August 28, 2018

Top 7 Things to Do in Bonaire

When my husband and I take vacation we travel off season, back roads, low key. Not to say that we don’t say NICE places, but we prefer less hustle and bustle and few people. So when my hubby said he wanted to go to Aruba, I was like, um no. I loved the idea of the arid Caribbean environment and Dutch culture, so I started researching the low key options. After looking at the other ABC islands, we decided on Bonaire. The tiny sister island to Aruba and Curacao with only around 12,000 residents, known for its world class diving, great local restaurants, lovely Dutch culture and lots of donkeys!

If you think Bonaire is only for diving, you couldn’t’ be more wrong! Even if you are not a diver, there are plenty of snorkel site and other non-diving actives to do on the island.

DIVING/SNORKELING
Grab a dive map from your hotel or car rental shop. Basically the entire west coast is great for diving. Note on the map that some are better for Scuba as the water is deeper in some areas (like around the salt piers). As you drive along the island, look for the small yellow painted rocks then grab and parking spot and your gear and walk right into the water!

TAKE THE WATER TAXI TO KLEIN

This is a must. We made sure to go on a day that there was not a cruise ship so it was a small group of people. The taxi leaves from 2 spots. But be sure to take cash. The taxi does not take credit cards! The taxi will take you out to the Island of Klein which is completely uninhabited and the shoreline is completely protected. It was some of the best snorkeling we experienced. You will have the option to be dropped off on the beach where you can swim and snorkel in a protected area or walk to one other entry area and swim back to the beach or you can be dropped off from the boat about 1.5 hours swim back to the beach. This is what we opted for. If you scuba, there are also excursion that go to the far side of the island to those dive sites. https://www.bonairetoursandvacations.com/book/water-taxi/

TAKE A DRIVE PAST THE SALT PIERS

The colors of the water surrounding the salt piers are amazing! This is said to be some of the best diving on the island as well with the coral climbing up the underwater pier columns. This trip will also take you past the Slave Huts which are a humbling experience to see.

WATCH THE KITE SURFERS AT LAC BAY
This protected bay is one of the only areas on the island where there is an actual sanding beach. You can sit at the beach bar and watch the kite surfers racing across the bay. It’s a wonder they don’t hit each other! Just don’t go on a cruise ship day or you won’t get a seat on the beach!

VISIT THE NATIONAL PARK
The Washington Slagbaai National Park offers a unique experience. You can choose the long or the short route around the park. The long route will take you along the coast to see the rough east side of the island. The short one will take you across the interior of the park to the park shelters and most popular dive sites. Make sure to give yourself a full day for the park. The long drive is worth it and some of the best, not crowded dive sites are located here. You can also see the islands flamingos at the park picnic shelter. You will need a truck (preferably a 4×4) to go into the park. The roads are rough to say the least. Also, be sure to bring a photo ID and a copy of your dive tag for a discount on the park entrance.

VISIT THE DONKEY SANCTUARY
Donkey’s were brought to the island to aid the slaves at the salt piers. When the salves were freed, so were the donkeys and they were left to roam the island. With no natural predators, the donkey population exploded. The Donkey Sanctuary takes in injured donkeys as well as works to sterilize the population. Bring a bag of carrots or purchase a bag there and take a drive through the sanctuary while feeding the donkeys. It was one of my favorite experiences on the island.

DRIVE THE BLUE ROCK ROAD
So this is more of trail than a road and should not be taken on if you don’t have 4×4/ We did see one other truck while we were on the Blue Rock Road, but the ATV tour we met at the entrance the Blue Rock Road gave us a look like we were crazy. This “road” takes you out along the rough and wild west side of the island. The views are amazing and the sea is rough.The landscape is slightly alien with the giant boulders thrown up on the shore from ancient tsunamis. I am so glad we accidentally ended up on the Blue Rock Road. It took most of the day to traverse and from time to time we lost track of the little blue rocks marking the path but the landscape was surreal and we only saw 2 other people the entire day.