Bonaire - island in the Caribbean, part of the Netherlands

Bonaire is a Caribbean island just north of Venezuela, politically part of the Netherlands. Along with its neighboring Dutch islands of Aruba and Curaçao, it forms the ABC Islands, though it is much quieter. It is a mostly flat, riverless coral island renowned for diving, windsurfing, and bird watching (particularly flamingos). Lacking many sandy beaches – it instead has lush coral reefs – it is less visited by cruise ships. Bonaire has world-class shore diving, much of it easy, and is thus well-suited for beginners, or for experienced divers who want relaxing independent diving.

Understand

Geographically, Bonaire is part of the Netherlands Antilles, which is comprised of the ABC Islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao. These islands in turn are part of the Leeward Antilles, which also contains numerous islands that are part of Venezuela.

Politically however, Bonaire is part of the Caribbean Netherlands, with Sint Eustatius and Saba, and is a "special municipality" fully integrated in the Netherlands proper but does not have the same laws.

Bonaire uses the US dollar as its currency.

Climate

The climate is tropical marine with little seasonal temperature variation. Temperature is moderated by constant trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean, with averages of 28°C (82°F). Bonaire sits outside the Caribbean hurricane belt. "Rainy" season lasts from the last week of October to the end of January, but it is still relatively dry. During rainy season, late night and early morning rains are common, usually clearing shortly after sunrise.

Water temperatures average 26°C (80°F).

Terrain

The total land area of the island is . The southern portion of the island is flat with few hills, sparse vegetation and negligible natural resources other than white coral beaches and salt. The northern part of the island is a rugged and arid national park. The southern tip of the island is a series of giant water-filled salt pans for sea salt production and an off-limits flamingo sanctuary.

Talk

The official languages are Dutch and Papiamento, the latter of which is the traditional language spoken by the locals. Many locals also speak Spanish, and employees at hotels, dive shops and restaurants will almost always also speak English.

Get in

Entry requirements

Countries eligible for a visa-free entry are shown in cyan on image to the right.

Other countries required obtaining a visa, which is valid for Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten and the Caribbean Netherlands and allows multiple entry for a maximum period of 90 days within 180 days. The maximum uninterrupted stay in one of the individual countries is 30 days. The visa is not valid for the European part of the Netherlands.

All non-residents are required to pay a $75 visitor tax upon arrival. This can be paid in advance at https://tourismtax.bonairegov.com/.

By plane

Flamingo International Airport (IATA: BON), 12.131111°, -68.268611°. The only international airport. There are a few direct flights from major hubs, and many connecting via the regional hub of Curaçao.

Airlines Serving Bonaire (dead link: January 2023) and their flights include:

• KLM offers five weekly flights from Amsterdam to Bonaire (sometimes via Aruba).
• United Airlines operates weekly non-stop flights from Newark (EWR) on Saturday morning (Saturday afternoon return), and from Houston (IAH) on Saturday afternoon (Sunday morning return).
• Delta Air Lines offers weekly flights from Atlanta (ATL) on Saturday mornings (Saturday afternoon return), and sometimes Sunday mornings (Sunday afternoon returns).

Small regional airlines connect Bonaire with the neighboring islands: Divi Divi Air and TUIfly.

Charter airlines include Tiara Air (dead link: January 2023).

Departure Fee for all international destinations is USD $33.40 per person, payable in cash, or debit/credit card at the airport prior to check-in. MasterCard, Visa, Discover, Maestro, are all accepted, but American Express is not.

By boat

There are no passenger ferries operating to or from Curaçao or Venezuela. Cruise ships do increasingly visit Bonaire, especially "in season" (winter). Some shops and restaurants may remain open extra hours to cater to their passengers.

You can also use different Bonaire Water Taxis including and the Seacow Watertaxi.

Private boat moorage is available. Dive operators operate boats to many dive sites including those located off the small uninhabited island of Klein Bonaire. Some boat operators also specialize in snorkel tours and there are regularly scheduled passenger boats to Klein Bonaire. Some include the Woodwind, Oscarina, Bowalie and more.

Get around

By car

Driving is on the right, and the island does not have any stoplights. Maximum speed in urban areas is 40 km/h (25 mph), and outside of town it is 60 km/h (35 mph).

Automobiles can be shipped to Bonaire and rental cars are available at the airport and at selected hotels. Reservations are strongly suggested as, especially during peak times, all vehicles may be rented. You can drive around the entire island in a couple of hours!

By bus

There is an informal bus system on the island that utilizes vans. There are a small number of medium sized tour buses on the island as well.

By taxi

The island has a small fleet of cabs to service cruise ships and the airport. Rates are not set and should be negotiated beforehand.

By bicycle

Bicycle rentals are available.

By other

Scooters, motorcycles, golf carts, are also available for rent.

See

• Lizards, birds, corals, reef fish, sea turtles
• Historic Slave Shelters
• Fort Orange built 1639
• Indian Rock art
• Salt flats
• Mangrove forests
• Soroban beach, popular with windsurfers
• Washington Slagbaai National Park, Near Rincon (a car tour takes about 2 hours), 12.272°, -68.383°. a large nature park covering most of the north of the island, featuring dramatic scenery. The 34 km of roads in the park are rough: you will need an offroad vehicle or mountain bike (challenging ride). There are also 3 hikes, ranging from 45 minutes to 2 hours; trying to walk the entire park is not recommended, and not very pleasant.There is also swimming, snorkeling, and shore diving; the dive sites are generally quiet, due to remoteness. The park gets hot and dry, so go early, don't go alone, protect yourself from the sun, and bring plenty of water. As of 2023, the admission fee is $40, good for one year. However, this "nature fee" covers both the land (terrestrial) park and the marine park, so if you've already paid the diving fee, admission to the park is free; both parks are administered by the same agency, STINAPA. To get this benefit, you must bring both the admission ticket (given to you when you pay the diving fee) and picture id. Since the ticket is good for one year, the park doesn't want you using someone else's ticket (not for resale and non-transferable). This policy is generally enforced, so remember your picture id! 2023-03-04

Do

Scuba diving

Bonaire is renowned among divers as one of the top shore-diving locations in the world. The reef along the western side of the island has been protected for years and is in excellent condition, offering visitors the opportunity to literally wade in from the beach in front of their hotel and experience an amazing underwater world. The eastern side of the island is exposed to the Atlantic Ocean and is significantly rougher, so diving opportunities are limited to guided dives on all but the calmest days.

Dive sites are located along the entire western coast, generally marked by a painted yellow rock and/or a mooring in the water. Dive shops are everywhere and will rent gear, and most have drive-thru tank rentals where you can pick up tanks for the day and return used tanks. The reef is fairly shallow, with depths from 10 meters to 40 meters (30 feet - 130 feet).

Before diving all divers must review the national marine park rules and pay a $40 per person fee (as of 2023), good for one year. This fee also applies to snorkelers, kite surfers, and anyone that uses the national marine park. The fee can be paid in cash at any dive shop, and you will be issued a dive tag that you must carry with you while diving. It can also be paid online at https://stinapa.bonairenaturefee.org/.

Equipment

Beyond usual scuba diving gear, the following rules and recommendations apply.

Marine park rules include no gloves, no chemical glow sticks, and no spear fishing (except special lionfish courses; see below). On the other hand (or foot, rather), booties are strongly recommended, due to walking on rough terrain during shore entry, and dive knives are allowed.

For most people, a 3 mm wetsuit (full) is suitable year-round; a 2 mm wetsuit or shorty is ok for more warm-blooded divers. A dive skin is recommended for snorkelers, and may also be worn under a wetsuit.

A waterproof bag or box is useful if shore diving, to keep keys and billfold (and phone, if you want to risk it), as these should not be left in the car. A few cheap zipper plastic bags should be sufficient for keys and money/cards, though not phones. A thin billfold helps to carry cash and cards, though a rubber band or binder clip is fine, and they can also be stored loose.

Activities

The main attraction is shore diving: rent a truck, fill your tanks, load up your gear, drive to a site, and start diving! Obviously this requires experience and a buddy to be done safely; you can hire a Dive Master to come along if inexperienced or for more challenging dives.

There are a number of special activities available, including:

• Coral Restoration with the Coral Restoration Foundation Bonaire (at Buddy Dive, Harbour Village Resort, and Wannadive):
  • Coral Restoration Adventure Dive
  • PADI Coral Restoration Diver Distinctive Specialty
• Lionfish Hunting, which is only allowed with a special gun, under supervision. Lionfish are an invasive species, and it is ecologically responsible to kill them (and tasty to eat them!).
  • Resorts notably include VIP Diving.

Stay safe

Always dive with a buddy and stay within your ability and training.

Do not leave any valuables in your car while diving as break-ins are common. Preferably leave valuables in the hotel safe, especially wallets and phones, and bring a minimum with you: just keys and a bit of cash, and take in a waterproof bag.

Other water activities

• Snorkeling
• Fishing
• Windsurfing
• Kiteboarding
• Sea Kayaking
• Sailing

Land activities

• Mountain biking
• Cave exploring
• Bird watching

Buy

Money

Bonaire uses the U.S. dollar, denoted by the symbol "$" (ISO currency code: USD). It is divided into 100 cents.

Eat

Bonaire has many restaurants and quite varied cuisine given the overall island population. "Aki ta Bende Kuminda Krioyo" will inform a visitor that local-style food is available, generally heavy on soups, stews, fried foods and fish. Traditional foods that may be found on the menu include conch, cacti, wahoo and rock lobster. Much of the fish is caught locally by line fishermen in season. Though traditionally eaten, iguana is not generally served in restaurants.

Bonaire has little in fast food, though there is the "smallest KFC franchise outlet in the world" in a shopping plaza by Kralendijk and a Subway sub shop. Check out "Swiss Chalet", a local favorite serving Fondu. Bobbejan's is an extremely popular weekend-only barbeque joint. Other cuisines common on the islands are Argentine, Italian, Indonesian, Suriname, and lots and lots of Chinese. Island-made ice cream is available in many places, with Lovers Ice Cream being a local favorite. Arrive before noon, as they often sell out.

Almost all eateries are open for limited hours during the day, and many close briefly during siesta time between 2-3PM. Call or check ahead to determine if a restaurant is open for lunch, dinner, both, or only open on weekends. Some are closed certain days of the week, such as Sunday.

• Between 2 Buns, Blv. Gobernador N. Debrot 79, Kralendijk, 12.16813°, -68.28597°, +599 795 4709, between2buns@hotmail.com. Freshly made breakfast, pastries, burgers and other kinds of sandwiches. Vegetarian and vegan options available. 2018-07-10

Sleep

Despite the small size of the island, Bonaire has a lot of possibilities when looking for places to stay, from large resorts to small privately owned houses which you can rent on a daily basis. Along the coast you have multiple places that combine a dive school with cabañas where you can sleep for a moderate price. Most of the accommodations on the island are relatively small, averaging 15 rooms or less.

Several mid-size apartment complex devoted to tourists exist. These tend to be a bit more upscale than the smaller accommodations. There are several larger, more resort like places as well. These are still somewhat small, with only the Plaza Resort Bonaire and Captain Don's Habitat having over 100 rooms.

Due to flights from the US often being scheduled on Saturdays, some resorts have a weekly schedule, with an end-of-week party Friday night, such as the BBQ at Buddy Dive Resort.

• Beaches Ocean View Apartments, EEG Boulevard 5, 12.12731°, -68.28583°, +599 795 3815, info@beaches-bonaire.com. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 11:00. Four studio apartments that can accommodate 2 persons each. The apartments have comfortable box spring beds, an equipped kitchenette, a bathroom with rain shower and a private porch. $110-125 2017-01-26
• Buddy Dive Resort, Kaya Gob Nicolas Debrot #85, 12.1709°, -68.2897°, +599 717 5080, info@buddydive.com. This resort is among the most popular with scuba divers, putting everything a diver will need right outside their door. There is a "drive thru" tank refill station, several resort dive boats, car & gear rentals, and numerous lodging packages available that include dive options. Scuba diving off of the resort's pier is easy and rewarding. In-between dives there are two pools and two restaurant/bars: Blennies Restaurant is more casual, while Ingridients Restaurant offers upscale dining. $175 2016-01-28
• Divi Flamingo Beach Resort & Casino, J.A. Abraham Blvd 40, Kralendijk (Exit the airport and turn right onto the main island road. At the first intersection, turn left, then take a sharp right turn at the end of the road. Continue until you see resort entrance on your left.), 12.1436°, -68.2758°, +599 717-8285, reservations@diviflamingo.com. Intimate and informal, with 129 rooms and studios, all air-conditioned, with a private patio or balcony, two swimming pools, on-site casino and its own natural beach. On-site PADI five-star dive center with custom dive boats, gear storage, a fully equipped dive shop. The capital town of Kralendijk is a 5-minute walk away. US $130-300
• Eden Beach Resort, Bulevar Gob. N. Debrot # 73, 12.1647°, -68.2862°, +599 717-6720, info@edenbeach.com. This resort is located on one of the few sand beaches in Bonaire and has its own on-site dive operator. Other resort amenities include a spa and an onsite restaurant/bar that is open from 7AM-11PM daily (midnight on Friday & Saturday). $150 2016-01-28
• Lizard Inn, Kaya Amerika 14, 12.1596°, -68.2800°, +599 786-0277, info@lizardinnbonaire.com. Small and cozy B&B, owned by Dutch immigrants, good for the ones with a small budget. 70 usd 2016-01-28
• Plaza Resort Bonaire, J.A. Abraham Boulevard 80, Kralendijk (Less than five minutes' drive from the airport), usa@plazaresortbonaire.com. A dive resort that offers spacious air-conditioned villas and suites with views of the lagoon, marina, or ocean. On-site PADI dive center available including snorkeling and windsurfing. US $190-300
• Summer Dreams Ocean Club, EEG Blvd (First hotel south of the airport), 12.1299°, -68.2850°, +599 782 2048, info@summerdreams.nl. This smaller resort is a nice, upscale alternative to the big dive resorts to the north. The resort offers about a dozen rooms, right on the water, and a tiny beach with easy access for diving or snorkeling. Rooms are relatively spacious and offer air-conditioning, TV, rain shower, and a small refrigerator. Outdoor amenities include a small infinity pool, deck, outdoor day-beds with ocean views, and a group of the island's iguanas that come begging during mealtimes. Visitors concerned about plane noise due to the proximity to the airport shouldn't need to worry as there are only a small number of flights each day. The restaurant is open from 8:30AM-10PM and attracts a fair number of non-guests, with excellent (if pricey) food. Lunch and dinner are fixed-price multi-course meals for $30-$50, while a simple Dutch breakfast is served in the morning for $19.50. There is also a full bar. $200 2016-01-28
• Sun Rentals Bonaire, Kaya Grandi 65, Kralendijk, info@sunrentalsbonaire.com. Sun Rentals Bonaire offers a wide range of vacation villas and apartments as well as free dive tank delivery right at your doorstep. US $99-300

Stay safe

There is little serious crime on Bonaire; however, 911 can be used for emergencies. Secure your bicycles and scooters. Never leave anything of value in your car while diving as break-ins are common.

Tap water on the island is perfectly safe for drinking, although bottled water is readily available for those who want it.

Go next

• Venezuela is only a short distance away, as are Curaçao and Aruba. For Venezuela, consult what can be frequently changing travel advisories and visa requirements, especially for U.S. citizens.