What to do in Bonaire

Bonaire National Marine Park is the island's star attraction, a unique and precious resource that allows divers and snorkelers to explore miles of pristine coral reef. The protected area covers the entire coast of the island, including Klein Bonaire, to a depth of 200ft (60m). Between the two islands, there are now more than 100 named dive sites, many of which are accessible from the shore. Look for the painted yellow rocks.

Bonaire’s national park lies on 14,000 acres on the northwest side of the island. The park offers mountain biking, hiking, snorkeling and scuba diving, plus lots of beautiful scenery! It was the first nature sanctuary of the Netherlands Antilles. It is a safe habitat for the terrestrial endemic and endangered species of Bonaire like parrots, flamingos, parakeets, iguanas and many other species of birds and reptiles. The beaches inside the park are an important nesting ground for all four species of sea turtles found in the Caribbean.

At the edge of Washington-Slagbaai National Park, this large inland saltwater lagoon attracts flocks of flamingos, especially during nesting season (January to June). You can't get close to these shy feathered friends, but you can usually spot some from the observation area and even from the road. Take the paved road heading due west from Rincon for about 4km.

The Donkey Sanctuary Bonaire is home to over 700 donkeys and is one of the best things to do in Bonaire! The property is huge, so they have plenty of room to roam free. As you drive through the Sanctuary the donkeys will gently ask for food and shove their faces in your car window. Be sure to buy a few bags of carrots at the front entrance so you can feed them. There are tons of donkeys here so save some carrots for the guys at the end!

Bonaire’s cool Caribbean trade winds provide the right environment for kiteboarding almost 365 days a year. The kiteboarding area is located on the south-west tip of Bonaire and can be found by following the brightly colored kites soaring through the air.  Never been kiteboarding and want to try? There are two schools you can visit or contact; Kiteboarding Bonaire and the BonaireKiteSchool. For more information on rules and regulations for kiteboarding on Bonaire, visit the Bonaire Marine Park. Kiteboarders, don’t forget to bring or purchase a Nature Tag.

Sorobon, on the east side, offers a beautiful beach area located within a large protected bay. Bonaire, as the license plate reads, is a “diver’s paradise” but it has also become world-famous for windsurfing! Sorobon’s combination of continual winds, weather, sunshine, and warm shallow waters make for the most idyllic of windsurfing conditions.  Bonaire has been recognized as one of the best places in the world to windsurf for novice through professional levels. The Windsurfing Professionals at Sorobon offer classes and clinics for children and adults. Don’t forget to bring or purchase a Nature Tag.

For centuries, Bonaire has been the center of the Caribbean’s salt industry. The creation of the island’s most-prized export begins when saltwater from the Caribbean is drawn into a series of evaporation ponds. Over the course of 12 months, the salinity of the brine increases as the sun and wind evaporate the water. The result? Stunning pink-colored flats that cover about one-tenth of the island’s total surface area. Once washed, the pure salt crystals are stacked into 50-foot tall pyramids, which will then be processed and shipped around the world.

Capable of growing to a height of 10 meters over its 100-year lifespan, the cadushi cactus is one of Bonaire’s most iconic—and plentiful—natural resources. Locals commonly use it in soups, but in recent years, the plant has found new life as an alcoholic beverage. The cadushi distillery company is known for its cactus liqueur—the only one of its kind in the world. Made from cadushi, lime, and sorghum, the result is a bright green delight that works well in a sweet cocktail.

Bonaire is home to a variety of reptiles, amphibians, and birds, from small geckos to silver snakes to Yellow-shouldered Amazon parrots—the island’s endangered species. A 30-minute drive from Kralendijk is Echo Conservation Centre a non-profit organization that aims to ensure a stable and growing population of Bonaire’s parrots. The dedicated team at Echo hosts guided tours every Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. through Bonaire’s dry forest, and it’s an essential experience for nature lovers

At Cuba Compagnie, the capital's hottest spot is this sultry Cuban cafe, especially on Thursday night, when salsa dancers strut their stuff. Any night of the week the place is packed with happy patrons sipping mojitos and feasting on fusion fare.

A classic cigar and music bar (the coolest in the Caribbean, it claims), this throwback guarantees a good time with live bands, trivia contests, and come-one, come-all jam sessions.

Along the coast, you will see the legacy of a vile chapter in Bonaire’s past. The dwarf-size stone huts were built in the mid-19th century as residences for the enslaved people who worked in the salt mines. The slaves' permanent homes (and families) were in Rincon, so every Friday afternoon they would take a 10-hour hike to the other end of the island to spend a day at home, returning on Sunday to their arduous work.