Guest Author - Lea Ann Fessenden-Joseph

Beautiful, breezy Bonaire continues to rein as one of the top dive destinations in the world as recently named by Scuba Diving magazine’s Readers Choice Awards 2008. For seven consecutive years, Bonaire has received this honor in the Caribbean/Atlantic region.

But it doesn’t stop there. Bonaire also received the number one slot for Top Marine Life, Top Marine Environment, To Macro Life, Top Shore Diving Destination, Top Destination for Underwater Photography, Top Destination for Beginners, Top Value and Top Snorkeling, Now if that doesn’t convince you to dive Bonaire, I don’t know what will!

“This certainly demonstrates that Bonaire is the Diver’s Paradise. To have received nine #1 rankings reinforces that Bonaire’s continued vigilance and efforts to protect the island’s coral reefs are producing a superior dive product and in turn an amazing dive experience for our visitors,” said Ronella Croes, Director of the Tourism Corporation Bonaire (TCB). She continued, “Such constant diver support clearly indicates the value of conservation and preservation efforts, such as those afforded by the Bonaire National Marine Park. With roots going back as far as 1979, the park set a high benchmark for today’s marine environmental standards.”

Whether it’s spending the holidays on Bonaire, or simply planning an escape from winter’s cold and snow, this year it’s easier than ever to dive and snorkel in Bonaire. Delta Air Lines, recently inaugurated round-trip non-stop service between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and Bonaire.
The new JFK flight augments Delta’s current service, providing non-stop weekly round-trip flights from Atlanta to Bonaire. Bonaire is also served by Continental Airlines and American Airlines/American Eagle.

Bonaire takes their environmental causes very seriously as shown by many green campaigns all over the island. A waste reduction campaign encourages visitors to take home their used batteries instead of disposing of them in Bonaire’s landfill and many resorts and restaurants are encouraging reusable water bottles filled with Bonaire’s clean, reversed osmosis water. Many are no longer selling bottled water to reduce the load on the landfill.

Even car rental agencies have gotten into the green act and AB Carrental is now offering their customers the opportunity to try a solar car free of charge. Those who are renting any other vehicle with AB Carrental, may contact them to make arrangements to exchange their current rental vehicle for the solar car for either a morning or afternoon, so they may try it out. For additional information, visit their web site by clicking here.

So go to Bonaire to rest, relax, dive and enjoy the natural beauty of a pristine island which looks like it will remain this way for years to come due to the extra efforts they have taken on sustainability. Way to go Bonaire!