Bonaire

– Sunny Climes And Beautiful Diving Sites Bring Tourists In Droves To This Caribbean Island

Like Curacao, Bonaire too is situated in the Netherlands Antilles towards the Southern most part of the Caribbean (about 50 miles on Venezuela’s north and 30 miles from Curacao’s east coast). It is approximately 86 miles to the eastern side of Aruba and 1720 miles away from New York so those planning a cruise vacation or flight booking to Bonaire are advised to consider both options depending on their personal preferences for these two popular travel modes, their Caribbean holiday budget and of course – their vacation time.

As far as Bonaire’s size is concerned, it measures 24 miles in length, around 5 miles in width and is spread across approximately 112 sq. miles. However, its size doesn’t matter so much to those who are looking to spend a relaxing time real islander style and enjoy a sunny climate this quaint little island with its diverse tourist attractions is known for besides, of course, its advantage of lying outside the Caribbean’s hurricane belt. Though its annual pleasant climate and average air temperature of a warm 82°F sounds welcome to tourists from colder climes (Bonaire’s water temperature is just a few degrees lower than the air temperature); those who find rainfall romantic and soothing will enjoy the moderate 22 inches experienced on the island annually.

For those who like to check out local sights, there’s are a variety of things to do and see when in Bonaire: these include visiting the historic slave huts that give a glimpse into Bonaire’s culture, the Flamingo reserve that have persisted due to the high salt flats still in existence on the island, Bonaire’s donkey sanctuary and Cai.

Depending on one’s fitness levels, budget and holiday time available, one can choose to visit these places on foot, or drive through the sights, like the donkey sanctuary which permits drive through trips and the trail also gives a good view of the island’s outback area, which has remarkable but stark natural beauty that is in sharp contrast to other Caribbean islands. This aridity (lots of cacti, donkeys in large numbers, Iguanas and other creatures besides plants thriving in rough and often challenging conditions etc.) is one unique feature in the natural topography that sets Bonaire apart from the other carib islands.

There are nearly 86 dive sites across various parts of Bonaire besides super-cool windsurfing opportunities for those interesting in riding the big waves at Lac Bay. For those who want an easier pace of island holidaying, there are plenty of day trips and guided tour choices like the one focusing on learning about Bonaire’s marine park, eco-conservation efforts and Bonaire local programs for nature protection besides bird watching opportunities for rare and protected birds like the famous Yellow oriole. In fact, there are over 200 species of birds in Bonaire, including parakeets, parrots, flamingoes and more that are a delight for the avid bird watcher – so do look up these and more holiday activities when in Bonaire – to enjoy your Carib vacation your way!

The salt flats mentioned earlier are located in Bonaire’s southern part, called Pekelmeer and offer a unique view of wind-blown absolutely white foam from the salt rising above the pink water pools that are inhabited by copious brine shrimp that attract the graceful Flamingo birds here in large numbers; these in turn attract the tourists for unforgettable photographic opportunities! Flamingos mainly congregate at a place called Goto Lake (a saltwater lagoon) in Bonaire or Lake Pekel (their main nesting grounds located near the salt works) and are birds that are protected by the island government. Efforts for these have borne fruit as a larger number of these pink feathered friends of Caribbean islanders are now observed by tourists visiting Bonaire’s beautiful lakes (meers) having increased from 2,500 in the previous decades to the current estimate of 15,000+!

One interesting Bonaire trivia tourists can stash away to impress friends back home about their Carib island vacation is that salt is Bonaire’s sole export product. It can be seen being loaded onto waiting ships docked at Cargill Salt Bonaire N.V; additionally, two little known use of Bonaire Salt include its use as an active agent in water softening products and for treating ‘winter road conditions’ in cold climates like the US.

The local language spoken in Bonaire is Papiamentu and the commnest greeting here is “Kon Ta Bai” or How Are You? This is usually enough to break the ice with a local anywhere on the friendly and welcoming Dutch Caribbean island of Bonaire – so just pack your bags and expect the best of “dushi” (sweet) pleasures of cheerful and sunny Bonaire – a true Caribbean paradise when you set out to Disfruta (Enjoy!!)

We know you will!