Bonaire Travel Guide
Diver's Paradise — The Caribbean's Best-Kept Secret
About This Guide
Your Complete Caribbean Travel Companion
Bonaire is the ABC island that most visitors skip — which makes it perfect for those who know. The entire western coastline is a protected marine park, making it the Caribbean's unrivalled shore diving destination. Sixty dive sites are accessible by simply wading in from the beach. Wild flamingos stalk the salt flats. Donkeys roam the island freely. And the almost total absence of crowds is Bonaire's greatest gift.
Inside the Guide
Must-Visit Destinations
Every location is covered with practical tips, maps, and curated recommendations.
Washington Slagbaai National Park
The wild north of the island — rugged volcanic terrain, cactus forests, sea turtle nesting beaches, flamingo gathering spots, and some of the island's most remote diving.
Kralendijk Town
The quiet capital with pastel-coloured Dutch colonial buildings, the Fort Oranje, excellent restaurants, and the dive shop strip where every trip begins.
Salt Flats & Flamingos
The southern salt pans are managed by Cargill and attract enormous concentrations of flamingos — hundreds feed in the brilliant pink shallows against the white salt piles.
Klein Bonaire
The uninhabited sister island a short kayak or boat ride away — pristine beaches, nesting sea turtles, and superb snorkelling on the surrounding reef.
What's Covered
10 Curated Experiences
Shore dive at a new site every day
Flamingo viewing at the salt flats
Snorkel Klein Bonaire's pristine reef
Sunset at 1000 Steps dive site
Washington Slagbaai Park wild drive
Night dive on a reef full of octopus
Sea turtle nesting at Lac Bay
Windsurf at Sorobon (world-class)
Kayak to Klein Bonaire island
Wild donkey spotting throughout the island
Insider Knowledge
Pro Tips from Experts
Rent a pick-up truck — the standard island transport; 4WD useful in the north
Marine park fee ($45): Buy the nature tag before diving — mandatory
Bring reef-safe/mineral sunscreen — reef protection taken very seriously here
Week-long dive packages are better value than day-by-day rental
Flamingos: Best in the morning at the salt flats, south of Kralendijk
Klein Bonaire: Go by boat (cheap tour) rather than kayak — current can be strong
Night diving: Some of the Caribbean's best — octopus, seahorses, sleeping turtles
Sorobon Windsurfing: Reliable thermal winds make it world-class; lessons available
Practical Information
Everything You Need to Know
Getting There
Fly via Curaçao or Aruba (both 30 min) or direct from Amsterdam, Atlanta, or Miami. Pick-up truck rentals are the island vehicle of choice — practical and fun.
Shore Diving
60 named dive sites accessible without a boat — park your truck, kit up, and wade in. Nature fee ($45/year) required for all diving. Visibility 30+ metres year-round.
Dive Centres
Buddy Dive, Dive Friends, and Captain Don's Habitat are the most respected operators. Week-long dive packages often include accommodation, equipment, and unlimited shore dives.
Food
Fresh seafood, keshi yena (the ABC island cheese dish), cachapa (Venezuelan corn pancakes from the large Venezuelan community), and surprisingly good Dutch-influenced baking.
Budget
More affordable than Aruba or Curaçao. Week-long dive packages from $900–1,500 including accommodation. USD used everywhere (Bonaire uses the US dollar).
Conservation
Bonaire is one of the world's most conservation-conscious islands — the marine park, flamingo protection, and donkey sanctuary are community priorities. Reef-safe sunscreen only.
Everything You Need to
Book Your Trip to Bonaire
We partner with the world's best travel platforms so you get the lowest prices, best coverage, and seamless booking — all in one place.
Affiliate disclosure: Some links above are affiliate links. When you book through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps keep our guides free and updated. We only recommend services we'd use ourselves.
Get Your Copy
Start Your Caribbean Journey
Choose your format below. Every purchase includes expert itineraries, hand-picked insider tips, and full destination coverage.
Selected: PDF + Paperback
58-page guide · 4.8★ · 1.8k happy readers
PDF delivered via Gumroad · Paperback fulfilled via Amazon KDP · Questions? Contact us