Tag Archive

Bonaire's Practical Secrets

As part-time Bonaire residents, my husband and I have picked up a few things we’d like to share with all visitors. These tips are not endorsements, simply things we’ve learned in the past 16 years, sometimes the hard way. You can find restaurant, hotel, and dive operation reviews on the Internet but I hope this short guide helps you in other areas. Please let me know what we have left out! Tires: First, bring a tire-pressure gauge. No kidding! In all our years of renting cars or trucks, not a single one has had four tires inflated to 32 psi. They ranged from 12 to 80, sometimes on the same car. Gas Expres on Kaya Nederlandia has free air (Kaya Nederlandia is the connector road between the main coast road, Bulevar Gob. Debrot, and Kaya Korona). If you need to buy a gauge, Napa Auto Parts has them. If you get a flat tire, you are responsible for fixing it. Lisa and Gas Expres offer tire repair, or you can seek out Ito, the king of tire repair. Ito’s outdoor shop is next to his house on Kaya Sabana, the street behind San Bernardo, the big Catholic church in town. Fitness: For those divers and dive widows who consider working out an important part of their day, Bon Bida is a new gym on the island equipped to U.S. standards. It offers treadmills, upright and recumbent bikes, an elliptical, a Wave trainer, Techogym machines for every body part, free weights (barbell and dumbbell, a sauna, lockers and, best of all, it is air- conditioned. The trainers on staff have years of experience in fitness. Painted bright blue, Bon Bida is located just north of the traffic circle across from the Sand Dollar hotel on Bulevar Gob. Debrot, and is walking distance to... More »