Bonaire travel guide

The southern part of Bonaire is flat, arid, very lightly populated and with a rugged coastline. But it holds many interesting sights and landmarks important to Bonaire's history that can be enjoyed by following a southern loop along the coastline (we recommend renting a scooter, the most flexible option). It shouldn't take more than an hour to circle the entire loop without stopping, but all the fun IS stopping and exploring along the way. Starting by the east leg of the loop, the road goes through thorn bushes and giant cacti territory with goats roaming everywhere. It then follows Lac Bay and some mangrove areas where flamingos can often be seen, down to the beach at Sorobon, a windsurfers favourite. The rest of the leg until the southernmost point is as barren as it gets. Then start appearing the yellow rocks pointing to dive sites on the west coast. Inland, the pans are a surprising sight, especially at sunset, with their pink lakes and bright white mounds of salt. Salt harvesting has been a major industry in Bonaire for many centuries. At first, the hard work was done by slaves, and the obelisks and huts are a grim reminder of these times. The four different-coloured obelisks along the coast used to direct the ships to the proper areas for loading salt, while the tiny huts sheltered the slaves after a long day of work (it's almost impossible to imagine they crammed six of them in such a small space). And we're back to modern times at the end of the loop when the road goes by the airport and re-enters Kralendijk.

Us humans being humans, we need to find a purpose to everything. So the millions of cacti growing on Bonaire had to be put to good use. The yatu cactus is used to make fences and the kadushy is delicious in a soup. But a few years ago, a Dutch couple decided to push things a little further by trying to make cactus-aromatised alcohol. Thus was born the Cadushy Distillery of Bonaire. The tiny distillery now makes several different liqueurs and even vodka, rum and whiskey, but the most exotic one remains the bright green cactus liqueur. When you stop by the distillery in Rincon, you are instantly welcomed with a shot of the liqueur and offered a quick tour of the distillery, including samplings of all the products that are made on site. If the ladies from the welcoming committee feel generous in their portions and if you top this with a drink at the bar, you might come out of this visit a little tipsy, especially after a long day at the nearby national park.

You know a place is a diver's paradise when you see more people in wetsuits than in bikinis. Thanks to a strong vision from the government and other enthusiasts, as early as 1979 the entire coast of Bonaire was registered as a national marine park. Boats and fishermen follow strict regulation and people have to pay a nature fee (like a park entrance fee) to enjoy anything water-related. As a result of these efforts, Bonaire's coral reefs are in better condition than most places in the Caribbean, and the island is one of the world's top spots for shore diving. Most visitors come to Bonaire to dive and the locals are ready to welcome them just for that. In fact, Bonaire has probably exhausted all the possibilities of puns and clever names for shops, schools, and hotel names with the words dive, scuba or other dive-related words. Driving along the west coast, yellow rocks can be seen on the side of the road. These rocks indicate most of the 90+ named diving sites on Bonaire and Klein Bonaire, the little sister island. Snorkelling is also amazing, as the reef usually starts mere metres from the shore.

After the celebration of the 100th anniversary of Grotte de Lourdes in France in 1958, some inspired Rinconians decided to build a replica in Rincon to honour the Virgin Mary. The perfect site was found on the outskirts of the village, just where the hills start. Legend has it that after setting the cave, the place still wasn't glorious enough for its divine purposes because a giant boulder was blocking the view. After much thought and prayer, guided by a vision of one of the devotees, the villagers put the rock on fire until it became incandescent and then poured water on it. The rock broke into pieces, leaving the view unobstructed for Our Lady's enjoyment. Whether this is true or not, we're not here to say, but we can say the view over the valley is superb, especially if you climb on top of the grotto (there's a staircase behind the alter). Behind the grotto also starts a walking trail marked by pink stones, winding its way up the hill among cacti and thorn bushes. This well kept secret makes certainly one of the most enjoyable walks in all of Bonaire.

Before the Spanish and the Dutch came to Bonaire, the island was inhabited by an the Caquetios. An important person was the Simacan, the star watcher, who was basically the living almanac of his people, advising them about weather, when to do certain tasks, and registering important events on rock walls. Markings can be seen in many areas around Bonaire, but some of the most accessible are at Boca Onima near Rincon. The site had to be protected from modern artists wanting to complement the centuries-old inscriptions with their own 'Johnny loves Lucy', so the metal bars spoil the pleasure a little and certainly make the pictures look like they were taken in jail, but red stars, turtles and other forms can be clearly seen on the cave wall.

Klein Bonaire ('Little Bonaire' in Dutch) is yet another example of Bonaire's commitment to preserving nature and keeping development as minimally invasive as possible. This little island one kilometre west of the main island is home to the best beach in all of Bonaire (sand beaches are extremely rare here) and, up until 1999, was privately owned but still undeveloped. When the owners presented plans for developing the island into a huge resort with hotels, yacht clubs, malls, theatres and whatnot, the Bonairians stood up and said "No!". The ecological disaster was forever prevented when the island was bought back by the government. Today, the only structure on the island is a small open shelter on the beach (with one rubbish bin). Great diving sites are all around the island while drift snorkelling (sea turtles included most of the time) can be done along the main beach, which is also a favourite among kitesurfers. Water taxis run from Kralendijk to the beach and back several times a day.

Bonaire's capital isn't much more than a big village, but it isn't devoid of interesting sights either. Home to the vast majority of the accommodations on Bonaire, Kralendijk is right smack in the middle of the island, making it the perfect base to explore the rest. A really nice promenade follows the ocean for the main part of downtown and a bit further north, and is the best place to enjoy sunsets (and with some luck, see a famed green flash). Great house reefs provide excellent diving right outside the hotels and dive shops, and good restaurants and cafés abound. So the town might not be THE place to party in the Caribbean, but you'll most likely have a great time while you're there.

Lac is a large bay on the southeastern part of Bonaire with an important part under the protection of STINAPA (National Parks Foundation). At Sorobon, on the western side of the bay, the sea is shallow, the waters turquoise, and steady tradewinds blow in the bay, making it the best spot for windsurfing (kitesurfing is not allowed here). This being Bonaire, the area is still very underdeveloped, nothing is overdone or too tacky, and rarely overcrowded (except maybe on cruiseship days). The mangrove area on the eastern side is a protected area, so to discover the fascinating world of these salt water trees, you need to go on a guided kayak tour. It's a great way to learn about the important role they play in the ecosystem, and also to encounter the weird upside-down jelly fish, head firmly in the sand. Even if you're on a budget, go for the two-hour tour instead of the one-hour. The 15 minutes of snorkelling that are included half way through the tour are well worth the extra bucks: the colourful spectacle the algae-covered roots offer underwater is simply amazing.

What once were two plantations now make this national park on the northern part of the island. Bonaire isn't known for its lush vegetation, and the park is no exception, but it still manages to offer a lot to explore: blowholes, lagoons, flamingos, old plantation constructions, turtle nesting grounds, salt pans, iguanas, and tons of cacti. The "long route" follows the coast where most points of interest are, while a few walking trails allow a closer look at some of the features. The hike up the Brandaris trail leads to Bonaire's highest point and offers a great view over the island and beyond. And as everywhere on the island, great snorkelling and dive sites dot the leeward side of the park.

Drive or bike outside of Kralendijk for a few minutes and you're sure to see them (and eventually eat them, as goat stew is a favourite here). Goats and donkeys were brought on all three ABC islands by the Spanish and Dutch settlers a few hundred years ago. Some escaped, proliferated and became wild again. Bonaire is the island where you can see the most, and they constitute a real road hazard, so be careful when you drive. Donkeys are in lower numbers than goats but they're an almost sure sight on the east coast near Rincon. Since they're wild, it's a bit difficult to get close to them, but with patience, they'll let you get near enough to observe without them being too wary.