1. What is Dive Into Adventure Bonaire 2006?
Dive Into Adventure Bonaire 2006, or DIAB for short, will provide a platform from which people can experience Bonaire's natural treasures, both above and below the water, and find out what they could do to help protect them. The event will showcase the sport of scuba diving and the adventure of the sport, while also incorporating increasingly popular eco-adventure activities into the event program.

2. When and where will DIAB take place?
June 17-24, 2006 in Bonaire.

3. Who is sponsoring this event?
Dive Into Adventure Bonaire 2006 is being sponsored by the Tourism Corporation Bonaire (TCB), its stakeholders and Scuba Diving Magazine.

4. What type of activities can people expect to take part in during DIAB?
The event schedule will feature daily opportunities for scuba diving as well as land- and water-based adventure activities like kayaking, windsurfing, sailing, kiteboarding, National Park Safaris and mountain biking. To highlight the adventure of scuba diving, every morning and afternoon participants will have the option to participate in a host of dive-related adventure activities like digital photography workshops, technical diving, underwater videography and freediving. Each evening of the Dive Into Adventure Bonaire event participants would come together for featured presentations by local and international "stars" and parties with local entertainment. Additionally the event will kick-off with a Taste of Bonaire, featuring local food and music, presentations by local dignitaries and opportunities to meet with the local "stars" participating in the event. Click here for the event schedule.

5. Where will events take place?
While many activities will take place at the five host hotels for the event (see question 8 below) some will take place at other venues around the island including Bonaire's National Stadium and Wilhelmina Park in Kralendijk, Bonaire's capital.

6. Who can attend DIAB?
Divers, snorkelers, nature lovers and adventurers from around the world are invited to attend the event. To attend the event people must either purchase a DIAB hotel package in advance, which are available through the official DIAB tour operators, or if they are staying at a host hotel they can register for the event once on island. People staying at non-DIAB host hotels cannot take part in the event.

7. How much does it cost to attend DIAB?
People wishing to participate in DIAB can purchase a DIAB land-only package from one of the event's official DIAB tour operators. While packages prices may vary depending on accommodations all include seven nights accommodations at one of the event host hotels, breakfast daily, six days of one-tank boat dives, unlimited shore diving, round-trip airport transfers, hotel taxes and service charges. Prices for packages offered by the U.S. tour operators start at $619 per person based on double occupancy. Prices for packages offered by European tour operators start at €968.00 per person based on quad occupancy. Airfare and car rental, while not included in the packages, can also be purchased/booked through the official tour operators.

8. Who are the official DIAB tour operators?
There are three official U.S. tour operators. They are: BonairePros.com, Caradonna Dive Adventures and Maduro Dive Fanta-Seas. There are 14 official European tour operators. They are: Helin Matkat (Finland), Karibik & More (Germany), Nautilus Tauchreisen (Germany), World Diver (Germany), Jambo Tours (Sweden), Carib Tours AG (Switzerland), ABC Travel Netherlands (The Netherlands), Bonaire Fun Travel (The Netherlands), Does Travel & Cadushi Travel (The Netherlands), Maduro Travel (The Netherlands), Barefoot Traveller (UK), Bonaire Fun Travel (UK), Dive Worldwide Ltd. (UK), and RegalDive Worldwide (UK). For links and contact info for each of these tour operators visit the Book The Trip! page.

9. What are the host hotels for the event?
There are five DIAB host hotels. They are: Captain Don's Habitat, Golden Reef Inn, Plaza Resort Bonaire, Port Bonaire and Sand Dollar Condominium Resort. For links and contact info for each of these hotels visit the Hotels page.

10. Is there an official airline for the event?
The official airline is Air Jamaica (www.airjamaica.com, 1-800-523-5585). Air Jamaica flies from a number of U.S. cities to Bonaire on Saturdays. Gateway cities include Atlanta, Baltimore/Washington, New York-JFK, Newark (NJ), Philadelphia, Chicago and Los Angeles. To purchase flights on Air Jamaica you can contact one of the DIAB official tour operators or the airline directly.

11. What if I'm flying from Europe?
While there is no official European airline for the event, KLM (www.klm.com) flies direct from Amsterdam to Bonaire up to twice daily. Contact one of the European tour operators for more information or to book flights.

12. Is there an official car rental agency for the event?
The preferred car rental agency for DIAB is AB Carrental (www.ABcarrental.com). They are offering a special to DIAB participants. Check with the official tour operators for the DIAB special or visit AB Carrental's web site. The Dive Into Adventure Bonaire car rental special is valid only during DIAB week (June 17-24).

13. Are there any other costs associated with participating in DIAB?
People purchasing a DIAB hotel package must also pay a one-time $75 per person registration fee to participate in the event. People who do not purchase a DIAB hotel package but are staying at one of the DIAB host hotels during DIAB week can participate in the event, but they will have to pay a registration fee of $100 per person.

Adventure activities (i.e. kayaking, mountain biking) as well as some of the dive-related adventure activities (which can include freediving and fish ID surveys) that are part of the DIAB schedule are at additional cost. Special discount rates have been negotiated for event participants for many of these activities. Click here for more details on all activities being offered, prices and how to sign up. Meals throughout the week, with the exception of one BBQ, are not included and are at additional cost, again at special DIAB prices.

14. What is included with the registration fee?
Included with the registration fee (both $75 and $100) is entrance to daytime and evening presentations by local and international "stars," evening parties including drinks, daytime select dives with some of the local and international "stars" (pre-registration required), photography workshops, and A Taste of Bonaire, participation in the DIAB Photography Competition with great prizes, and an event welcome packet. PLUS, the first 100 people from around the world to purchase a DIAB package will receive a free DIAB t-shirt (received once on-island for the event).

15. How is the registration fee payable?
The registration fee of $75 is payable to the tour operator at the time a DIAB package is purchased from one of the official DIAB tour operators. The $100 registration fee for people staying at host hotels but not purchasing a DIAB hotel package is only payable on island.

16. Where can people get more information on the event?
People from North America can call 1-800-BONAIRE, which rings into the TCB-New York office. In Europe call 31-23-543-0705.

 

* Unless otherwise noted prices are in U.S. Dollars