Bonaire — Where to Go
Top Things to See
Marine Park
Bonaire’s Marine Park is centerd on a spectacular coral reef, which is maintained and protected throughout the year by marine experts.
Salt flats
The salt flats change color from breathtaking fuchsia to a subtle pink, according to fluctuations in the resident algae population. The view is astonishing.
Witte Pan huts
The bright white stucco huts on Witte Pan were once inhabited by the salt workers until the abolition of slavery in 1863. The eerily small holes on their frontage served as doors, which the slaves would crawl through at night.
Rincón
Rincón, Bonaire’s oldest village, echoes Bonaire’s darker past. It used to house slaves who worked on the salt flats. Nowadays there are bars serving cool drinks beneath brightly colored roofs.
Bonaire Museum
Located just out of Kralendijk center in a restored 1885 plantation mansion, Bonaire Museum displays artifacts depicting the history of cultures on the island, from the Caiquetio Indians and the Spanish to modern times, as well as an impressive collection of seashells.
Flamingos
Bonnaire is renowned for its flamingo population, though many of them inhabit the protected southern areas of the island. An easier place to spot them is the beautiful lagoon of Goto Meer.
Bonaire Donkey Sanctuary
The Bonaire Donkey Sanctuary (www.donkeysanctuary.org) is a not-for-profit organization set up to take care of donkeys abandoned when the invention of new technology meant they were no longer needed to work the salt pans. Visitors are encouraged to feed and help care for the animals.
Pink Beach
Pink Beach is one of the Caribbean’s most beautiful beaches. It gets its pink tinge, most obvious at sunset, from bits of pink coral in the sand. There are no facilities.
Top Things to Do
Scuba-diving
The waters around Bonaire are clear, safe and teeming with fish of every size and hue. The island is a diver's paradise and you'd be a fool to forgo the superb scuba-diving and snorkeling on offer.
Sailing
Half- or full-day cruises can be arranged round the bay or to Klein Bonaire, the island’s tiny uninhabited sister isle. Every second week of October there is a Sailing Regatta (www.bonaireregatta.org), during which there is a carnival atmosphere on the island.
Windsurfing
Bonaire's climate is perfect for windsurfing and professional windsurfers from around the world flock to its breezy shores to compete or practice.
Festivals
Bonaire has many festivals to choose from. The most popular are the colorful Carnival and its firework finale of the Burning of King Momo, the Simadan (Harvest) Festival in Rincón with its songs and dances, and Rincón Day, celebrating the traditions and culture of Bonaire in the island's oldest village.
Mount Brandaris
Bonaire's highest point is Mount Brandaris, situated in Washington/Slagbaai National Park. The climb to the top is well worth it for the spectacular views.
