Planning a Trip

Visitor Information

Before you go, contact the Bonaire Government Tourist Office (or TCB for short; tel. 800/BONAIRE [266-2473]) or check out their informative website, www.tourismbonaire.com, for links to other helpful sites. On the island, the Tourism Corporation Bonaire is at Kaya Grandi 2 in Kralendijk (crawl-en-dike), the capital and major town (tel. 599/717-8322).

Pick up a copy of Bonaire Affair, Bonaire Nights, and Bonaire Dining Guide and Bonaire Update for information on where to shop, play, eat, and stay. The Bonaire Dive Guide provides up-to-date information on the best dive and snorkel sites.

Getting There

The airlines in Bonaire change with alarming frequency, so call the airport directly (tel. 599/717-5600) to confirm your carrier. Be aware that flights between Bonaire and Aruba are considered international so whether you are flying back to Aruba or home, you will be charged a $35 airport tax upon departure.

Currently DAE (tel. 599/717-0808; www.flydae.com) connects Aruba and Bonaire by air. All flights stop in Curaçao with several departures per day. The entire journey takes about 1 1/2 hours. Two other local carriers serving the ABC islands are Tiara Air (tel. 599/717-3008; www.tiara-air.com) and Insel Air (tel. 599/717-2004; www.fly-inselair.com), so compare rates and schedules. Continental Airlines (tel. 800/231-0856; www.continental.com) flies nonstop from Newark and Houston to Bonaire on weekends during the high season. Through its American Eagle subsidiary, American Airlines (tel. 800/433-7300; www.aa.com) has nonstop service from San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

Getting Around

By Rental Car -- Bonaire is flat, and the roads are fine, except for the rocky trails in the outback and in Washington-Slagbaai National Park, where a four-wheel-drive vehicle is a must. Highway signs are in Dutch and English, with easy-to-understand international symbols. Driving is on the right, and a valid driver's license is all that's needed to rent and drive a car. Car-rental agencies include Avis (tel. 800/230-4898 in the U.S., or 599/717-4700; www.avis.com), Budget (tel. 800/527-0700 in the U.S., or 599/717-4700; www.budget.com), or Hertz (tel. 800/654-3001 in the U.S., or 599/717-7221 or 717-6020; www.hertz.com). Rates start at $40 per day, $60 to $70 for a four-wheel-drive vehicle.

Island Car Rentals, Flamingo Airport 12 (tel. 599/717-2100; www.islandcarrentalbonaire.com), rents soft-top jeeps for $24 a day. Your valid U.S., British, or Canadian driver's license is acceptable for driving jeeps on Bonaire. You must be between the ages of 25 and 70 to rent a car. Remember to drive on the right and keep an eye out for goats, chickens, and donkeys that frequently dart out in front of cars.

By Taxi -- The set fare from the airport to most hotels is $9 to $20 regardless of whether you are one person or four. Fares increase by 50% after midnight. Most drivers give tours of the island for $25 per hour for up to four people. For more information, call Taxi Central Dispatch (tel. 599/717-8100).

By Scooter, Motorcycle, or ATV -- If you're not venturing too far, scooters and mopeds are practical alternatives. At the Bike Shop, J.A. Abraham Blvd. 30 (tel. 599/560-7000; www.thebikeshop.nl), scooters are $18 a day; and two seaters are $38 per day. Bonaire Motorcycle Shop, Kaya Grandi 52 (tel. 599/717-7790), offers Harley-Davidson motorcycles and three-wheel bikes for rent, and off-road island tours via ATV.