The island of Bonaire is a special municipality of the Netherlands. Together with the windward islands of Saba and Sint Eustatius, Bonaire forms the Caribbean Netherlands. Bonaire is the easternmost of the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao). In terms of size, it lies between the two neighboring islands, but with only about fifteen thousand inhabitants, Bonaire is the least populated island. Nature has plenty of space here, resulting in a quiet island where people mainly come for the relaxed atmosphere, the beautiful nature and of course for diving. Of all the dive sites in the world, the coral reefs and shipwrecks around Bonaire have been among the most popular among divers and snorkelers for many years. Check topmbadirectory for how to get to Bonaire.
What not everyone knows is that Bonaire has a number of pleasant white beaches. Some consist of fine white sand, such as Sorobon Beach. Many beaches consist of white coral, such as Pink Beach and 1000 Steps Beach.
Bonaire ‘s Top 10 Things to Do
#1. Underwater
world The most beautiful thing Bonaire has to offer is the underwater world. Bonaire is one of the best snorkeling and diving destinations in the world. You will find coral along almost the entire west coast of Bonaire, which grows very close to land in most places. This means you hardly have to make any effort to see fish and other marine life with your own eyes. There is a great diversity of sea creatures to discover, including special animals such as moray eels, barracudas, seahorses, rays and sea turtles.
#2. Washington Slagbaai National Park
This nature reserve is spread over some 5643 hectares of land in the northwest of Bonaire. There are many educational as well as recreational activities. Think of a tour by mountain bike or car, hiking, kayaking, diving, snorkeling and bird watching. There are many rock formations with different types of appearance. There are also chalk ridges and cooled lava flows. The flora and fauna in this park are special with some unique species.
#3. Saliñas
Saliñas are salt lakes. The large Saliñas can be found in the north of Bonaire in the Washington Slagbaai National Park. Because only water can flow into the lake and not out of it, it is called a salt lake. There are also salt pans, which can be found in the south of Bonaire. Salt pans are referred to as an artificial lake. Bonaire is very important as a salt supplier with Curaçao.
#4. Slave houses
The economy of Bonaire used to revolve mainly on salt production. Today it hardly requires any manpower, but it was different in the days of slavery. Then it was slaves who did the hard work on the salt pans. Their home was in Rincon, but when they were working on the salt pans they slept in small houses built between the salt pans and the sea. The houses were built around 1850 and have only been used for 13 years. Now they form historical heritage that is free to visit.
#5. Rincon
The village of Rincon is centrally located on the island of Bonaire. This place used to be the capital of Bonaire. Rincon is a lot more authentic than the contemporary capital Kralendijk. You can visit two different churches in Rincon, drink the local cactus liqueur at Cadushy or enjoy authentic cuisine at Posada Para Mira. Here you can try goat stew and iguana soup.
#6. Lac
This 8 km² shallow lagoon is of great importance for sea turtles, carkos and other animals that live here. Seagrass grows on the bottom and it has a coral dam separating the lagoon from the Caribbean Sea. The beaches of Lac Bay all have their own character. Where mainly hip young people are located on Sorobon Beach, it is mainly the local people who enjoy Cai. Some areas of this area are screened off from the public, so that animals can rest.
#7. Klein Bonaire
Klein Bonaire is an island off the coast of Bonaire, which is approximately 6 km² in size. It is mainly flat and has a number of cacti species and some small shrubs. The island is now a protected area and part of the Bonaire National Marine Park. You can regularly book snorkeling or diving tours to this small island, which is known for its seahorses and sea turtles.
#8. Gotomeer
Together with Slagbaai, the Pekelmeer and the Saliñas, the Gotomeer belongs to wetlands of international importance. They are of great importance as habitats for waterfowl, among other things. This is also known as ‘Ramsar areas’. You can see many flamingos at the Gotomeer in Bonaire. Although the young are gray at birth, the adults are typically pink in color due to their diet of marine animals and snails. The eastern part of the Gotomeer is free to enter. The other part is in Washington / Slagbaai National Park.
#9. Bonaire Museum
This only official museum of Bonaire in Kralendijk houses the (cultural) history of the island. There is also a 760-year-old skeleton and prehistoric artifacts. The building in which this museum is located dates from 1885 and has the typical local style of country houses on Bonaire.
#10. Donkey’s Sanctuary
The donkey sanctuary ‘Donkey’s Sanctuary’ is located on a 120,000 m² area south of Flamingo Airport. Here sick and/or neglected donkeys are lovingly cared for by a number of volunteers. By buying a bag of donkey food you support the donkeys and you make friends very quickly. It is possible to go through this park by car, but there is also a part where you can walk among the donkeys. There is also a garden where iguanas and turtles can be admired. You can bring old bread or carrots to feed the donkeys. You can also buy bags of carrots at the reception of the donkey shelter.
