On August 19th 1980 Joop & Yvonne Rauwers established Buddy Dive. Having operated some time out of
different locations, in 1987 they started Buddy Dive Resort where it presently is located. After 22 years of hard work and dedication, helped by their daughter Debbie, they decided to sell Buddy Dive. For more details see www.buddydive.com/History.html.
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| The Rauwers Family |
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| Buddy’s new owners Ingrid & Martien van der Valk continued the philosophy of the Rauwers family when acquiring Buddy Dive Resort on February 14th 2002. Together with their staff, Ingrid & Martien van der Valk carried on and expanded the success formula. |
Buddy Dive Resort became even more the premium dive resort of Bonaire with an outstanding reputation in the dive world, but also being a hangout for non-diving family members that were looking for the casual atmosphere and personable staff Buddy Dive Resort offers. October 19th 2004 was another landmark for the Buddy Dive Resort; that day we acquired our neighbor “Lions Dive Hotel Bonaire” thus adding 31 units to our room inventory. But more important: expanding the Buddy Dive-family. |
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Ingrid & Martien van der Valk |
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Buddy Dive Resort has around 75 employees at this moment and we know that the staff represents what Buddy Dive Resort has been the past 25 years and what it will be the next 25 years. We have icons, such as Murph of the Dive Shop, Virma & Elcy of Housekeeping, Elthine of Landscaping, Rodney of Maintenance, Vincia in the Front Office
while managers such as Lisa, Heleen, Raschka and Corinna all are running their own departments in an incredible way. |
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The Buddy Family: Halloween party (above) Rum Punch Party (below)
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A special year requires special activities! For the coming year we planned various festivities, special promotions and activities to celebrate this unique landmark not only for Buddy Dive Resort, but also for Bonaire and the dive industry as a whole. |
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| First of all we will be giving away free specially designed Anniversary T-shirts and a discount voucher booklet for all guests staying at Buddy Dive between April 15th and December 31st 2005. |
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The celebrations will officially “kick off” on Friday August 19th 2005 with a party for our guests staying in the resort at that time and the Buddy Dive staff. The official celebration week will be in the week of 10-17 December 2005. Main event during that week will be the Anniversary Party with many repeat guests, former staff members, Joop, Yvonne & Debbie Rauwers and other VIP’s being present as well as - of course - the guests staying at Buddy during that week. |
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| Besides the “Upgrade to U/L-Nitrox”* for 1-14 April and May 2005 we developed more great specials to let the Buddy Dive-family members share in the anniversary celebrations. |
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The “Silver”-special * is for all our guests who like to join us in August 2005. When booking the regular Drive & Dive-package for August 2005
every guest gets a US$ 75.- food credit!! Enjoy the Caribbean Night, BBQ and a few lunches for FREE while being at Buddy in that month. |
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| Throughout 2005 we have the “Silver Group Special”* for groups still planning their 2005 dive trip; “Bring 25 persons to Buddy Dive Resort and the party for your group is on us”. When bringing 25 persons we will throw you a party, complete with BBQ and free drinks**. A value of US$ 40.- per person, but more important a blast
while being away with your (dive)friends or family on your own private beach!!! |
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| For the week of 10-17 December 2005 we offer again the “Silver”-special * with a food credit of US$ 75.- per person while booking the regular Drive & Dive package. During the week the highlight - of course - will be the Anniversary Party with a free dinner and drinks. Other activities and fun things will be organized as well. A week you shouldn’t miss!!! |
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On the first of March a contest will be launched on our web site with a 1-week FREE-stay at Buddy Dive Resort for 2 for those with the most original and funny answer. The question is “Tell us about your 25 of something…….”.
This can be anything; your 25 trips to Bonaire? ………. |
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| Your 25th wedding anniversary? Those 25 seahorses you have seen while diving with Buddy throughout the years? Those 25 Polar you had with Murph one night? Anything |
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Throughout the year our (repeat) guests will be asked to give us stories about Buddy Dive and our staff that they remember from their vacations spent at Buddy Dive. Hopefully accompanied with many pictures we are aiming to publish the “25 Years of Buddy Dive Resort Bonaire” in 2006. Not only containing all those special stories and
pictures, but also an overview of the celebration year. |
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For more information on above activities and non-US reservations please contact us at reservations@buddydive.com or call your travel agency.
For US-reservations please contact your favorite travel partner.
Or call our US-Sales Office at 1-866-GO-BUDDY, mail buddydive@travelmarketing.com
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* For new bookings only and can not be combined with other special promotions.
** Certain restrictions apply. |
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