Archive for June, 2010

New Bonaire Website

June 30, 2010

Wednesday, June 30, 2010
BONAIRE LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE AT WWW.TOURISMBONAIRE.COM
**Re-vamped Web Site Provides a New Look and Feel for the Official Site of Bonaire**
Kralendijk, Bonaire – The Tourism Corporation Bonaire (TCB) is pleased to announce the launching of a re-vamped web site, with a new sleek design and which is available in English, Dutch, and Spanish.

Visitors to the island’s official web site at http://www.tourismbonaire.com will reach a new landing page, welcoming them to the site, where they can listen to some local background music by the island’s “Grupo Piedra di Bonaire”.

From the landing page, visitors may move to the home page–which features the new look and feel of the web site and highlights innovative features–or they may watch a short video about the island.

There are many new components to the site, including a live events calendar and a quick look at upcoming events, an area where the island’s press releases and island news can be accessed, and a multimedia gallery including videos and images of Bonaire. Those with upcoming trips can check the daily weather and the weekly forecast before stepping on the plane, or find exactly what they need on the site using the new search feature.

Bonaire Ambassadors will provide testimonials and there is an image and video gallery of their awards. Visitors can visit the site’s feature area and get to know Bonaire’s friendly people with one click. Or, make your opinion count in the polls area, where visitors to the site can actively participate in question & answer polls that will be posted frequently about Bonaire.

The new interface, navigation, information, and visual design are stimulating and exciting, and there are icons with links to the island’s Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter pages. Potential travelers can download pictures or brochures, or scroll through a range of accommodations and vacation rentals offered around Bonaire, use the dedicated vacation planner, or even subscribe for e-news via e-mail. Those with upcoming flights to or from Bonaire will be able to view real-time flight arrival and departure times at Bonaire’s Flamingo Airport via a link to the airport’s web site.

“TCB is very pleased to be able to offer this exciting new web site to the visitors of Bonaire. We’re sure that this site will fill the need for pertinent, up-to-date information about the island which every visitor needs to plan the ideal vacation,” said Ronella Tjin Asjoe-Croes, Director of Tourism. “In this era of the Internet, it is important that Bonaire continues to be on the cutting edge of technology and our new site reflects that position.” she concluded.

Located eighty-six miles east of Aruba, the Dutch Caribbean island of Bonaire offers year-round sunshine, low annual rainfall, pristine coral formations and the most thriving fish population in the Caribbean. Ideal for adventurers, explorers and sun-worshippers alike, Bonaire offers myriad eco-adventure activities including world renowned scuba diving and snorkeling, windsurfing, kiteboarding, mountain biking, sea and mangrove kayaking, horseback riding, landsailing, nature tours, hiking, bird watching, sailing and deep sea and bone fishing. And with a selection of accommodations ranging from full-service oceanfront resorts and condominiums to guesthouses and small inns, Bonaire has something for every lifestyle and budget.

Bonaire is the recipient of the prestigious Islands Magazine/Caribbean Tourism Organization 2008 Sustainable Tourism Award and continues to be recognized as one of the top destinations worldwide for its sustainable tourism and as one of the top diving destinations in the Atlantic/Caribbean for eight years in a row in the Scuba Diving magazine’s 2010 Readers’ Choice Awards. It was designated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as having the healthiest reefs in the Caribbean (January 2008), and as the Favorite Dive Destination in the World by About.com (June, 2008).

To book your trip to Bonaire contact Ann Phelan, the on island Bonaire specialist at 800-219-0118 or 011 599 786 3134.

Tags:, , ,
Posted in Activities, Culture, Diving and Snorkeling, Food, Getting to Bonaire, Where to Stay, Windsurfing | 3 Comments »

Pelican Reef

June 30, 2010

Pelican Reef, one of the most sought after seaside cottages has some rare open dates commencing Aug.27- Sept. 17. This property is perfect for the die hard snorkeler or diver, beach lover or those seeking seaside bliss. Walk to my favorite dining at Yacht Club Restaurant or Bistro de Paris.

Pelican Reef

Weekly Rates May – November December-April

1/2 guests USD 1600 USD 1800
3/4 guests USD 2000 USD 2200

Please bear in mind the following conditions:
• Pelican Reef sleeps maximum 4 guests
• All published rates are weekly rates, based on a minimum stay of 7 nights
• All our guests are met upon arrival by our caretaker. First-time guests are met at the airport, repeat guests will meet our caretaker at Pelican Reef.
• Immediate check-in upon arrival is always guaranteed. In order to be able to offer all our guests this service, our official check-out time is 12:00 Noon.
• Use of electricity, gas, and water are included at normal use. In case of excessive use, we reserve the right to add an extra fee, payable before departure, to cover this cost.
• Weekly cleaning is compulsory. Intermediate cleanings are charged at USD 50.00. Final cleaning is charged at USD 100.00.
• A 20% deposit is required to confirm your booking, the remaining 80% is to be paid at the latest eight weeks before your arrival. Should the date of booking be less than eight weeks before the date of your arrival, the total amount will be required at once to confirm your booking.
• The published rates are exclusive of Bonaire tourist tax at USD 5.50 per person, per night. Please note that rates may be subject to change without notice, except, of course, for confirmed bookings. Tourist tax is not necessary for children under the age of 13.

For more information, to check availability or to make a reservation, please contact us by email at:
ann@bonairecaribbean.com

Tags:, ,
Posted in Diving and Snorkeling | Leave a Comment »

Wetlands Update

June 11, 2010

Bonaire
Bonaire Press Release
Conservation Organizations Urge Government to Save Valuable Saliña

Aliansa Naturalesa di Bonaire, the alliance of Bonaire nature organizations, calls Saliña di Vlijt a natural asset that may be worth more in its natural state than as a development. Aliansa calls on the government to take immediate steps to halt the saliña’s destruction and assess the potential consequences before it is too late.

Saliña di Vlijt is a critical asset for Bonaire, and its conversion to a development could result in a significant financial and environmental loss to Bonaire, according to Kris Kats, aquatic eco-technologist of Progressive Environmental Solutions and president of Aliansa.

“The site is an important wetland, recognized for its functions of flood control and run-off catchment during heavy rains,” adds Kats. “It is an essential natural ecosystem that nurtures rare and endangered species.”

Harbour Village Development N.V. obtained a long lease for the saliña and has begun work to turn it into a waterfront condominium development. According to the plans, houses will be built along the edges of the saliña, and the saliña itself will be kept full of water by pumping sea water in.

The work has already destroyed important areas of the saliña, including, according to observers, nesting habitats, eggs and at least one chick of the Least Tern, an endangered species protected under the international SPAW treaty. Such destruction is a criminal offense under national law.

The saliña is extremely important as a buffer between land and sea. After heavy rains, pollutants in run-off settle in the wetland instead of going into the sea. This is a critical function for the health of nearby coral reefs, which are very sensitive to fine particles (of dust, sand and organic material). The saliña also provides flood control by absorbing high water flows during spring tides, and provides food for both saliña and reef wildlife.

“The loss of the Saliña di Vlijt in its natural state will not only mean the loss of species of plants and animals that you will not find anywhere outside a saliña, but it will also have serious effects on Bonaire’s struggling reefs,” says Mabel Nava of Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire.

STINAPA director Elsmarie Beukenboom points out that if the saliña is permanently flooded with pumped-in seawater, the entire ecosystem will change. “A thorough assessment needs to be done before we can understand whether flooding the area is a responsible decision. For instance, we are also aware that the saliña has become full of sediments over the years,” she says. “I think it’s far more likely that, for Bonaire’s long-term interests, the saliña needs to be restored, not further degraded, but before anything is done, a thorough assessment ought to be the first step.”

Aliansa cautions that allowing development of the saliña before a careful assessment has been made of health, infrastructure and environmental effects leaves Bonaire open to a host of expensive problems. Taxpayers will ultimately bear the financial and social burden of any damages to Bonaire’s infrastructure and resource assets.

The best course for the government, short and long-term, is to find a way to back up, implement a full environmental impact assessment of the possible impacts of this development, and safeguard one of Bonaire’s critical natural assets.

Tags:, , ,
Posted in Culture | Leave a Comment »

Photo of the Day

June 4, 2010

Thanks to my loyal client and guest photographer, Dave Bucklin for today’s photo of the day! Pasa Bon Wikent!

Photo Courtesy of Dave Bucklin AKA Bucky

Tags:, , ,
Posted in Diving and Snorkeling | Leave a Comment »

Tiara Air Non Stop To Bonaire from Aruba – New Air Schedule

June 3, 2010

Bonaire- The Tourism Corp. of Bonaire reports Tiara Air has added additional service for those seeking to utilize one of the many affordable carriers from the US and South America to Bonaire.

ARUBA – BONAIRE:
AUA-BON 9.10a – 10.00a mo-we-fr
AUA-BON 6.20p -7.10p mo-we-fr
AUA-BON 7.10p – 8.05p su

BONAIRE – ARUBA:
BON-AUA 10.20a – 11.50a mo-we-fr
BON-AUA 7.30p – 8.20p mo-we-fr
BON-AUA 8.25p – 9.20p su

Highlights:
*Increase flight schedule to 3 flights per week
*Earlier morning flights
*New evening flights
*Allowing day trips for those in Bonaire or Aruba
*Allowing connections to/from U.S.A. via Aruba on mo-we-fr
and from U.S.A on Sundays.
*Allowing connections to/from Venezuela mo-we-fr

This new schedule will be in Tiara Air’s system and website as of mid next week.

http://www.tiara-air.com/

Tags:, , ,
Posted in Getting to Bonaire | 3 Comments »