Nothing like taking a vacation and getting lost on a paradisiacal blue island. Bonaire is a hidden treasure in the Caribbean. It is small, charming, safe, full of flamingos and its great differential is the seabed. Hypnotizing! With colorful fish and corals that leave anyone breathless and can be accessed from the beach without you needing a boat (look at that!). So, write down these top ten tips.
1. Once you arrive at the airport, rent a car to drive around the entire island which is only 40 kilometers long by five wide. You will have more independence to go wherever you feel like it.
2. Always have snorkel and fins in the car to dive in over 60 “open-air aquarium type” spots; and sneakers for walking on beaches that are full of corals. If deep diving is your thing, rent a truck with the “drive and dive” structure.
3. The dive sites are always marked with stones painted yellow. The coolest are: 1000 Steps (which actually has only 75 steps), Andrea II, Boka di Tolo, Karpata, Jeannie’s Glory and Pink Beach. Stop the car and jump in the water. That simple.
4. Hike or pedal at Wahington-Slagbaai National Park, where the highest hill in Bonaire, the Brandaris, is 240 meters high and Lake Goto is full of flamingos.
5. Go to Boka Onima, a sea entrance in the middle of the corals, where it has an impressive cave with beautifully preserved Indian inscriptions surrounded by giant cacti.
6. Get to know the two main towns of Bonaire: the capital Kralendijk which is the central point, most popular, where everything happens; and Rincon where many descendants of the slaves who lived on the island live.
7. Board a water taxi for $ 15 (round trip) to go to the deserted island of Klein Bonaire which has fantastic diving spots. It’s close. They are only 800 meters from the west coast. Unmissable!!
8. Kayak on a guided tour through the Mangrove, a mangrove swamp in the south of the island that meets the sea. It’s beautiful. There are hundreds of flamingos.
9. Visit the island’s burricos sanctuary. They care for more than 300 animals, so cute! On the way back, enjoy driving through the salt flats.
10. Watch the sunset at one of these restaurants: Brass Boer or Sebastian’s. And end the day with a golden key.
Jot down these tips and include Bonaire to your wishlist.
XoXo and until next Tuesday.
