Special
Report –
Bellafonte Chateau de la Mer
After
many years of booking clients into the Bellafonte Chateau
de la Mer, seeing management changes, making regular
inspections and listening to client feedback, we felt
it was time to become more intimately acquainted. That
only happens when you actually stay at a particular property
long enough to formulate “here is what we experienced
and what others might expect”. READ
MORE
Bon
Bini Folks
 If
this newsletter reads like a trip report, it’s
because we just got back from a getaway to our favorite
island. And not only dushi Bonaire, but Curacao
too.
Traveling
with kids? We did. You’ll find some tips on keeping
them happy in this issue. There’s also news on
flights, hotel reviews and updates that any Bonaire traveler
will appreciate.
I’m
usually in work mode when I visit the islands (but not
this trip). The time spent with our kids was fantastic,
marked by each day’s discoveries and adventures,
in the most beautiful Caribbean waters and wonderfully
unique islands you will find.
Trip
summary? Bonaire and Curacao are great destinations for
your vacation. According to my seven-year-old daughter,
combining a visit to both islands was “off the
chain”. If that means far out and big fun, I have
to agree.
Ayo,
Cowboy Andy
BonairePros.com
Resort
Updates –
Villas, Pools, Piers and More
Caribbean Club Honeymoon Suite & Villas
Caribbean
Club Bonaire has completed seven deluxe
2 bedroom cottages along with a luxurious honeymoon
suite, all perched along the resort’s newly developed
seaside. Guests enjoy all the services and facilities
of Caribbean Club while being in these exclusive ocean
front villas.
Sand
Dollar and Den
Laman Condominiums, whose guests use the
oceanfront pier of Bonaire Dive & Adventures, will
get a free shuttle to Harbor Village Marina for boat
diving departures during dive dock maintenance, August
15 to October 15, 2008. All rinse tanks, showers, dive
ladder access and tank availability will still be accessible
on the pier during the renovation.
Kontiki
Beach Club at Lac Bay has added free wireless
access for all of their apartments. Guests in their
Lac Bay units are enjoying renovated interiors and
expanded decks and balconies alongside their new reception
center. The Mangrove units have added three casita
style two-bedroom apartments to their existing one-bedroom
units.
Belmar
Apartments is renovating their pool this
month with a completion date of September 20th. The
terrace area is also being updated with replacement
tiles and a new jacuzzi has been installed in the Penthouse.
At Belmar Dive Shop, Ebby Jules (formerly with Toucan
Divers) has joined the team as dive instructor.
Caribbean Club Honeymoon Suite & Villas
Local
Scoop – Beginners Snorkel with Big Fish
Where
do you take a nine-year-old and soon to be seven-year-old
on their first ocean snorkeling adventure? Bonaire, of
course. For that matter, any first time snorkeler would
benefit from the easy selections Bonaire presents its visitors.
There are so many sites, it can be difficult to choose.
But when you need the calmest water with no current and
easy entry, here is our pick. Divers won’t be disappointed
either.
Plaza
Resort – an easy entry from their palm
shaded beach with a shallow reef structure that is home
to surprising numbers of fish. Very calm and protected.
We trailed a large school of Blue Tangs for 15 minutes
on our most recent visit. Plaza
Resort is a nice place to hang out with snacks on
the beach, restaurant and bar. Divers can rent a tank
and visit 18 Palms dive site just offshore.
Bari
Reef – use the beach entry on either side
of Bonaire Dive & Adventures pier (Sand
Dollar or Den Laman sides),
although the best show is down the beach in front of
the old Sunset Beach Hotel. The rubble here (aka The
Aquarium) forms a holding zone for lots of marine life
and amazing light filtration for effect. Of course, diving
at Bari Reef’s drop off is superb and ranks #1
for marine life diversity in the Caribbean.
Mystery(?)
Beach – this is a perfect small spit of
beach with calm waters and easy access visited almost
exclusively by locals. Hard sand shallows give way to
amazing coral formations only feet from shore with the
largest Parrot fish we have ever seen. My son and I swam
with a monster 3 ½ foot Permit that hardly gave
us a thought. Where? Email us
if you know. Hint – you’re getting warm at
Windsock.
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