of the quality. I saw in a previous post that Happy Holiday does NOT have a house reef but I think that's a mistake.

I like the idea of a breakfast buffet. Sand Dollar has one, ($102 extra per week) but Happy Holiday doesn't. I think my dive buddy is a little more financially conservative than I am, so he might not want to do the breakfast anyway. So, not a dealbreaker either way.

Both places use Dive Friends Bonaire. It looks like their nearest location is 2.5K from Happy Holiday, but they have a location on-site at Sand Dollar. Happy Holiday is located south of the airport and away from some of the more popular places to stay. Not sure about pros and cons to that location vs. the Sand Dollar. They still seem relatively close, and we will have a truck, so...

Otherwise the two both have - unlimited shore diving, Nitrox, truck rental, AC in the bedrooms, and a full kitchen. I am arriving at 1:30 PM on a Saturday and Louise from Happy Holiday assured me I could have enough time to check in, do the mandatory orientation, and get diving that evening. I haven't heard back from Sand Dollar yet on that particular question. Buddy hasn't purchased plane ticket yet so I don't know when he arrives. Probably earlier than me because he's East Coast based and I'm West Coast?

At Buddy Dive, they said no. The last orientation daily is at 2 PM, so no diving that first day. I also looked at Buddy Dive, Divi Flamingo, and Eden Beach Resort. I ruled out Eden as they didn't reply to my queries and I think it's more expensive than we want, ruled out Divi because it's only a hotel room and not a condo style, and ruled out Buddy Dive (probably) because it was more expensive than HHH and SD and they said no diving the first day.

I priced the 2 bedroom units with the included stuff at $1449 per person at Buddy Dive (includes b-fast), $1088 at Sand Dollar (1190 with b-fast), and $822 at Happy Holiday (no b-fast option). I wasn't sure on the prices of the other 2 - Divi replied with for 2 divers (in their hotel room, no kitchen and no separate bedrooms) would be $1848. I'm not sure if that was per person or total. I emailed them again but received no reply yet. Eden didn't reply at all and based on the website I was unsure of the price.

As far as the truck rental goes, HHH uses Budget at the airport and you get the truck there, which sounds good to me. Sand Dollar uses Avis and I'm not sure if you get the truck at the airport or not, probably.

One thing I was potentially interested in was meeting other divers and maybe going for some dives together. I don't know if this will be less likely at HHH, since Sand Dollar seems to be more popular. I love meeting other divers on trips and that's how I got hooked up with this buddy.

I've emailed several questions to HHH and Sand Dollar and am trying to stop bothering them and ask SB for any final advice before I decide. Buddy and I met on an NC wreck diving trip and hit it off but this is our first trip together since. He doesn't seem like much of a planner so I think whatever I pick will be ok with him. Cheaper is better.

Any advice about places to eat (seafood and pizza are favorites, looking for cheap to moderate, nothing fancy) would be welcome. I wasn't going to do any boat diving but a friend recommended that I see Klein Bonaire. The packages I priced don't include any boat dives. I figure we'll play that part by ear and see about scheduling some boat dives once we arrive.

I'm not opposed to considering other places to stay. Any advice or things I forgot to think of?

Thanks!

 

[cjibber]

Hi,

I was staying at Sand Dollar last week so can answer some of your questions.....

We have stayed in a couple of one-bedroom units there. One had a sofa-bed, the other did not. If you asked for one, I would imagine that you could get one of the units that did have one.

No idea about breakfast - we always prepared our own. The units are very well equipped.

The Dive Friends office on site is open until 4:30. You can do your orientation dive any time you want before then. It may be best to contact Dive Friends directly if you have dive related questions.

Sand Dollar uses Avis but will book through any company you want to use. We did not want to use Avis as they advise you to keep your windows up at dive sites. We told Sand Dollar this and they were able to book us a pick-up through PB, a company we have never had any problems with and would always choose to use again. You can collect the car at the airport.

Sand Dollar was fairly quiet last week- September is low season but there were usually other divers around the Dive Friends office.

Sand Dollar is 10 minute walk from Captain Dons which does good pizzas. We ate there most nights of our stay. Other food is good there too and the location is excellent. Also had the fish a couple of times at Breeze and Bites right next door to Sand Dollar which was also good. There are a couple of cafe type places a minute or two away which are convenient for snacks or light meals.

There is no need to do boat dives unless you really want to. The shore diving is excellent and there are enough sites for you not to get bored of it. One of the reasons we like Sand Dollar so much is the house reef - Bari Reef. It is one of our favorite sites in Bonaire and we dived it at least once a day during our stay. It is easy access and you can be in the water 10 minutes after leaving your room. Very convenient for an early morning or evening dive!

We like the location of SD as it is walking distance from most things we need. I'm sorry I can not help with HHH as I have not stayed there!

 

[tkaelin]

Agree on the house reef. It is key to maximizing your dive time.

Did you look at Coral Paradise? Sounds like it would fit what you are looking for perfectly.

On Boat dives, I would recommend doing at least one and Klein would be a good choice

On the breakfast buffet, some like it. I think it is a time killer and waste of money.

On diving the first day, this use to be important for me and most divers who just can't wait to get in the water. I have adjusted my thinking over the years and it is probably not a bad a idea to start your week of diving fresh the next morning. Flying and traveling will take something out of you. By the time you arrive, collect your luggage, get out of the airport, to your place, checked in and get the rental car, it will be later than you think and you may tired. I now use the extra time to get some groceries in, get some tips from our hosts and DMs on the week ahead and relax and rest up for a long and enjoyable week of diving. Especially at a place like Bon where you literally can dive as much as you want, when you want, not starting the first afternoon on arrival will seem less pressing. By the end of the week you should have your fill and it will be unlikely that you will be saying if only I had that one dive on the day of arrival.

On restaurants, Bon is blessed with a good selection. Bobbi Jans is a favorite for BBQ for us, especially take out. Affordable and if you get the sampler to go it will be plenty for lunch the next day. Open only on weekends. It is always our first dinner when arriving Sat. Mona Lisa has always been good, more upscale, downtown , Rains Fishes looks pricey but doesn't have to be. Go when they half have priced cocktails and pick your own piece of fish to be grilled/cooked. On the main boulevard on the waterfront. We have had a fresh grilled tuna dinner with cocktail under $25.00 Mi Banana if you are adventurous and want some authentic Caribbean South American food, fish, chicken, beef rice, beans plantains. In a neighborhood on a dusty street, and no view or AC, but the food is good and reasonably priced. A lunch stop for us after a long morning of diving. There are a lot more but this is a start.

Enjoy your trip and look forward to a report!

 

[diversteve]

I saw in a previous post that Happy Holiday does NOT have a house reef but I think that's a mistake.

Actually it's not - they can't since they're not waterfront. And IIRC there's rental houses between them and the water so they're not likely to want you walking across the street and over to the water across private property.

Here's HHH on their map:

It's between two smaller roads. in the PV residential area. There's another problem there also - Lighthouse Point which would be the closest shore dive may not be accessible any longer - from shorediving.com:

08/22/2012 Willis Chung (Avg: 2.64 Review) - The site is no longer accessible due to development of buildings in that area. We spent 1/2 hour driving around and could not find the site. Talking to our dive shop at Buddy's they confirmed that the site is no longer available.

It's also not walking distance from HHH with gear even if this is incorrect or has changed since 2012. You go back east a block to EEG Blvd. then drive a block south and turn in. The reason I know the area so well is we stay at Belmar Apt's about 500' north of HHH on the water.

The next closest shore dive is Punt Vierkant a few minutes south of Lighthouse Point so your driving to it also. It's not a great dive either and pretty rough access. It makes more sense to drive 5 mins. further to some of the really good south sites starting with the Hooker, Angel City, Invisibles etc. - all the way down to the Salt Pier.

One other consideration is that DFB in that area is at Port Bonaire Condos so at least a 5min. ride north everytime. Of their locations it's actually the least convenient since you have to drive onto PB property to the shop.

Their other shops are better - north they have the shop at Sand Dollar and another at Hamlet a little farther north - it's on the Cliff dive site and is a drive-up with shaded loading. All of which are on or close to the main road. At Sand Dollar they also have a tank shack on the south side of the property - 20' from it down a few stairs and you're on Bari Reef beach - arguably one of the Best shore dives on Bonaire - certainly for fish life. Bonaire Dive/Adventure has been doing REEF surveys there for decades and it has one of the highest species counts in the Caribbean.

Don't get me wrong, DF is a great option due to all their locations. It's just that their Port Bonaire location isn't. Although I have read they stage boats there also.

I hate to bring up all the bad news but HHH is also nowhere near any food except Hotel Roomer Restaurant about a block north. Otherwise your next options are at the Plaza Resort or just continue on a block and turn north to south Kralendijk - 5+ mins. drive.

Besides the Pizza Kitchen at Habitat and Rumrunners - walking distance from Sand Dollar - there's also the Buddy's restaurants, Eddy's at the Sand Dollar pool (better than it sounds) plus there's several other places in all price ranges in that general area. You do have to drive downtown for many of the others that are mentioned but it's a shorter ride than from Punt Vierkant.

We stayed south to have access to the south dive sites knowing we'd be driving for food daily - Belmar is condos only. My favorite on tkaelin's list is It Rains Fishes but non-special it's pricey. We also liked Donna/Giorgio's but they've moved/expanded so IDK if it's still as good. They made a nice pizza also. Pasa Bon Pizza gets good reviews - I haven't been there.

 

[laikabear]

Thanks for the replies so far. @diversteve, I started looking at Google Earth after I posted. I think HHH now has some type of ocean front property also, which is how I got confused. But yes, the one I was getting quotes on was likely as you mentioned NOT on the water. So, that rules that place out for this trip, at least. Too bad because I most enjoyed corresponding with Louise, the proprietor. She seems very sweet and helpful.

After clearing up that confusion, and considering that Sand Dollar has the onsite dive op location and is closer to restaurants, I think we'll stay there instead.

I did not look at Coral Paradise and will spend some time tonight doing that.

I am a little torn about Avis... I will have to ask about that. It sounds like everyone agrees windows down and unlocked is the way to go. I don't particularly care about their truck ("Why be gentle, it's a rental!" was a favored saying of my uncle) but I don't want to be wasting time dealing with smashed windows, even if we don't leave anything in the truck. I wonder why they want to go against the flow...

 

[diversteve]

Did you look at Coral Paradise? Sounds like it would fit what you are looking for perfectly.

That's a good option but not waterfront either. It's in the same neighborhood as Dive Friends Hamlet so a short walk north - or south to Capt' Don's Habitat for boat dives. Either has access to the Cliff dive site - Habitat also has their LaMachaca wreck.

 

[KathyV]

I think that staying on a property that is right on the water, with an onsite dive op, tank station, easy gear storage, and a good house reef is really the best option. Plus I would be a little leery about the security in a place that is located in a residential neighborhood.

One time on Bonaire we stayed in a condo that only had air-conditioning in the bedrooms and it was hot and uncomfortable and the ceiling fans really weren't up to the task - and opening the windows and doors was an invitation to the mosquitoes - I would look for a unit with AC throughout. We tried a studio apartment once but I didn't like cooking, eating, and living in the same room so now we look for a place with a separate bedroom and full kitchen.

We have stayed at Den Laman a few times and dived with BDA and enjoyed it. We stayed at Sand Dollar once and it was nice but we liked DL better, smaller and nicer and the shore diving Bari Reef from their pier is great. I think our apartment at SD had a problem with the plumbing, I know we had to move mid-week to another unit.

We got the breakfast option at SD and it was nice but not a deal breaker. I remember one time when the entire island was out of eggs! We prefer getting an apartment with a kitchen and it is pretty easy to prepare simple breakfast meals or you could go out for an occasional breakfast when you are not boat diving.

I agree with tkaelin about holding off and not diving the afternoon of arrival. We have also changed our opinions on this subject over the years. Too many times we arrived on vacation exhausted from work and travel and congested from breathing airplane air and we would rush out to catch the afternoon boat or make a shore dive. And sometimes one of us would develop a head cold and maybe even an ear infection. That's a good way to make sure you don't get to do very many dives on vacation! Take it easy, relax, and get rested before your first dive. Have fun!

 

[diversteve]

Maybe the HHH villa is west on the water so you can access it thru the property? In that specific area there'd have to be a ladder also - the ground is 10-20' higher than the water and ironshore cliffs. At Belmar where we stay there's about a dozen steps down from the pool to the dock then ladders/stairs into the water. Explains why no beaches are advertised south of town except at the Plaza.

I didn't mean to put you off HHH but just give you a clear picture of what to expect. The reality is if you're doing any amount of dives, you'll likely pass it - or a Dive Friends location 1/2 dozen times a day - we did. So if you like them, stay there. At 99% of the non-resort sites there's no food/facilities so maybe plan to drive by more often. We often loaded up wet (not the first time the truck seats have been damp...lol) and drove to another site on the other side of town to minimize our downtime. IDK if it's still there but just across the street from Plaza Resort's entrance is a little restaurant that offers sandwiches etc. bagged to go. Convenient on the rare days a cruise ship is in town since going thru downtown likely crawls then. Once there a day or two you'll figure out how to bypass downtown then cut back over to the waterfront.

The Avis thing is probably some corporate directive from someone whose never been there. Budget has the windows down policy - some of the rental companies even have a sticker on the dash. At a few of the sites there was broken window glass in the parking area so I would.
Check AB Car Rental: Only carrental with $0.00 deductible also - they may have better pricing (off-airport) and will meet your flight and take you back to the airport when you return the truck.

 

[diversteve]

Possibly price Carib Inn also. They have several different options from studios to rooms with kitchens to a house. IDK current prices. It's waterfront south of the Divi downtown so should also be walking to restaurants/shops etc. The two main food stores - Warehouse and Van der Tweel are due east of the Divi. Carib Inn doesn't have a restaurant but they do have their own dive operation. If something breaks on your gear - call Bruce Bowker first. He's been there for decades and knows all the sites also. I believe he found Rappel by doing that down the cliff. That's one of the best boat dives also.

Anymore questions I can answer - @diversteve in the text will alert me.

 

[tkaelin]

I did not look at Coral Paradise and will spend some time tonight doing that.

We have stayed at CP each of our 4 trips to Bon, our most recent stay in Jan. I know there are a lot of great places to stay but here is why we keep going back to CP.
Location. No it is not waterfront but is as close to the water, boats and house reefs as some of the units you could stay at while staying at a Buddys or Capt Don. It is a short walk through Capt Dons property to the dock, lockers, and shore diving. If you look at google earth you will see it is no further than some of the other buildings / accommodations at Capt Dons.
Waterfront. The units are not waterfront and have no water view. We always thought this would be an issue for us but it never has. In fact, being out on and in the water all day, it is actually nice to be off the water. You have your own porch/patio, a private pool shared by the other 5 units, some shade, palm trees and a place to relax after and between diving. Our time at the room is primarily sleeping, eating and time on the porch/patio/pool between dives.
The owners. The owners are fantastic and can be your private concierge, available to answer any question and provide advice. We try to have dinner with them once every trip.
The Price. Packages are reasonably priced, including a truck and a choice of diving with Buddys, Capt Dons or DF. We always dive Capt Don but I know others prefer others. On the stay, you are picked up at the airport as part of the package and the car is waiting for you at CP.
The property. The property is fenced in and secure. As mentioned there is a pool for the six units. There is a new grilling area with a brand new huge stainless steel grill, covered food and eating area and lighting for after dark cooking and eating. There is a brand new locker area with dive lockers for each room, drying racks, rinse tanks, shower and bathroom.
The Rooms. Two queen beds, small table and chairs, full kitchen, fully equipped, private patio porch with table/chairs/pool loungers.

Most of the guests are divers or snorklers. You can easily keep to yourself or socialize with fellow divers/guests. It is always nice chatting with others in the evening about the days diving.

With all this being said, don't stress out on the choice. Bon has a lot of great places to stay and dive. That's part of the reason so many keep coming back.