Introduction
Bonaire is the second-largest island in the Dutch Antilles and is located 80km (50 miles) north of Venezuela and 48km (30 miles) east of Curacao. The landscape is flat and rocky but the island has beautiful beaches and safe waters. Bonaire is a place of rest and privacy, ideal for those who want to enjoy a beautiful coastline and the full range of watersports facilities without sophisticated restaurants and nightspots.
The Marine Park is centred on a spectacular coral reef, maintained and protected throughout the year by marine experts. The salt flats change colour according to fluctuations in the resident algae population and the beautiful lagoon of Goto Meer is a haven for flocks of flamingos.
In the capital, Kralendijk, among the sites worth visiting are the lively and interesting fruit and vegetable market and Fort Oranje on the waterfront. Restaurants serve Creole cooking, particularly seafood dishes, including pickled conch shell meat, grilled spicy fish and lobster. Nightlife centres mainly around hotels and restaurants. Entertainment includes dancing or listening to reggae or calypso bands.
Facts for Travellers
Full country name: Bonaire
Area: 285 sq km
Population: 13,000
Capital City: Kralendijk
People: African descent (95%), Carib Indian, European
Language: Dutch, Papiamento, English, Spanish; Castilian
Religion: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish
Government: autonomous state within the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Time Zone: GMT/UTC -4 (Atlantic Standard Time)
Dialling Code: 5997
Electricity: 110-130V ,50Hz
Currency: Netherlands Antilles Guilder
Vacation Deals
We constantly update vacation deals and flights + hotel packages for Bonaire and the Caribbean. You can also check out some of the
best hotels and resorts in Bonaire with exciting attractions like golf, casino, scuba diving and other water sports.
Popular hotels & resorts in Bonaire are
Divi Flamingo Beach Resort
and Harbour Village Beach Club.
Passport & Visas
US and Canadian citizens need a passport and return or onward tickets. Others must bring visa, passport and return or onward tickets. The maximum stay is 14 days, with the option to extend your visit up to 90 days. Contact Bonaire's embassy for the latest information.
Getting There & Around
The Netherlands has good access to Bonaire. ALM and KLM both fly from Amsterdam several times a week. From the US, American Airlines has flights between New York and Aruba, where you can get a connecting Air Aruba flight to Bonaire. Air Aruba and ALM have connecting flights from Newark, Atlanta and Miami. From South America you can fly directly from Caracas. Within the region, ALM flies from Curacao, Aruba, Jamaica and St Maarten.
Renting a car is the best option since Bonaire has no public bus service. There are plenty of car rental agencies. Drivers licenses from the US, Canada and Europe are valid but you must be 21. Drive on the right. Unmetered taxis with fixed rates are plentiful and provide a good alternative for getting around, especially if you want a guided tour of the island. Bicycles can be rented in Kralendijk. Bonaire's Flamingo Airport is 5km (3mi) south of the capital; taxis are available for the short trip into town.
When to Go
The average daily high stays around 27°C (81°F) all year, and humidity is tolerable, so the best time to go is the low season of May to mid-December when rates come down. Bonaire is out of the hurricane belt so you don't have to figure the big blow into your schedule.
Bonaire's biggest party is Carnival, which features music, dancing and celebrations of the harvest from late February to early March. You can 'jump-up' on National Day, when most of the action happens in Rincon. The week-long October International Sailing Regatta brings a fleet of racers to the bay off Kralendijk.
Best Beaches
Playa Chikitu - lying in Washington National Park, Playa Chikutu is beautiful, but, alas, swimming is forbidden due to the enormous waves.
Boka Kokolishi - also situated on the North Coast, Boka Kokolishi is not suited for swimming, but it is a beautiful place to hike along the rugged shoreline.
Playa Funchi - lying on the Westernmost tip of the island, Playa Fuchi is definitely worth visiting when you want to see iguana's and lizards that roam around freely.
Boka Slagbaai - a beautiful beach, rocky with little sand where you can find spots to lay down your towel.
Boka Bartol - this shore dive is the northernmost site in the Marine Park. Advanced divers may encounter strong currents.
Best Scuba Diving & Snorkeling
You dive in Bonaire. There are 40 top sites on the leeward coast alone, many within a few meters of shore. There are hawksbill turtles, peacock flounders, stingrays and seahorses off Pink Beach on the southwestern coast. There are good spots a bit farther north at the Salt Pier, where angelfish slalom among the coral-encrusted pilings. The wreck of the Hilma Hooker lies in 30m (100ft) of water near the Salt Pier. The ship's cargo of marijuana bales was its ticket to the deep - customs officers confiscated the load and sank the boat. Snorkelers can find dozens of good spots, including groves of elkhorn and staghorn coral just off Klein Bonaire, and the shallow waters of Boca Slagbaai, in Washington-Slagbaai National Park.
Attractions
Constant trade winds make Bonaire a super sailing destination; anchoring is prohibited within the Marine Park but there are marinas around the island, one right by Kralendijk. There's decent windsurfing and kayaking at Lac Bay and Sorobon Beach on Bonaire's pin-drop quiet southeastern coast, though folk heading this way are likely to be off to drop their jocks at Sorobon's naturist resort.
Birders flock to Bonaire and not just for the tens of thousands of flamingoes who call the island home. There are dozens of native species and many more who pass by while migrating to South America.
The island's nearly 300km (186mi) of roads and trails make mountain biking a good way to see the country.
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