Bonaire is the B in the Dutch ABC Islands that nobody knows about. Bonaire is mainly known as a dive and snorkeling island because of a lack of beaches plus excellent coral reefs and fish. Bonaire is not nearly as built up as neighboring Curacao or Aruba but that’s part of the charm. For me, 2 days in Bonaire was perfect.

I landed in Bonaire on the direct United flight from Newark. I got a rental car from the Budget Car Rental right at the airport and I was off. As you drive into Bonaire, you’ll notice it’s not as built up as the other nearby Dutch islands but it’s a lot more built up than if you were there 15-20 years ago.

I stayed at a place called the Eden Beach Resort just north of the main part of town. It’s kind of a Dutch vacation resort with a man made beach and a cool bar. It’s sort of a Dutch all-inclusive resort on Bonaire.

The resort itself was nice enough and is one of the top places to stay on Bonaire. My only real issues with it were the pillows are rock hard and it’s located next to a beach club which had a very loud DJ party until 4am my first night (Saturday) there so I literally got no sleep. I suggest checking before booking because that can really set you back.

 

The restaurant at Spice Beach Club was excellent. The beef carpaccio appetizer and the fresh tuna catch of the day were excellent. I would definitely recommend eating here. Plus the staff was very friendly.

I was there during a kite surfing contest called Kitemanera. This is a really big deal on the island so everyone was in party mode. I knew of it beforehand but didn’t grasp how big it was on island. So the bar at my hotel was packed and there was a lot of live music. So it would be a great time to visit if you want to party next year!

 

As I mentioned, Bonaire is known for diving. I don’t really like diving and have bad ears so I generally stay away as I have trouble equalizing. I do like snorkeling and tried to get on a snorkel boat but the boat tours were booked because of Kitemanera. Therefore, I got to do a lot more on the island than I would have otherwise.

 

The best part of Bonaire in my opinion is the southern part of the island. The salt flats, pink water and gorgeous rocky beach areas with perfect turquoise water were awesome. Really it was so scenic. I wish I had helicopter photos to show the contrasts between the colors.

Further along there are the flamingo sanctuaries where thousands of flamingos live and hang out. It was awesome seeing them. Unfortunately they were sort of far away so it made for tough photos. But it was awesome to see, especially when they flew in unison from one area to another. It was like a pink aerial invasion!

Further along the southern part of the island which looks like a no mans land are the slave huts. They are a colorful yet chilling reminder of the dark history of Bonaire and other Caribbean islands during the slave trade.

 

Even further was the Sorobon Beach Resort, which I would say was the best place on the island to stay that I saw and also for views. The lagoon was simply gorgeous and was a mecca for learning to windsurf. The bar and restaurant were happening and the tuna burger I had there was the best I’ve ever tasted-fact!

 

Back in town, there is a little downtown street that you can walk down but there isn’t too much going on. In fact just about everything was closed when I was there. Nearby there is a very good pizza place called Paso Bon Pizza run by a New York guy. The pizzas and pastas were pretty good. I couldn’t eat fish again so I reverted to what I know best and was pleasantly surprised!

 

However, the best thing I did during my two days in Bonaire was do a sunset yacht cruise with Compass Bonaire. It was on a 15-meter yacht and the Dutch captain and first mate were awesome. They literally take you all around the island and close to the private reserve island to see No Name Beach. You can actually take a water taxi there from Eden beach Resort every two hours.

The cruise comes with cocktails, beer, soda and water plus some snacks. It’s a great way to see the island feel like you’re really in the Caribbean. It’s a great way to see Bonaire especially because of the rocky shoreline that’s easiest seen from the water. I highly recommend it. The cruise leaves from the marina at the Plaza resort not far from the airport.

So that was basically my 2 days in Bonaire. I drove the island twice, relaxed, ate good food, listened to very loud music and just had a nice time and I didn’t even dive or snorkel. Bonaire gets pigeon holed as only a dive island but I disagree. I found the rawness of the south to be well worth a trip on its own merit.

 

Make no mistake; Bonaire is not built up like Aruba or Curacao and the resorts are not very luxurious. But they are just what you want them to be. Raw and honest, just like the island of Bonaire. Check it out you’ll enjoy it!

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