Rob And Mary’s Bonaire Guidebook
Neighbourhoods
Belnem is the "up and coming" area of Bonaire. It's just south of the airport and a short drive to the capital Kralendijk. There are a number of beaches, beach restaurants and activities in Belnem. It's also close to dive sites, the kite surfing beach and Sorobon - the wind surfing beach and beach restaurants.
Belnem
Belnem is the "up and coming" area of Bonaire. It's just south of the airport and a short drive to the capital Kralendijk. There are a number of beaches, beach restaurants and activities in Belnem. It's also close to dive sites, the kite surfing beach and Sorobon - the wind surfing beach and beach restaurants.
Kralendijk
Sightseeing
A visit to the Donkey Sanctuary is often a highlight for tourists. You can drive your vehicle through the site and feed the donkeys carrots from your car window. Carrots can sometimes be purchased on arrival, but it's recommended to bring some with you in case they don't have any in the shop. There's also a separate pen for baby donkeys and donkeys with medical conditions that you can walk through.
15 locals recommend
Donkey Sanctuary Bonaire
71 Kaya IR. Randolph Statius van EpsA visit to the Donkey Sanctuary is often a highlight for tourists. You can drive your vehicle through the site and feed the donkeys carrots from your car window. Carrots can sometimes be purchased on arrival, but it's recommended to bring some with you in case they don't have any in the shop. There's also a separate pen for baby donkeys and donkeys with medical conditions that you can walk through.
The salt is harvested from the various ponds throughout the year. It takes 3-6 months for the salt to crystalize from the sea water.
Cargill Salt Works
EEG BoulevardThe salt is harvested from the various ponds throughout the year. It takes 3-6 months for the salt to crystalize from the sea water.
Food scene
The Beach is a nearby place for lunch and dinner. It's within a 10 minute walk from the rental house. They also offer free day beds for sunning purposes and steps to the ocean for cooling down. If you're using the day beds, it is expected that you will be ordering drinks and/or food during your stay. Reservations are recommended for dinner - particularly if you want a table at the ocean.
10 locals recommend
Windsock The beach
14 EEG BoulevardThe Beach is a nearby place for lunch and dinner. It's within a 10 minute walk from the rental house. They also offer free day beds for sunning purposes and steps to the ocean for cooling down. If you're using the day beds, it is expected that you will be ordering drinks and/or food during your stay. Reservations are recommended for dinner - particularly if you want a table at the ocean.
If you're passing through Rincon, this restaurant/bar serves authentic local food at reasonable prices. There's also a great view of the surrounding nature.
13 locals recommend
Posada Para Mira
Kaya Para MiraIf you're passing through Rincon, this restaurant/bar serves authentic local food at reasonable prices. There's also a great view of the surrounding nature.
The Bloozz Resort and Restaurant is right across the road from the rental house. The public is welcome to go to the restaurant for lunch or dinner. Prices are reasonable and the food is great!
Bloozz Restaurant
The Bloozz Resort and Restaurant is right across the road from the rental house. The public is welcome to go to the restaurant for lunch or dinner. Prices are reasonable and the food is great!
Activities
If you're a wind surfer, then Jibe City is your paradise. It's a 10 minute drive from the rental house and offers wind surf gear for rent as well as lessons for all abilities. They also have a nice restaurant on the water so you can watch the wind surfers as you eat.
41 locals recommend
Jibe City
7 Kaya JC Van De ReeIf you're a wind surfer, then Jibe City is your paradise. It's a 10 minute drive from the rental house and offers wind surf gear for rent as well as lessons for all abilities. They also have a nice restaurant on the water so you can watch the wind surfers as you eat.
Bonaire has strong, consistent winds for most of the year - perfect for the kite boarders. The Kite Surfing Beach is at the southern end of the island - about 10 minutes past the salt ponds. You can get instruction there, as well as renting equipment if needed.
16 locals recommend
Kiteboarding Bonaire
EEG BoulevardBonaire has strong, consistent winds for most of the year - perfect for the kite boarders. The Kite Surfing Beach is at the southern end of the island - about 10 minutes past the salt ponds. You can get instruction there, as well as renting equipment if needed.
The Mangrove Center offers one and two hour kayak tours of the mangroves. It's a very informative tour, highlighting the importance of mangroves on this planet. If you plan to take this tour, booking in advance is recommended. The early morning tours are at a cooler time of day and are recommended for those who don't have a tan yet.
Mangrove Center
140 Kaminda LacThe Mangrove Center offers one and two hour kayak tours of the mangroves. It's a very informative tour, highlighting the importance of mangroves on this planet. If you plan to take this tour, booking in advance is recommended. The early morning tours are at a cooler time of day and are recommended for those who don't have a tan yet.
This is a fun tour stop in the town of Rincon that provides samples for tasting and a tour of how the alcohol is made from the cactus plants on Bonaire.
13 locals recommend
The Cadushy Distillery
Kaya Cornelis D.CrestiaanThis is a fun tour stop in the town of Rincon that provides samples for tasting and a tour of how the alcohol is made from the cactus plants on Bonaire.
This is a great outing for people who don't dive or for those who have young children. This one hour tour of an amazing reef near Klein Bonaire offers great underwater viewing. The viewing compartment is under water, but the "submarine" stays above the surface.
Bon Sea Semi Submarine
This is a great outing for people who don't dive or for those who have young children. This one hour tour of an amazing reef near Klein Bonaire offers great underwater viewing. The viewing compartment is under water, but the "submarine" stays above the surface.
Dive/Snorkel Sites
There are many dive and snorkel sites on Bonaire, but this is an awesome site on the northern side of the island. It offers a wide variety of different corals. The "beach" is all pieces of coral, so it's not as suitable to lie on, but there are a few places you can put your towel down.
11 locals recommend
1000 Steps
Queen's HighwayThere are many dive and snorkel sites on Bonaire, but this is an awesome site on the northern side of the island. It offers a wide variety of different corals. The "beach" is all pieces of coral, so it's not as suitable to lie on, but there are a few places you can put your towel down.
Beaches
Places to find sun, sand and warm water.
This beach is a 3 minute drive from your rental house. It is the sandiest beach on the main island and has easy water entry. It also has a coral reef within 10 meters of the shore. The reef is damaged, but it still is home to many colorful fish. It's also a great beach for children since the water is nice and shallow in front of the reef.
Te Amo Beach
This beach is a 3 minute drive from your rental house. It is the sandiest beach on the main island and has easy water entry. It also has a coral reef within 10 meters of the shore. The reef is damaged, but it still is home to many colorful fish. It's also a great beach for children since the water is nice and shallow in front of the reef.
This beach is within a one minute walk from your rental home. It has some of Bonaire's clearest and brightest water because of the white sandy bottom. It's also a dive and snorkel site. If you're a little bit energetic, you can walk to this site with your dive gear, but there is a parking lot available as well.
Bachelor's Beach
This beach is within a one minute walk from your rental home. It has some of Bonaire's clearest and brightest water because of the white sandy bottom. It's also a dive and snorkel site. If you're a little bit energetic, you can walk to this site with your dive gear, but there is a parking lot available as well.
This beach is more "out of the way" than the more popular beaches closer to Kralendijk. If you're looking for a quiet place to put your chair and cooler down for a few hours of relaxation, this is worth checking out. It's on the southern west coast of Bonaire.
Pink Beach, Bonaire
EEG BoulevardThis beach is more "out of the way" than the more popular beaches closer to Kralendijk. If you're looking for a quiet place to put your chair and cooler down for a few hours of relaxation, this is worth checking out. It's on the southern west coast of Bonaire.
This uninhabited island is one kilometer from the main island of Bonaire and offers probably the nicest sand beach in Bonaire. It can be accessed by several water taxis that take tourists to the island on a scheduled basis. The fee is approximately $25/pp for as long as you like. Please note that there are no facilities and no stores of any kind. You need to bring your own cooler. There is also limited shade and you're not allowed to put an umbrella in the sand because of the nesting turtles. It's best to plan this visit later in your holiday when you're more used to sun exposure.
Klein Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands
This uninhabited island is one kilometer from the main island of Bonaire and offers probably the nicest sand beach in Bonaire. It can be accessed by several water taxis that take tourists to the island on a scheduled basis. The fee is approximately $25/pp for as long as you like. Please note that there are no facilities and no stores of any kind. You need to bring your own cooler. There is also limited shade and you're not allowed to put an umbrella in the sand because of the nesting turtles. It's best to plan this visit later in your holiday when you're more used to sun exposure.
This beach is located at the airport runway (before you get to Te Amo Beach). It has a lot of shady areas to place your chair, but has a rougher beach than Te Amo. There are also limited areas where there is a sandy entrance to the ocean. The snorkeling is also decent here and is close to shore.
Donkey Beach
This beach is located at the airport runway (before you get to Te Amo Beach). It has a lot of shady areas to place your chair, but has a rougher beach than Te Amo. There are also limited areas where there is a sandy entrance to the ocean. The snorkeling is also decent here and is close to shore.
City advice
Getting around
Car rentals are the favorite means of transportation
There's no real public transportation on Bonaire, so most travelers rent a pickup (for divers), car or scooter to get around the island. Bicycle travel is sporadic since the roads are poor and there are minimal bicycle paths on Bonaire. If you are planning to rent a vehicle, it is highly recommended to do that before you arrive. Rental vehicles are normally in high demand. We can help with this if you like.
Don't miss
Cruise Ship Days
On the days when a cruise boat is in the harbour, there is a marketplace on the front boulevard with many stalls selling a variety of items.