Island Living: 16 Reasons to Go to Bonaire

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My first trip to Bonaire was in 2010. I was there to cover a big diving event, and as such, many of the activities over the course of eight days revolved around that. I got my advanced diving certification at Captain Don’s Habitat, but beyond that, didn’t log a whole lot of time under the sea. This trip could not have been more different. I unearthed so many reasons to go to Bonaire, besides the obvious.

The Best of Bonaire

On this occasion, I was armed with three of my traveling gal pals—and a whole lot of opportunity to dive.

After arriving on a Sunday night, we were up and at ’em early Monday morning for seven dives over the course of five days (not to mention a couple snorkeling adventures and other water activities). That’s a lot of time in the ocean! I couldn’t have been more thrilled with this turn of events.

The Best of Bonaire

And while I have a lot of Bonaire coverage to come—I’m still in Aruba as I write this post and have yet to cull the thousands, literally, of photos I’ve taken in the past 10 days—I thought I’d give you a highlights reel of why this laid-back Caribbean isle is one of my favorites.

Here are a few reasons to go to Bonaire

1) It’s small enough to explore the whole thing. At just 112 square miles, Bonaire can be circumnavigated in two hours or less. I love a destination where I spend little, if any, time in a vehicle.

The Best of Bonaire

2) If you don’t want to rent a car to drive the loop, you can book your own TWIZY car. We ended our time in Bonaire zipping around the island in these little electric-powered vehicles with Roadrunner Bonaire. Best way to see the island, hands down.

The Best of Bonaire

3) It boasts the best diving in the Caribbean. It’s also often ranked among the top 10 dive destinations in the world.

The Best of Bonaire

4) The island is authentic as they come. With no big American chains, save a lone KFC, it feels quintessential Carib. There are seven “chain hotels” on the island, but even those aren’t chains in the sense we’re used to; they’re Divi Flamingo, Captain Don’s, Buddy Dive, Harbour Village and a few other dive resorts.

5) IT ALSO HAS FLAMINGOS. And even an airport named for those gawky pink creatures. ‘Nuff said.

The Best of Bonaire

6) Oh, and don’t forget the donkeys! There’s a donkey sanctuary on island that’s a little bit of a controversial topic, but you can also see donkeys on the side of the road everywhere you go.

7) It’s full of Dutch people. Which means good-looking Dutch men and delicious Dutch treats. Not complaining.

8) The food is the best I’ve had anywhere in the Caribbean. Want a barracuda steak? Book a table at At Sea. Longing for fine dining with oceanfront views? Try Ingridients (note: not a typo). For the best meal on the island, look no further than Capriccio. This burgeoning foodie scene was definitely the biggest change I noticed from my visit five years ago.

The Best of Bonaire

9) It’s still affordable. You may pay a little more for food—as in, what you’d pay for a good restaurant in a big city like San Francisco—but there are plenty of more affordable lodging opportunities like Sorobon Beach Resort that add up to making this a low(er) cost vacation.

The Best of Bonaire

10) It’s a desert island, so the climate is dry and mild all year long. I can’t believe how nice it is during the day and how the evenings unveil the most perfect temperature known to man. I want to bottle up that weather and take it home with me.

11) Speaking of things I want to carry back, have you ever seen water so blue? #NoFilter needed.

The Best of Bonaire

12) Cactus liqueur. Yes, you read that right: In Bonaire, the Cadushy distillery serves up the strong stuff made out of a cactus, as well as other liqueurs. It tastes a bit like the juice at the bottom of your Otter Pop once it melts (i.e. it’s delicious!).

13) There’s a serious commitment to sustainability. From the protection of the national marine park to the implementation of reusable cups and other items all over the island, the locals definitely care about the environment, which is so refreshing compared to other Caribbean islands I’ve visited.

14) You can essentially dive wherever you like. The island has 102 marked dive sites, the majority of which are accessible via the shore. All you have to do is rent a truck (many of the dive resorts include this option in a stay), load up your tanks and gears, and find a place to pull up and dive. The whole “freedom of diving” claim really is true on Bonaire (assuming you’re certified as an open water and/or advanced diver, of course).

The Best of Bonaire

15) Even if you don’t dive, the snorkeling is fun, too. On our off day from diving, we did a three-hour sail and snorkel tour with Compass Bonaire. The shallow waters were pristine and are always better for taking photos in natural light. Once we were done spying on the fish in the water, we got back on the boat and the captain had a BBQ dinner waiting for us. How’s that for service?

The Best of Bonaire

16) Water sports are plentiful. Diving aside, windsurfing at Jibe City and kitesurfing at Kite City are two big reasons that people visit Bonaire.

The Best of Bonaire

All in all, Bonaire is one of those places I could visit each year and never grow tired of. There seem to be new restaurants opening on the regular, one dive site is never going to be the same from one day to the next, and the weather and water are just so perfect, I could spend all day luxuriating by the beach and not grow bored. Who’s in for a Bonaire trip next year? I’ll start the planning process now.

The Best of Bonaire

For more Bonaire travel tips, start here:


 

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Reasons to Visit Bonaire

COMMENTS
  • August 3, 2015

    What a bunch of blonde buoyant Bonaire babes! (This alliteration thing is going well for me, I think….)

  • August 3, 2015

    Y’all take the best photos. I’m currently drooling over my keyboard.

  • August 4, 2015

    I really need to get into diving. It is something I have always wanted to do but never really had the opportunity to do. This post is making me regret not booking a trip to Cairns to do my diving accreditation on the Great Barrier Reef last summer. I think I’ll definitely need to plan it into my next trip!

  • August 4, 2015

    Amazing pictures! Have heard nothing but great things about this glorious island and can’t wait to visit for myself. I’m in for 2016 🙂

  • August 4, 2015

    Aaahhhhh…..you forgot all about us 😉

    • August 4, 2015

      Don’t be silly! I’ve got an entire post scheduled to dedicate to VIP Diving…definitely merits much more than a bullet point. All of us agreed that do was our very favorite part of the trip! 🙂

  • August 5, 2015
    Flaminga

    Great post, but omg I love that flamingo dress. Where’d you get it?

    • September 30, 2015

      That dress was Alex’s and sadly she got it in Athens at a boutique. I want one, too!

  • August 5, 2015

    Hi!
    Very nice post!! Next time you come let us know please!! We will plan plenty of activities for you to discover even more about Bonaire! 😉

    • September 30, 2015

      It’s a deal! I’ve now come to your lovely island twice for a week each and am already ready to come back =)

  • August 6, 2015

    Oh my gosh, how gorgeous are the pictures? The underwater shots are especially stunning and how cool is it that you’re certified? You go, girl! Such a great blog, can’t wait to read about the rest of your travels! xo

  • August 7, 2015

    you had me at cactus liquor. Or maybe at ‘affordable accommodation’ which is so hard to find in the Caribbean. Amazing!

  • August 10, 2015

    I enjoy reading your perspective.

  • August 13, 2015

    Don’t forget to make a beautiful Mangrove Kayak Tour with us 😉

  • November 2, 2017
    Rebecca

    I’ve been there last year. Absolutely amazing! I believe that any diver should visit Bonaire. It’s worth it. I have a couple of dives logged into my logbook from https://dive.site website and I can’t wait to go diving again.

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