and Portuguese, among others. This language is shared with the residents of nearby Curaçao and Aruba. English is widely
One of the famous yellow painted rocks that mark the dive sites of Bonaire
spoken in Bonaire, and Spanish speakers should have little trouble making themselves understood, given that Papiamentou has strong Spanish roots.
The electricity supply in Bonaire is not quite a match for either North American or European standards: 127 volts / 50 hertz. The outlets are designed for both European and U.S. standard plugs, and most appliances should work well enough. But travelers may want to purchase (or rent) converters and surge protectors while on the island to help protect their more sensitive electronics due to any differences in voltage. The internet is widely available, with a number of free Wi-Fi zones established around the island. Tap water is safe to drink and is generated through desalination – a process where the salt and minerals in seawater are filtered out, leaving clean freshwater.
Visitors
Nearly two-thirds of the island’s visitors arrive via cruise ship while the remainder primarily arrive by plane. Bonaire is also a popular destination for private yachts. Visitors originate from North America and other parts of the kingdom of the Netherlands for the most part, with the balance visiting from Latin America and Europe.
Reef Smart ©
BONAIRE
Middle terrace I
Higher terrace
Washikemba formation
Modern sea level
Lower
terrace
Diagram of the geology of Bonaire
Middle terrace II
Historic
sea level
Reef
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The yellow facade of Rincón’s St. Louis Bertrand Church
Getting there and getting around
Getting there
The island is a popular cruise destination; you will often see a cruise ship towering over
downtown Kralendijk, the island’s capital and main city. Bonaire has one airport, Flamingo International Airport (BON), which is most frequently reached via connections through Curaçao or Aruba. Direct flights are possible
DID YOU KNOW
For each dive and snorkel site in this guidebook, we describe how to get there by providing directions and time estimates from downton Kralendijk. We selected the corner of Kaya Gobernandor Nicolaas Debrot and Kaya L.D. Gerharts
as the starting point. Please adjust your driving times and directions based on where you are staying on the island. We have also provided GPS locations for each site. Wherever possible, GPS for the shore-accessible sites are in the parking lot, while those sites only accessible by boat feature the location of the buoy.
ABOUT BONAIRE
BONAIRE
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Andy Troy/Shutterstock ©
from Amsterdam and from select North American cities, including Toronto, New York, Miami, Atlanta and Houston.
Getting around
Bonaire has no public transit system. Visitors can use a taxi (call one by dialing +599-717-8100) or, more commonly, can rent a car or truck from one of the major rental agencies on the island. Renting a pickup truck is most popular among divers in Bonaire given the accessibility of shore diving sites and the ability to carry plenty of tanks and gear safely in the bed of the truck. Reserve your choice ahead of time, particularly if you require one with an automatic transmission,
as standard transmission cars far outnumber automatics on the island. North Americans will be comforted to learn that driving is on the right side of the road, although do not be surprised by the absence of traffic lights – Bonaire relies on traffic circles or roundabouts to manage traffic flow through intersections.
Scooters, quads (four-wheel all-terrain vehicles) and pedal bicycles of various formats are also available for rent. It does not often rain on the island outside of the rainy season (from December through March), but when it does rain, the roads can get very slippery. Be careful and obey the speed limits (which are posted in kilometers per hour). Roads are also narrow and not always in the best shape – particularly some of the dirt roads that service the sites in the northwest. Also, pay attention to road signage: In particular, the Queen’s Highway converts from a two-way to a one-way road at the 1000 Steps dive site. Once past that point, you will have to continue along the highway to Karpata before heading north to Rincón and looping back to Kralendijk by way of the Kaminda Sabana Piedra Krus road, which briefly runs along the east coast.
Environment
Weather
Bonaire has a very dry and mild climate, with consistently warm temperatures no matter the time of year. Average highs range from 90°F (32°C) in August down to 86°F (30°C) in December and January. Average lows show little variation from month to month, ranging from 77°F (25°C) to 81°F (27°C) throughout the year. Bonaire’s rainy season is from December through March, and though a regular daily shower might be expected during this time, the rain does not stick around for long. Bonaire lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt.
Water temperatures in Bonaire are also quite stable throughout the year. They average around 79°F (26°C) in February and March, and 84°F (29°C) in September and October. Many divers wear only a rash-guard for protection. But if you get cold easily, consider bringing a wetsuit or renting one from a local dive center.
Waves and visibility
Bonaire experiences a steady,
