Bonaire: Caribbean Adventure By Sea, Land & Sail

• Shore dive the National Marine Park: Have you ever dreamed of truly unlimited diving? Bonaire boasts nearly 60 officially marked dive sites accessible directly from the shore 24/7, 365 days a year. Simply gear up, plan your dive, and slowly wade into the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean Sea, with visibility ranging from 60–100 feet. A short swim offshore brings you to vibrant reefs and wrecks, with rivers of colorful fish, gracefully coasting sea turtles and rays, and elusive sea horses.

Insider Tip: When checking in with your dive operation to pick up tanks, ask them for tips about where to view elusive but highly-sought-after wildlife, such as sea horses and frogfish.

• Boat diving Bonaire’s rugged coasts and Klein Bonaire: For those divers who prefer the ease of guided dives from comfortable boats or want to explore harder-to-reach and quieter dive sites, Bonaire is not to be missed. Many dive operations run daily boat trips along the northwestern coast to popular sites that may be impossible to access by land or difficult to access for divers with physical limitations, such as 1000 Steps, Kali’s Reef, and Karpata. Klein Bonaire, Dutch for “Little Bonaire,” a small, inhabited islet located less than one mile off Bonaire’s west coast, offers over 20 pristine dive sites accessible only by boat, ensuring quieter dive sites and surface intervals with stunning views.

Insider tip: Keep an eye out for dolphins while on the dive boats. The captains will often slow down or stop to allow divers to view the dolphins and take photos.

• Guided night and specialty diving: As the sun sets over Bonaire’s quiet west coast, the reef undergoes a complete transformation, offering divers a front-row seat to some of nature’s most captivating lifeforms. Several dive operations on Bonaire offer specialty guided dives for a seamless, safe, and remarkable experience in the island’s moonlit reefs. One of the most famous specialty dives can only be experienced once a month, in a narrow window following the Full Moon, when tiny, bioluminescent ostracods, typically invisible to the naked eye, light up Bonaire’s reefs in a brilliant display of blue and green fireworks and shooting stars.

Insider tip: Hiring a professional dive guide is a great way to enhance your dive experience, as they can manage site selection, dive planning, and safety and emergency response.

• World-class snorkeling. You don’t have to be a certified scuba diver to enjoy all that Bonaire’s pristine reefs have to offer. Snorkeling in Bonaire is like stepping into a natural aquarium. With crystal-clear waters, calm conditions, and vibrant coral reefs just steps from shore, it’s one of the easiest and most rewarding snorkeling destinations in the Caribbean.

Insider tip: Pay your STINAPA Nature Fee as soon as you arrive on the island, as it is required by all visitors entering the sea in Bonaire and visitors to Washington Slagbaai National Park.

• Kiteboard at Atlantis Beach: You will see the colorful kites flying near the shore at Atlantis Beach long before you arrive at the beach itself. The island’s consistent trade winds and flat, calm waters combine to create the perfect conditions for kiteboarding. Atlantis Beach is the island’s only approved shore access for kiteboarding and hosts the local kiteboarding schools, launching and landing areas, and rescue boats for emergency response.

Insider tip: Atlantis Beach offers stunning sunset vistas over the Caribbean Sea. Spend an hour taking in the changing colors of the sky while kiteboarders sail past.

• Windsurf at Lac Bay. Lac Bay on Bonaire’s east coast is popular among windsurfers for a reason: the near-constant trade winds and protected waters of the bay come together to create the perfect conditions for windsurfing year-round. The inner bay’s calm and shallow waters offer the ideal conditions for beginners, who can take advantage of local operators who offer expert instruction in the sport. More advanced sailors can venture into the bay, where adventure really begins as the wind and swell pick up.

Insider tip: Plan ahead! It may be difficult to secure a lesson after arriving on the island during the busy winter sailing season.

• Stray from the beaten path in Washington Slagbaai National Park. Established in 1969, Washington Slagbaai National Park preserves nearly 21 square miles of Bonaire’s rugged northwestern region. The park offers visitors a small selection of hiking trails at varying levels of difficulty. There are two routes through the park, a long and short route, that take visitors by key points of natural, historical, and cultural significance.

Insider tip: Look up trail access times ahead of time, as access to certain trails may be limited during certain hours for visitor safety.

• Discover the mangroves. Grab a paddle or your mask and snorkel and take a journey through Bonaire’s mangrove forests. The crystal clear waters of Lac Bay make it easy to observe the diversity of life teeming within the trees’ elaborate submerged roots. Kayak excursions offer an opportunity to get up close to Lac Bay’s array of marine and avian species as a guide interprets the natural wonders of the mangrove forest.

Insider tip: Pack a reef-safe sunscreen and protective clothing for kayak excursions. While Bonaire’s continuous trade winds cut the heat, the Caribbean sun shines intensely year-round.

• Uncover a bird watchers’ paradise: While thousands of bright pink Caribbean flamingos—the symbol of Bonaire—delight visitors year-round, the island remains a hidden gem for bird viewing and photography. Colorful parrots and Venezuelan troupials fly overhead, while striking hummingbirds flit between flowering bushes and trees. The prime season for bird watching in Bonaire is September through April, when many migratory birds travel to the island for the winter.

Insider tip: Head to Washington Slagbaai National Park in the morning hours for the best opportunity to view iconic species, such as the critically endangered yellow-shouldered parrot.

• Brass Boer Bonaire: Located within Delfins Beach Resort, Brass Boer offers sophisticated oceanfront fine dining with menus focusing on local ingredients and flavors inspired by the sea.

• Restaurant Wanapa: Located within Hotel Wanapa, this restaurant offers French- and Italian-inspired cuisine in a fine dining atmosphere. Guests can choose from an à la carte menu or one of the chef’s multi-course tasting menus.

• CHEFS Bonaire: Located in northern Kralendijk, CHEFS Bonaire offers guests a unique culinary experience served in an intimate social environment, bringing guests and chefs together in a celebration of food, dining, and service.

• It Rains Fishes: Located in downtown Kralendijk, It Rains Fishes offers a variety of fresh seafood dishes and carefully selected wines in a beautiful oceanfront setting.

• Artisan Bakery Bonaire: Located in downtown Kralendijk, Artisan Bakery Bonaire offers beautifully crafted sourdough breads and plant-based pastries, alongside specialty espresso drinks. Their pistachio croissant were the perfect morning treat.

• Ons Broodje Bonaire: Located in downtown Kralendijk, Ons Broodje Bonaire offers classic breakfast staples and high-quality Dutch-style sandwiches.

• King Kong Bonaire: Located at Bachelor Beach, King King Bonaire is the perfect lunch spot for the hungry adventure. This food truck offers a variety of burgers and hot dogs with a stunning view of the Caribbean Sea.

• Cactus Blue Food Truck: Located at Donkey Beach, Cactus Blue food truck serves up a variety of beef and chicken burgers and wraps, but their specialty is their lion fish burger. Like many of the island’s food trucks, Cactus Blue is only open for lunch hours.