Canadian World Traveller Spring 2024 Issue

82
Bright Horizons in Bonaire
Divi Flamingo Beach Resort & Casino
Iistorically known as being a diver's
paradise, the delightful little Dutch
Caribbean Island of Bonaire has
been making big strides in expanding their
offerings and terrestrial attractions to draw
many different types of travelers now. And Divi
Flamingo Beach Resort, one of the island’s first
hotels, has not only been changing with the
times, but sometimes leading the charge!
I’ve enjoyed watching this establishment grow,
refresh, and reinvent itself continually since my
first stay there over 15 years ago. And regardless
of whatever transformation they have
gone through, it has always retained its original
colorful charm and warm and welcoming
vibe. It always feels like home. And I love the
by Susan Campbell
location of this resort, literally steps from the
downtown core of Bonaire’s adorable little
capital of Kralendijk and fronting its own
house reef full of magnificent marine life mere
steps from the shore. Their on-site outfit Divi
Dive Bonaire is a 5-star PADI operation, and
when I finally decide to become certified, I
can’t think of a better place to do so. They
have a modern fleet of six dive boats, but
shore diving there is also a breeze, and night
diving is also popular. It’s also an excellent
place to snorkel, and their dive shop has
equipment rental.
There are 129 rooms in all, some with full
kitchens, and some overlooking the sea where
you can spot colorful fish right from your balcony.
They offer both all-inclusive and EU
plans, and all guests will enjoy their all-oceanfront
selection of dining rooms, snack spots,
and bars. There is also a small casino on site.
The latest round of improvements includes
redesigning their two pools and adding
Jacuzzis and refreshing and upgrading all the
rooms and exteriors in the oceanfront wing
and studio suite wings, and they plan to finish
renovating the remaining pool view room
wing by this summer. They've also added a
convenient new dive pier and totally renovated
their signature Chibi Chibi and pureocean
dining spots, both great places to catch stunning
sunsets over the sea.
This resort is also ideal for families. They have
a children’s playground, and their little beach
has calm surf and leads to sensational shallow
snorkeling around a manmade pier. And children
under 12 stay free! (One child per paying
adult on the all-inclusive plan.) For adults,
there is also a day spa and fitness center,
weekly activities like yoga, and happy hours at
their “pureocean” beachside, which features
live music throughout the week. Divi Dive also
offers a unique, hands-on PADI Reef Renewal
Diver Distinctive Specialty Course to teach
divers how to help rebuild the reefs. In fact,
they are participating in a Reef Renewal program
right in front of the resort where they are
building their own coral garden using artificial
“trees”. Volunteers are always welcome to
help, or you can adopt your own coral with a
donation.
www.diviresorts.com
World Traveler Spring 2024