Excursions in Aruba, bonaire and curacao.

[Kb273]

I would like advice on best excursions for these. We have never been to these islands before. We live beach time and snorkeling, but I also like to get to know the area. We do not like sitting on tour buses for hours. Your thoughts would be helpful

 

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[DENIE]

You might check the posts found in the specific travel destination site...each of the islands has a page. In November we are snorkeling in Bonaire with a tour company called "Woodwind". We were drawn by the fabulous reviews and very reasonable pricing.

[lifeh2o4all]

I would like advice on best excursions for these. We have never been to these islands before. We live beach time and snorkeling, but I also like to get to know the area. We do not like sitting on tour buses for hours. Your thoughts would be helpful

 

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H2O Visions Bonaire is a great guided snorkeling tour in Bonaire. We used them last November and it was the best snorkeling tour we have taken. Small groups and a friendly, knowledgeable guide. Pick you up right at the port exit.

 

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[Kb273]

Thank you

 

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[Cruzin&Snuzin]

Absolutely look into Woodwind Bonaire for snorkeling. Fantastic service, fantastic snorkeling experience. Great price.

 

Easy walk from the pier. They have tons of equipment - including sun shirts and wetsuits.

 

They break total group into three small groups based on skill level and they put a snorkel guide (employee) with each group to point out fish, reef, etc. Good lunch onboard following the snorkeling.

 

Highly recommend it.

 

 

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[Britpamtany1205]

We were just there in April.......we did trikes aruba (in Aruba) and bonaire cruisers (golf cart) in Bonaire. Both were great, you can google them to see if you’d be interested

[IBsaved]

We were in the ABC islands in September of last year and we did the Trikes in Aruba and loved it! We also did the Twizy Tour with Roadrunner Bonaire with Hans as our guide and it was awesome! Highly recommend both tours - they are not offered through Celebrity so you have to reserve on your own. We did not do much in Curacao as our excursion with Celebrity was cancelled due to not enough people signed up.

[OtherFigment]

Compass in Bonaire is fabulous. They take out very small groups of guests snorkeling-like no more than 12 I think. It's a real sailboat and on our last trip with them, they only used the motor to get in and out of the marina. Absolutely fantastic group.

[workingboy]

Another vote for Woodwind in Bonaire. Best snorkeling tour I have ever been on!!!!

[EatonDoolittle]

Compass in Bonaire is fabulous. They take out very small groups of guests snorkeling-like no more than 12 I think. It's a real sailboat and on our last trip with them, they only used the motor to get in and out of the marina. Absolutely fantastic group.

 

How did you reach them?

I tried to reserve through the website for a visit next year, but never heard back.

 

I'm getting bored with Woodwind. Woodwind has also now gotten such a glowing rep for beginners, that I have seen people (once a kid, once a flailing adult) kick fins and damage coral the last 2 times I went out with them I cannot watch that again.

Dee tells people not to go vertical and "bicycle kick" , but I guess the instructions don't always take.

 

Thanks in advance

[snyniew]

If Woodwind in Bonaire is full look into the ships excursion. They use Sea Cow and they do a wonderful job. Didn't feel too crowded as when you went in the water they broke it up into 2 groups so the entire boat wasn't in one big cluster. If you look on Trip Advisor Sea Cow is rated #1.

[Keys2Heaven]

You might check the posts found in the specific travel destination site...each of the islands has a page. In November we are snorkeling in Bonaire with a tour company called "Woodwind". We were drawn by the fabulous reviews and very reasonable pricing.

 

We highly recommend Woodwind in Bonaire for a sail/snorkel tour. Dee, our guide, was awesome and we got some great underwater photos (taken by them) when snorkeling. Price is VERY reasonable and they serve you a great lunch on the way back. There was a charge of $40 US (cash) to get the USB with photos from the tour, but that was 2015.

 

For Aruba....TRIKES ARUBA. Enough said. Wonderful tour and fantastic and unique way to see the island.

[OtherFigment]

How did you reach them?

I tried to reserve through the website for a visit next year, but never heard back.

 

 

Odd, I also reserved through the website and didn't have an issue. I'd try again, or they also have a FB page that might work. Also, our last trip with them, everyone had their own equipment and was clearly experienced. I think because it's a smaller group, the guides are better able to keep an eye on people. Awful to see coral get damaged!!!!

[RedneckBob]

Bonaire: have done Woodwind tour, it was excellent but I found best snorkeling is at Kleine Bonaire. Take water taxi to island, beautiful beach plus reef 30 feet from beach. I was there 2 weeks ago, best snorkeling from a beach ever in 42 years of cruising. Snorkeled with thousands of fish along reef.

 

Curacao: Mambo Beach has great snorkeling or book on line Irie Tours. Last year $25 pp, +3 hr tour, includes hour at Mambo Beach.

 

Aruba: take city bus to Eagle Beach

[mnocket]

We were in the ABC islands in September of last year and we did the Trikes in Aruba and loved it! We also did the Twizy Tour with Roadrunner Bonaire with Hans as our guide and it was awesome! Highly recommend both tours - they are not offered through Celebrity so you have to reserve on your own. We did not do much in Curacao as our excursion with Celebrity was cancelled due to not enough people signed up.

We did the same two tours and both are great. Highly recommend!

[vicd1969]

Absolutely look into Woodwind Bonaire for snorkeling. Fantastic service, fantastic snorkeling experience. Great price.

 

Easy walk from the pier. They have tons of equipment - including sun shirts and wetsuits.

 

They break total group into three small groups based on skill level and they put a snorkel guide (employee) with each group to point out fish, reef, etc. Good lunch onboard following the snorkeling.

 

Highly recommend it.

 

 

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Absolute second or third this recommendation for Woodwind. Dee, the co-owner, is hands-down one of the best operators I've encountered during my travels. She allowed my group of experienced snorkelers more time in the water, but took good personal care of the ones who couldn't swim as well. They're so organized that they even had corrective lens masks available. Can't say enough good things about them.

[Chrissi3010]

Snorkeling on Klein Bonaire. Just take a water taxi to Klein Bonaire and they provide you with snorkeling Equipment if you like.

Klein Bonaire is a little paradise with nothing there but the beach and the reef. Just wonderful.

[Kb273]

Very nice, thank you

 

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[Keys2Heaven]

Snorkeling on Klein Bonaire. Just take a water taxi to Klein Bonaire and they provide you with snorkeling Equipment if you like.

Klein Bonaire is a little paradise with nothing there but the beach and the reef. Just wonderful.

 

I believe Dee, from Woodwind, said Robert DeNiro was trying to buy some land on it at one time.

[cherrypop]

We did the Trikes Aruba $190.00 for two and it was so much fun. They took us to a lot of fun places and we passed by some beautiful beaches. Would highly recommend this to anyone.

[canadianbear]

Sea Cow was excellent-we used them in December while in Bonaire.

 

In Curaçao we had booked a snorkel with Curious 2 Dive who pick you up right outside the cruise port. Unfortunately it was a nasty windy morning so after talking at the port with their representative it was cancelled. We ended up picking up a 2 hour bus tour around the island that stopped at the Curaçao Liquer Distillery -was quite interesting. Also have free samples of the liquer!

[Kb273]

Sea Cow was excellent-we used them in December while in Bonaire.

 

In Curaçao we had booked a snorkel with Curious 2 Dive who pick you up right outside the cruise port. Unfortunately it was a nasty windy morning so after talking at the port with their representative it was cancelled. We ended up picking up a 2 hour bus tour around the island that stopped at the Curaçao Liquer Distillery -was quite interesting. Also have free samples of the liquer!

How was the liquor

 

 

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[FunCruiser56]

Woodwind was the best snorkeling experience we ever had! Such care and detail to making sure every person on the boat had just what they needed to get every minute of excellent snorkeling. Provided shirts, hoods, full wet suits, perscription masks, even a super photographer to take memorable pictures for a very reasonable price. The whole crew was fantastic. I hope to someday return to Bonaire just so I can snorkel with them again.

 

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[canadianbear]

How was the liquor

 

 

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Ha ha!!! Very tasty and they had little paper cups for anyone to try and a nice gift shop if you wanted anything as well-no pressure at all.

 

 

 

 

[jody75]

H2O Visions Bonaire is a great guided snorkeling tour in Bonaire. We used them last November and it was the best snorkeling tour we have taken. Small groups and a friendly, knowledgeable guide. Pick you up right at the port exit.

Just be aware this tour run by H2O Visions is snorkelling from the beach not like Woodwind from a Boat/Trimaran.