Dive Review of Captain Don's Habitat in
Bonaire

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Captain Don's Habitat, May, 2006, by Joel Snyder, AZ, USA ( Top Contributor 30 reports with 30 Helpful votes). Report 2472.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity	N/A
Dive Operation		Shore Diving
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$	N/A
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	This is our 5th trip to Bonaire in 15 years and we've always stayed at Don's. Compared to previous years, the resort itself is about the same, a little more run-down. The diving operation is basically the same: top notch. Docks and boats are in perfect condition, best we've ween them, while equipment is suffering a bit from wear-and-tear. Check your tank before you leave the dock! There's less a "wild west" feel to it than in the old days, but the operation both at the resort and across the island is still part of the best diving experience you can imagine. Diving should be this easy everywhere else. Some quick advice: get a villa---Villa 7 is probably the best they have in inventory right now (some of the better ones, like 10 and 12 have gone private); the cottages are not as pleasant. While Rum Runners (the restaurant there) is nourishing and always available, there are so many other very good restaurants on the island. For quick pizza, Pasa Bon is excellent friendly (and a bit pricey); don't forget the molten chocolate cake which probably IS one of the best in the world (from Last Bite Bakery). Bistro de Paris, another new one, was also good, if not quite true to the Parisian bistro style. We tried both Croccantino and Capriccio, Italian restaurants run by Italans, and both were very well done. Rib Factory not so hot for ribs, but try BobbieJan's BBQ (Fri/Sat/Sun only) which is truly laid-back and very good. Casablanca (the Argentine place) also outstanding. In Rincon, La Rosa was true to style and pleasant. The famous Ice Cream place in Rincon is closed permanently, alas. We paid an extra $35/diver to hire a boat from Don's and go to Playa Funchi and Slaagbai (in the national park), a 2-tank dive. We hoped for pelagics (not commonly seen in the normal spots), but didn't get any so it turned out to be a bit of a waste, although the dives were normal Bonaire quality. Divemasters were all friendly and accommodating (as usual); dive management was dour and put-upon (as usual), but fair and helpful when needed. Some of our divers had CCRs which Walt handled without a hitch, prepping up pure O2 and other supplies without blinking. We'll be back in a few years; you just can't get diving any more compatible and friendly than this outside of a liveaboard.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	251-500 dives
Where else diving	Greater Caribbean; Asia; Hawaii; Mexico; Central America
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny	Seas	calm
Water Temp	80-82°F / 27-28°C	Wetsuit Thickness	2
Water Visibility	40-80 Ft/ 12-24 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	At the "Home of Total Diving Freedom," the only restrictions they had were NO gloves and if you stay down longer than 90 minutes, you'll be buying drinks for the rest of the people on the boat.
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	None	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	None	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	Considerable deference given to UWP, along with some very friendly advice on-boat and off about how to get good photos with the new generation of digital cameras. Overall a very accommodating and helpful team on that end.

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Dive Review of Captain Don's Habitat in Bonaire

Captain Don's Habitat, May, 2006,

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

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

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

Dive Review of Captain Don's Habitat in
Bonaire