Cur-Bon advice

[drrich2]

If you plan to drive around, be mindful that at least when I was last on Bonaire (pains me to say that was 2014), the large majority of rental trucks were manual transmission (stick shift), and automatics were more expensive and best arranged in advance.

I have no idea about vehicle rental on Curacao.

Since shore diving is a big deal on Bonaire, and can be on Curacao, you might want to check in advance if you don't drive stick.

Mask fit is individual, doesn't necessarily correlate with price (i.e.: buying an expensive one doesn't guarantee better seal on your face), and fits nicely in your carry on. A dive computer you own and are familiar with is really nice to have. If you are an odd size (like, er, somebody I know with a large head and hands, and size 15 feet), well, you learn to pack your own stuff. If average-range sized, mask and dive computer in carry on may be fine.

Richard.

 

[diversteve]

With only 4 days on Bonaire if you arrive in the morning, you can be diving that afternoon safely. Esp, on Divi because their smaller planes aren't pressurized so will fly lower.

One option is to book diving with Dive Friends - besides having 4-5 tank pickup locations they also do the mandatory BMP orientation till just before they close at night so you won't have to sit thru that the next morning - with ours we didn't get in the water till after 10am that day - and the reef was off our patio.

As mentioned, you stop 24 hrs. Before you fly. I personally would push that on the Cur->Bon hop to the next morning on Divi but I'd do shallower dives the day before. If you have to fly Insel and hey use the jet - they're pressurized so increase the no-fly interval to 24hrs.

Curacao has all the major car rental companies at the airport - our SUV (Budget) was automatic with a cargo cover over the back to hide our stuff while diving. There is some theft there as well so the dive operators on-site will watch your vehicle if asked. In exchange rent tanks from them.Some have a small usage fee in guilders if you use their dock/lockers/shower etc. Curacao Tourism also has guards at some of the popular sites during the day.

 

[Shelly N]

Aside from the 24 hours sounding like no fly wait, how long does it take you to get to the destination and when's your arrival time? If you can get to the dive shop before closing time and you're not too beat to go diving, there's nothing wrong with diving as soon as you land. From where we're coming it's either we land after closing time and have to wait till next morning, or we only have enough energy for an evening swim anyway.

We land CUR apps 4pm, so I think getting our car and finding our accomodations will take most of our energy, plus it will be thru so I want to see the fireworks. BON on the other hand, we will land before noon, so we will have plenty of time for an afternoon dive. Thanks so much for the info, this gives us an extra day I thought we would have to wait out.

 

[dmaziuk]

We land CUR apps 4pm, so I think getting our car and finding our accomodations will take most of our energy, plus it will be thru so I want to see the fireworks. BON on the other hand, we will land before noon, so we will have plenty of time for an afternoon dive. Thanks so much for the info, this gives us an extra day I thought we would have to wait out.

If you stay on Bari/Buddy reef you can jump in in the evening and watch tarpons hunt in the light of your flashlights.

My gear advice just past certification would be masks, fins -- open heel with hard-sole booties for Bonaire, suits, and computers. Oceanic Accel and Scubapro Go fins fit in "standard" carry-on, but the most important part of the fin is fit. Same with the masks. I dive in a shorty and rashguard (for sunburn), but my cold tolerance is on the higher end of the scale, I've seen people in 3 mm full suits on top of thermal undies there. Seen them in beach shorts, too. So YMMV.

 

[dmaziuk]

I have no idea about vehicle rental on Curacao.

Depends on who you rent from. Last trip we booked a car and got a truck because AllWest was all out of cars, with manual shift and "this vehicle uses diesel" stickers all over the place. Which I ignored and parked at a petrol pump and had to have the gas station cashier ask me "Sir does you truck use diesel?" to get a clue.

 

[Shelly N]

Depends on who you rent from. Last trip we booked a car and got a truck because AllWest was all out of cars, with manual shift and "this vehicle uses diesel" stickers all over the place. Which I ignored and parked at a petrol pump and had to have the gas station cashier ask me "Sir does you truck use diesel?" to get a clue.

Sooo funny. Thanks again for the suggestions!

 

[diversteve]

I'm a tishirt/board shorts at both locations also - water is often close to 80. On Bonaire a full skin or light suit will save your shins if you shore dive over some of the sites that are mostly ironshore. Rely on your buddy there for support - it;s slick and sharp. Most of the dive resorts on Bonaire have dive docks with stairs - the ones in the water can be slick with algae.

If you learn to Giant Stride b4 you go - be aware that some of the docks are pretty shallow. My buddy dove off the side of Den Laman's and found himself hitting the bottom in 4' - I walked down the stairs...Off the end at most is usually deep enough. With 4 days - being new divers you might consider "diving the resorts" - many of them are on named dive sites - some like Habitat's offer access to both the Cliff site - one of few vertical walls - as well as their wreck - La Machaca - placed there intentionally. The Hooker otoh is a deep wreck with a rougher entry.

You can also walk in off the beach at the Plaza Resort or Windsock Beach a little further south. To rhe north dive resorts with docks are Buddy's, Habitat, Eden Beach, Den Laman. Bari Reef is off Den Laman or Sand Dollar condos - which has a beach entry, If you rent from Dive Friends - they're the onsite shop at both.

Bari has a reputation of the most counted fish species in the Caribbean and is a relatively benign dive with a real easy entry down their wide stairs.One to do for sure.

On Curacao you're mostly walking in off the beach - if a site needs a dive dock there's one with stairs or a short ladder. Lagun is a nice dive off a cove protected sandy beach. Another nice dive is Playa Kalki - go in off the north side at Go West's shop at Lodge Kura Hulanda - the entry is easier than at All West, Blue Bay just a little south of your villa is also a beach entrance with a shop right there - it's a real wall dive - something you don't see a lot of on either island.

Personally I'm not a fan of boat dives on Curacao - we did two. Several times we saw a boat moored at a site we dove from shore. On Bonaire sign up for dives going to Klein Bonaire - some of the sites are the better ones and it's the only way. By then also consider Rappel - one of the better north sites - someone on your boat will likely suggest if when asked by the crew. It's named for how you get down so a boat is the only practical way. Actually I'd consider 1000 Steps by boat also - it's not the climb down with gear that's a problem.

Do dive the Salt Pier also - it's epic shallow diving. If you have a camera - bring it. If on your own check with the Cargill office on-site - they sometimes drop stuff off the pier doing maintenance and if a ship is loading or en-route- no diving allowed.
We found the best entry to be between where you park and the pier itself - there';s a little sandy beach area. Float as soon as you can - there's ironshore there in the water. Also don't touch the brown corals on the pier - that's fire coral - it will stay with you a long time after the trip. The big silver fish hovering in the shadows are tarpon - they look meaner than they are.

The striped ones with teeth could be barracuda also - they like shiny things so don't be surprised if one gets personal - they;re often under docks. Some people stay away from them - I film them - usually they just move away rapidly if they don't like it.

 

[Shelly N]

Thanks for the great tips!