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Dive Review of Divi dive/Div Flamingo in
Bonaire

Divi dive/Div Flamingo, Nov, 2004,

by Jim Reilly and Fran Klass, PA, USA . Report 1437.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 4 stars Food 5 stars
Service and Attitude 4 stars Environmental Sensitivity N/A
Dive Operation 3 stars Shore Diving 4 stars
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ N/A
Beginners 2 stars
Advanced 4 stars
Comments We stayed at the Divi Flamingo October 30 to November 6. Check-in was fast and smooth, although initially we were assigned a room without the extras we ordered (2nd floor, king bed). We rejected this room and were quickly assigned the room we requested. Seemed odd that we were not given the correct room immediately.

The Divi continues to improve. Our room was freshly painted, well appointed, clean and kept that way. Housekeeping was outstanding, even remembering to supply us with extra towels once we asked for more. The dive operation used the newly renovated south pier. Fine for boats but lacking benches for shore divers. The North pier is being rebuilt (several new pilings were poured during our stay). Hotel landscaping also is much improved over last year. The casino is being enlarged and the assistant general manager told us the swimming pools will be rebuilt later this month (November).

We thought that the food was good at the Divi, but felt that the American style buffet breakfast was more than we wanted to pay for @ $27.50 for two folks. Instead we enjoyed a morning stroll along the harbor and ate at City Cafe and The Lost Penguin, where they serve WONDERFUL tropical French toast (with Belgium Chocolate sauce) for about $13 for both of us including our hot beverages. We had great dinners at Casablanca, It Rains Fishes, Zeezicht Seaside, The Old Inn, Ribs Factory. Pizza at the stand in the marketplace downtown is disappointing as were luncheon hamburgers at Casablanca. Dinner at Richards Seafood is over-rated (Frommers 2 star) and over priced - avoid!

Ivan has washed away the sandy beaches exposing the underlying hardpan sharp coral, mounded piles of dead coral along the shore and together these conditions make shore diving entrances and exits along the southern half of the lee coastline very challenging. Divers need to carefully select their entry/exit points. (We hope Nature restores the beaches in a few months but for now shore diving can be more than exciting.) Shore diving along the downtown is fine and by the marina is very nice. And of course diving from the various docks is just simplicity itself. We did not see large creatures, other than tarpon which accompanied us at night darting in and out of our dive light beams looking for prey. Very exciting! But we did see several types of eels, including a golden moray, clouds of small fish and the wonderful seahorses.

Our low rating for new divers ONLY applies to the current shore diving conditions. Other than the entry/exit problems we encountered, diving at Bonaire is easy, relaxing and great fun for all levels of divers.

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 101-250 dives
Where else diving Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, Curacao, Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Cozumel, New Jersey
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather cloudy Seas calm
Water Temp 85-87°F / 29-31°C Wetsuit Thickness 0
Water Visibility 30-80 Ft/ 9-24 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions We did all shore diving - no restrictions
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? N/A

What I Saw

Sharks None Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles None Whales None
Corals 5 stars Tropical Fish 4 stars
Small Critters 4 stars Large Fish 3 stars
Large Pelagics 1 stars

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter N/A Boat Facilities N/A
Overall rating for UWP's N/A Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments [None]
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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