Musings on Bonaire reopening to tourists

[smits]

I wonder what the consequences will be for Bonaire:

Since July 1, Curaçao has welcomed over 10,000 passengers from Europe. One visitor was diagnosed with a corona infection.

Epidemiologist Izzy Gerstenbluth announced this. According to him, more infections were registered last month, but that were all Americans who traveled to Curaçao via Aruba. All patients are quarantine

[ppartlo]

The restrictions are not on American citizens, they are on flights from the US.

Understood....they are flying out of the states to Aruba....
So to clarify:
US -> Aruba -> Curacao -> Bonaire (in isolation)
Still seems weird that this is possible.

[KonaGecko]

I do not think the Aruba --> Curacao --> Bonaire trick will work. Note the language in the last sentence from the English language Bonaire Gov FAQ July 22. https://www.bonairegov.com/sites/def..._A_ENG-def.pdf
The sight seems to be down today but i saved the PDF if anyone wants a copy

Page 5 under the heading "The following persons will need to go into quarantine"
blah blah blah..................
"Travelers that were staying in a high-risk country 14 days prior to arriving on Bonaire, need to go into quarantine for 14 days, immediately upon arrival, in a central quarantine location, at their own costs.
Please note that this does not mean that it is allowed to travel to Bonaire from a high-risk country."


But I may try it . My guess is Bonaire will not open until a vaccine is widely administered. At this rate Q2/2021.

[ppartlo]

Absolutely agree. This should not work and the risk is there.
However, it has occurred.
Folks who are American residents and citizens. Flew out of Atlanta...island hop and into quarantine on Bonaire.
Keeping things closed up until a vaccine makes way more sense.
Hopefully this loophole gets closed.

[connie]

Thanks to all contributing good information here. I am trying to sort all of this out so my husband and I can get to Bonaire in October to at least check on our 4 vacation rental condos there, which unfortunately have all been vacant since March : / According to everything I have read so far, it seems to me that we can fly from the US to Aruba, where we can get a COVID-19 test upon arrival and quarantine 24 hours (max) awaiting the result. Then we stay on Aruba 14 days. (Yes, expensive, but silver lining....at least it would be a "real" vacation instead of one of our usual "do maintenance work on the condos" vacations!) Then before departing Aruba, if needed we could get another COVID-19 test, to double confirm we are still virus free, and then fly on to Bonaire. I don't worry about carrying the virus around because we practically live a "quarantine life" under normal circumstances, and with the Aruba mandated arrival test and especially with a pre-departure test too, we would have sufficient evidence we are virus free for Bonaire. This is not at all the same as the "island hopping" scenario mentioned in previous messages, and I certainly don't want to pay to quarantine at Buddy Dive or anywhere for that matter when I get to Bonaire, but I don't mind at all to quarantine in my own places though I don't think even that would be required if we follow all precautions and guidelines. Am I missing some rule or policy that would prevent this from working? And I understand that there is always the possibility (beyond our control) that Bonaire could shut down inbound planes from Aruba if the infection rate there starts climbing. Thanks in advance for any input.

[tursiops]

Nobody is going to guarantee you anything, and at the end of August things will be renewed as they are or change again, and they could change before that and after that.
The worst that happens is you get to Bonaire and get refused entry, second worst is you pay to be quarantined for two weeks at a place you have not chosen in Bonaire.
Your plan sounds reasonable, but not without risk.
I suspect an argument that it is "necessary" for you to get there to check on your property would not be well-received, and I suspect your assertion that you are currently and will continue to be virus-free is also not compelling. The tests are mostly believable; one's assertions are not.
IN any case, good luck!

[ppartlo]

Mystery solved.
Sedula holder.
Treated as a resident and allowed to "repatriate", despite coming from a high risk area.
14 day quarantine on island.

[Bob T]

Hi there everyone. We are scheduled to travel to Bonaire in March of 2021. Someone on the site mentioned that Bonaire will not be open with out 2 week quarantine only after a vaccine has been developed. Does any one know if this is the government's directive or hearsay/speculation?

[susan]

Hi there everyone. We are scheduled to travel to Bonaire in March of 2021. Someone on the site mentioned that Bonaire will not be open with out 2 week quarantine only after a vaccine has been developed. Does any one know if this is the government's directive or hearsay/speculation?

hearsay/speculation.

[smits]

Hi there everyone. We are scheduled to travel to Bonaire in March of 2021. Someone on the site mentioned that Bonaire will not be open with out 2 week quarantine only after a vaccine has been developed. Does any one know if this is the government's directive or hearsay/speculation?

At this moment its hearsay / speculation.
On the other hand: it would be in line with the present rules if you originate from a high risk country.