Bonaire - Adventure Guide to Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao - page 190

BUDDY DIVE RESORT
Kaya Governador Nicholaas Debrot

866-GO-BUDDY (in the US & Canada) or 717-5080; fax [phone]
www.buddydive.com
46 rooms and one- , two- , or three-bedroom apartments
$$
New owners, Martien and Ingrid Van der Valk, have taken over the prop-
erty that was owned by Joop, Yvonne, and Debby Rauwers for more than
20 years. They are intent on keeping up the family atmosphere and superb
diving facilities that have won Buddy many international awards. It was
voted the number one Best Dive Resort in the Caribbean three years in a
row by the German Tauchen Dive Magazine , and rated among the Top 20
Best Dive Resorts in the World by Rodale's Scuba Diving Magazine USA .
Although the resort caters to divers, any guest will be content with the
modern hotel rooms and spacious apartments that are just steps from two
swimming pools, an outdoor Internet kiosk, and Dock of the Bay Res-
taurant . Check out the fabulous dive packages on their website. You can
hardly stay home for less.

CAPTAIN DON'S HABITAT
Kaya Governador Nicholaas Debrot #103

800-327-6709 (Maduro Dive Fanta-Seas in the US) or 717-8290; fax 717-
8240
www.habitatdiveresorts.com
93 rooms, villas, and cottages
$$

Diving Freedom is the slogan and concept
Captain Don Stewart built a kingdom
around. He's an international leader in the
world-wide reef conservation movement
and recognized as the father of diving on
Bonaire. He opened Habitat in 1977, based
on the easy-going idea that a diver should
be able to grab a tank and hit the water at
any time day or night. Both Americans and
Europeans have supported his theory ever
since. Cottage-style rooms and villas are
surrounded by landscaped gardens and are
just steps away from the sea. Almost every
guest is a diver, and they gather on the sandy beach or at the oceanfront
Rum Runners Restaurant to swap underwater stories. Dive packages
are well-priced and the resort has a fleet of dive boats and ace guides who
encourage few or no lead weights (buoyancy is emphasized and enthusias-
tically taught) to save the reef from diver damage. Up to six people can stay
in a villa, and there are enough activities to keep non-divers busy.