Bonaire: Divi Flamingo vs Plaza Resort (House Reef Entry/Exit, Etc.)

[Cher4Scuba]

I've stayed at Buddy Dive, Divi and Plaza and would rank them in that order.

Plaza is very spread out and the shore dive site, although a good dive, is a long way from the dive shop and most of the rooms.
Divi is easy access to the house reef from most rooms and the shop and dive pier are near each other.

At Buddy Dive, rooms, dive shop, pier and house reef are all close and IMO, the house reef is a better dive site than Divi.
The only downside to BD, is that you have to drive into town, whereas Divi and Plaza are walking distance.

All 3 have excellent dive ops and good boats.

Hi Doctorfish: Thank you for the ranking and opinion! Doing more research right now. Going to check into Buddy Dive's oceanfront rooms and ratings on their food. We usually don't get a car and if we can't walk to restaurants, want to make sure Buddy's food is OK. I'd like to try their house reef. Thank you for replying!!!

 

[diversteve]

Since you may be walking - there are restaurants in the area within walking distance. Just not a lot of them.

Blennies or Ingridients is at Buddy's.
Blennies is a lunch/burgers place - might be where they serve breakfast also.

Next door north Habitat has both Rumrunner's and the Pizza Temple.
At one time you could walk along the waterfront on a path between them - there might be a gate now.

Still within walking is Eddies poolside at Sand Dollar condos - the next resort south.
The pool is in the parking lot, not among the buildings so i don't think they'd have a water view.

Also Breezes/Bites is at Den Laman. And Between 2 Buns - a sandwich shop street side near Den Laman.

Past that is Coco Beach Club which has a beach bar with food.
South of that is Eden Beach with Spice Beach Club.

La Balandra (nore upscale) at Harbor Village last - then the marina with town a short drive further south.

None of this is as far as it sounds - the above are all within 1/4 mi. or slightly more.
Except maybe Harbor Village since IIRC it's gated and the entrance is on the south? side.

You won't exactly starve...lol

 

[Trailboss123]

Since you may be walking - there are restaurants in the area within walking distance. Just not a lot of them.

Blennies or Ingridients is at Buddy's.
Blennies is a lunch/burgers place - might be where they serve breakfast also.

Next door north Habitat has both Rumrunner's and the Pizza Temple.
At one time you could walk along the waterfront on a path between them - there might be a gate now.

Still within walking is Eddies poolside at Sand Dollar condos - the next resort south.
The pool is in the parking lot, not among the buildings so i don't think they'd have a water view.

Also Breezes/Bites is at Den Laman. And Between 2 Buns - a sandwich shop street side near Den Laman.

Past that is Coco Beach Club which has a beach bar with food.
South of that is Eden Beach with Spice Beach Club.

La Balandra (nore upscale) at Harbor Village last - then the marina with town a short drive further south.

None of this is as far as it sounds - the above are all within 1/4 mi. or slightly more.
Except maybe Harbor Village since IIRC it's gated and the entrance is on the south? side.

You won't exactly starve...lol

Good Feedback Steve-- In addition to Between 2 Buns and Breeze and Bites there is also a phenomenal Italian restaurant across the street from Between 2 Buns (can't remember the name) and in the Between 2 Buns complex is a great little restaurant with food from Suriname. Very authentic and local and they have great ice cream there also and great Belgian beer. Of course, it is a short walk down to the restaurants at Captain Don's and Buddy's also from Den Laman.

 

[Doctorfish]

Buddy's has some very nice ocean front rooms on the north side ( old Lion Dive side ) but you are not guaranteed a specific room at time of booking request. I have stayed at Buddies multiple times and they have honoured my request for ocean front room so far.

Breakfast at Buddy Dive is quite good. There is an extensive buffet as well as a made to order station for pancakes, waffles, eggs and omelets. The location for breakfast is spectacular; overlooks the water and dive boats.
It may seem silly but sitting there in the AM having a coffee is a highlight of every Bonaire trip for us.
Buddies bar restaurant, Blennies, is adequate but not great. We were not impressed with Ingridients either. Habitat and Eddies are good nearby choices for dinner IMO. +1 for Between 2 Buns for lunch.

Buddys does a dive and drive package which includes a pickup truck, so getting into town for dinner or a gelato is no problem. The truck also allows for sightseeing and shore diving all over the island.

 

[tursiops]

Blennies is a lunch/burgers place - might be where they serve breakfast also.

Next door north Habitat has both Rumrunner's and the Pizza Temple.
At one time you could walk along the waterfront on a path between them - there might be a gate no

Breakfast at BD is across the road/path from Blennies, next to Ingridients.

there is also a phenomenal Italian restaurant across the street from Between 2 Buns (can't remember the name)

Sonia Home is now closed.

 

[Trailboss123]

Breakfast at BD is across the road/path from Blennies, next to Ingridients.
Sonia Home is now closed.

BUMMER!

 

[oly5050user]

Hi Doctorfish: Thank you for the ranking and opinion! Doing more research right now. Going to check into Buddy Dive's oceanfront rooms and ratings on their food. We usually don't get a car and if we can't walk to restaurants, want to make sure Buddy's food is OK. I'd like to try their house reef. Thank you for replying!!!

Buddy dive includes a truck with your dive package stay..absolutely want it to shore dive throughout the island and hit different restaurants at night. Buddy dive breakfast is very good selection, lunch can be sandwich or burger,hard to mess that up. The barbecue night is good value . You can walk to pasa Bon pizza from resort, but really want to try restaurants on island. So many to choose from. For local inexpensive food go to Mi Banana , for barbecue go to Bobbie Jams (only open on weekend), Cappriccios for upscale a little bit Italian food. Donna Georgios inexpensive Italian food

 

[Cher4Scuba]

Thank you all so much for the suggestions & opinions! Unfortunately Den Laman doesn't have a 1-BR Oceanfront. My husband says just book Divi - but I want to try something different. I do like that we can walk to town & restaurants, but want to try something new.

Also, neither of us drives a stick / manual. Wish Buddy's had better pics of their rooms on their website. Read a few bad reviews on here (moldy, bed bugs) and would like to make sure we'd like staying there - especially since it's our anniversary.

We are fairly easy, I "think" regarding what we want: Nice / not too old, clean & not moldy, A/C'd, TV in bedroom, 24/7 easy trek to tanks & great house reef. Wish we could afford Harbour Village - but their prices are outrageous!

I'll keep you posted on what we decide. And thanks again for all the replies and restaurant recommendations, etc. We will use them.

 

[drrich2]

Last couple of times I used Buddy's in years past, and the one time I used Dive Hut, with long advance notice and a roughly $150 extra charge, I got an automatic transmission truck. So, it can be done. I don't drive stick, either.

Richard.