Bonaire is a small island located in the Southern Caribbean. It is known for its pioneering role in the preservation of the marine environment, and for its excellent scuba diving, snorkeling, windsurfing and kitesurfing. Bonaire boasts a fringing reef that surrounds the entire island. The shallow terraces are a true paradise for snorkelers and divers alike. Bonaire has long been top scorer in the reader survey of Scuba Diving Magazine, an American diving magazine.
For decades their readers have designated Bonaire as the #1 shore diving destination for the region. The island garners more accolades each year, such as Best Destination Overall and #1 for Marine and Macro Life.
Kralendijk. We extremely enjoyed nature, above and below the water surface. Also thanks to you we had a nice snorkeling trip and we could give a lot of fish their names. You should do this more often with your guests! We will surely recommend BON to our relatives/ friends. Arjan and Marieke
Bonaire has a tropical arid climate, which means a lot of sunshine, easterly trade winds that almost never stop, air temperatures that average between 26ºC / 79ºF and 31ºC / 88ºF. The seawater temperature averages between 25ºC / 77ºF and 28ºC / 82ºF.
The local currency is American dollars. ATM machines take care of your cash needs. You will find quite a few of them, even at the airport.
The best way to get around is to rent a car. We can arrange it for you. It’s easy to drive on Bonaire, there are no traffic lights, the maximum speed is 40 kilometers (25 Mph) in the residential areas and 60 kilometers (37 Mph) outside. Mind you: donkeys and goats always have the right of way, and bicycles, well, give way to them too.
Famous for its marine life, Bonaire also boosts a couple of national parks. The Washington Slagbaai National Park covers 1/3 of the island, the mangroves on the east side are a very important eco system for Bonaire, uninhabited Klein Bonaire also is a national park. At least 180 species of birds can be watched on Bonaire. The pristine caves with their spectacular stalagmites and stalactites are home for a healthy bat population. The small island boosts 5 RAMSAR areas.
"Tomorrow morning we leave for another two days at Curacao.
Michel and I have been fine on Bonaire, and especially on such a beautiful location!
Specifically in the mornings when the "warbler and creepers" came to life in our garden.
The sightseeing flight was an awesome experience for us, really great."
Michel and Ineke
HIKING
The Brandaris
A blog with colored facts about Bonaire cannot exist without an episode on hiking. Now my blog is about my personal experiences on Bonaire, and I must confess I am not much of a hiker. Why walk? Humanity did not invent motorized transportation to not use it. I do want to compromise and walk to my car or even stroll in my tropical garden every once in a while, but to go hiking… Read more
CAVING
Bonaire Jeep Safari
Only part of Bonaire is residential area, most of it is what we call Mondi (unused land) or Kunuku (small farm lands). The roads in the mondi are dirt roads, only accessible with a sturdy truck or jeep. When you drive the dirt roads you are completely away from civilization. It is like being on a safari trip, where you never know what you will encounter. Read more
FLYING
Bonaire from the air
When I started this blog, I already confessed that I am a sucker for scenic views. I love being on an elevated point with a breathtaking view below my feet. What I did not tell you yet: there is nothing like the scenic view from a small airplane flying at an altitude of 1000 feet/ 300 meters! Read more