Planning a trip to Bonaire
Eighty kilometers (50 miles) north of Venezuela and 138km (86 miles) east of Aruba, Bonaire is the "B" of the ABC islands. There's no better place to find out what's going on under the Caribbean's azure waters than this "Diver's Paradise," as the island's license plate boasts. Bonaire is slightly larger than Aruba, just 39km (24 miles) long and 5 to 11km (3-7 miles) wide. Bonaire has none of Aruba's glitzy diversions, but avid divers have flocked to this unspoiled treasure for years. With its pristine waters, stunning coral reefs encircling the island just feet from shore, and vibrant marine life, Bonaire is one of the best places in the Caribbean for both diving and snorkeling.
Even though they eagerly seek tourism, Bonaire isn't interested in creating another Aruba, with its high-rise hotel blocks. This sleepy island doesn't attract crowds and has none of Aruba's glitzy diversions. Dining is equally simple, with restaurants featuring local seafood usually served in open-air restaurants overlooking the water.
Bonaire is a bird-watcher's haven, where flamingos nearly outnumber the sparse human population. There are about 200 different species of birds -- not only the flamingo, but also the big-billed pelican, parrots, snipes, terns, parakeets, herons, and hummingbirds. Bonaireans zealously protect their precious environment. Spearfishing isn't allowed in its waters, nor is the taking or destruction of any coral or other living animal from the sea. Unlike some islands, Bonaire isn't just surrounded by coral reefs -- it is the reef, sitting on the dry, sunny top of an underwater mountain. Come here for the diving, not the beaches.
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, 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.
Sustainable Travel & Ecotourism
Sea Turtle Etiquette
The sea turtle is one of the most highly endangered species in the oceans. Catching even a passing glimpse of one is a magical experience, but you'll blow the chance unless you heed some basic guidelines.
When you first spot a sea turtle, resist the urge to move in and get a closer look, even if the guide leads the way; you will only scare it off. Instead, stay still and watch at a respectful distance as it goes about its business, searching for food or gliding along gracefully. Keep an eye out for identification tags on their flippers or shells -- a sure sign these beautiful swimmers are being closely studied and well protected. You should never approach a turtle or its nest, and never touch or try to touch one -- for your safety and theirs. While it seems harmless to humans, it is in fact quite stressful for the turtles (how'd you like to be chased around the grocery store by strangers while trying to locate dinner?). Warning: Do not swim above the turtles; it will prevent them from surfacing to breathe and subject them to undue respiratory distress!
And of course, if someone offers you a sea turtle shell, egg, or meat products, just say no; then immediately call the number below to file a report.
To learn more about sea turtles or to learn about current conservation efforts and how you can participate, volunteer, or make a donation, contact Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire (tel. 599/717-2225; www.bonaireturtles.org).
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 InselAir (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. Delta Air Lines (tel. 800/241-4141; www.delta.com) also has direct flights from Atlanta.
Getting Around
Name That Street Theme -- As you meander along in Bonaire, read the street signs and try to figure out their theme. Each town will designate a certain theme (such as musical instruments, women's names, gemstones, fish). This makes it easy to figure out someone's location if you only know their street name.
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 $45 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 trucks and Jeeps from $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 $10 to $25 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 off-road island tours via ATV.
Fast Facts
Banks -- Banks are open Monday through Friday from 8am until 4pm. ATMs are along Kaya Grandi in Kralendijk and at the airport.
Currency -- In February 2011, Bonaire switched their official currency from the Netherlands Antillean florin (NAf) to the U.S. dollar. Traveler's checks and credit cards are widely accepted, though American Express and Diners Club are not as popular as Visa and MasterCard, while Discover is gaining popularity.
Electricity -- Bonaire's electricity (127 volts/50 cycles) is slightly different from North America's (110 volts/60 cycles). Most North American appliances function without a transformer but older ones may run warm or burn out if left plugged in for a long time. Warning: Electrical current used to feed or recharge finely calibrated diving equipment should be stabilized with a specially engineered electrical stabilizer. Every diving operation on the island has one of these as part of its standard equipment for visiting divers.
Emergencies -- Call tel. 911 for the police or tel. 912 for an ambulance.
Hospital -- San Francisco Hospital, Kaya Soeur Bartola 2, Kralendijk (tel. 599/717-8900), has a hyperbaric recompression chamber and handles most emergencies, but an evacuation plane provides backup.
Internet Access -- Most hotels have Wi-Fi in the lobby and many have it in the guest rooms too. Chat'n'Browse, in the Sand Dollar Shopping Plaza (tel. 599/717-2281; www.chatnbrowse.com), as well as Bonaire Access, in Harborside Mall (tel. 599/717-6040), provide access for about $6 per hour.
Language -- English is widely spoken, but you'll hear Dutch (the official language), Spanish, and Papiamento (the tongue spoken in Aruba).
Safety -- Bonaire is safe, but keep an eye on your valuables and use your hotel's safe.
Taxes -- Virtually all goods and services are subject to a 5% tax. A room tax of $5.50 to $6.50 per person per day is also charged. Upon leaving Bonaire, you'll be charged an airport departure tax of $35.
Telephone -- To call Bonaire from the United States, dial 011 (the international access code), 599 (the country code), 717 (the area code), and then the four-digit local number. On Bonaire, dial 717 plus the four-digit local number only. It's often difficult to make international and toll-free calls from hotel rooms, and lines aren't always clear. If you're having a problem, contact Telbo (tel. 599/717-7000), the central phone company on Kaya Libertador Simón Bolívar. The direct-dial access number for AT&T is tel. 916/843-4685 from cellphones and tel. 800-8000 from pay phones; for Verizon it's tel. 800-8888. You can reach a Sprint/Nextel operator throughout the Caribbean at tel. 011-817/698-4199. Check with your carrier before you leave home to find out if your phone will work on the island and be sure to check the fees, which are about $2 per minute for outgoing and incoming calls. Prepaid phone cards can be purchased from convenience stores or from the Telbo office downtown. Cellphone rentals go for about $5 per day plus the cost of minutes. There is a $200 deposit. Local calls cost about 40¢ per minute and international calls run about 60¢ per minute. Bonaire Access has an office in the Harborside Mall (tel. 599/717-6040) but the best place to rent is Chat'n'Browse (tel. 599/717-2281). You can also buy phone cards and make international calls from Chippie, a local cellphone carrier in town.
Time -- Bonaire is on Atlantic Standard Time year-round, 1 hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time and the same as Eastern daylight saving time. Due to the difference in electrical current, U.S. clocks may run slow and PDAs won't always update to local time.
Tipping -- Tipping is much the same as in the U.S., with some restaurants adding a 10% to 15% service charge automatically. Tip taxi drivers and dive masters 10%.
Water -- Drinking tap water is perfectly safe.
