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The Ultimate Eco Guide to Bonaire Island in the Dutch Caribbean

Last Updated: December 9, 2022 · Bonaire, Caribbean, Responsible Travel, The Netherlands

It’s possible you’ve heard of the Dutch Caribbean before. Perhaps the ABC islands? No doubt, someone you know has been to either Aruba or Curaçao. But what about the ‘B’ in ABC? Have you ever heard of Bonaire?

Bonaire often gets overlooked as the go-to vacation destination in the Dutch Caribbean. But in this guide, I’m going to tell you why you should add Bonaire to the very top of your Caribbean bucket list!

Offering the best diving in the Caribbean, Bonaire attracts many divers and snorkelers to explore its colorful and lively underwater world with 85+ dive sites.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links that may earn me a small commission should you decide to click through and make a valid purchase (at no extra cost to you). Thanks so much for your support!

However, Bonaire has much more to offer above its sun-soaked surface.

From hiking to the top of the island’s tallest mountain to cliff jumping into turquoise waters to land sailing with nothing but the wind to power your go-kart, this tropical-desert island abounds with untouched natural gems and eco-adventure activities (and, most importantly, all without the high-rise resorts or crowds that typically accompany Caribbean islands).

Read more below to discover the best of Bonaire—an island sprawling with flying flamingos, docile donkeys, lazy lizards, and Kadushi cacti! 🇧🇶

Table of Contents show
The Ultimate Eco Guide to Bonaire Island
What to Know Before You Visit Bonaire Island
Where Is Bonaire?
How to Get to Bonaire
Is Bonaire the Untouched Gem of the Caribbean?
How Bonaire is Pioneering Sustainable Travel
What Is Bonaire’s Blue Destination Certification?
Eco Adventures Not to Miss on Bonaire
Land Sailing
Washington Slagbaai National Park
Kayaking in the Mangroves
Exploring the Caves & Karst Nature Reserve
Scuba Diving
Where to Eat, Stay, & More
Eat
Stay
Pack
So, Is Bonaire Island on Your Bucket List?

The Ultimate Eco Guide to Bonaire Island

What to Know Before You Visit Bonaire Island

🛩 Entry Tax: Visitors must pay a $75 USD fee upon entry.

🌿 Nature Tag: You must pay a nature fee ($45 USD) to dive or participate in any park activities.

💵 Currency: US Dollar

🇧🇶 Language(s): Papiamentu, Dutch, English, Spanish

🚁 No Drones Allowed

🐠 Use only reef-friendly sunscreen and apply in advance before entering the water

Where Is Bonaire?

Bonaire Island is located approximately 50 miles (80 km) off the northwestern shores of Venezuela and the South American mainland.

On the map, you will see the cluster of the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao) in the Leeward Antilles. However, the true order (from left to right) is not ABC but rather Aruba-Curaçao-Bonaire.

✨ Fun Fact: The Kingdom of the Netherlands is actually made up of four countries: Aruba, Curaçao, St Maarten, and, of course, the Netherlands. Since its dissolution in 2010, Bonaire is no longer considered a country, but a special municipality of the Caribbean Netherlands along with St Eustatius and Saba (the BES islands).

How to Get to Bonaire

You can easily get to Bonaire from the U.S. and Europe, with direct flights from Miami, Houston, Atlanta, Newark, and Amsterdam.

View of Bachelor's Beach and airplane arriving on Bonaire Island

Bonaire’s only airport, Flamingo International Airport (Bonaire International Airport, or BON) is small and straightforward—just the way we like it!

Once you get there, make sure to pick up your rental car as you’ll need it for exploring the island on your own. Get a high-clearance vehicle or 4×4 so you can drive through Washington Slagbaai National Park.

✨ Book online in advance for the best rates.

Is Bonaire the Untouched Gem of the Caribbean?

While Bonaire is no stranger to tourism (after all, it’s heavily reliant on tourism), it is not overrun by tourists.

During our week-long stay in Bonaire, we enjoyed the island’s most breathtaking places with few others. At times, we even found ourselves alone; alone to enjoy the beauty and gifts of Mother Nature.

Woman walking on road by the pink salt pans on Bonaire Island.
Bonaire’s pink salt flats

🌊 From incredible dive sites to bays in the island’s national park thick with cacti, we had moments of solitude where it was just us, the sea, and the sky looking back at each other.

No, it’s not entirely untouched; villas, hotels, and restaurants do line the shores or hang over the rocky coral cliffs. But, for the most part, it’s integrated; there are no concrete hotels 13 stories high; there are no all-inclusive resorts stealing land from known turtle nests.

Here, nature feels first.

And the best part?

Bonaire, and its people, are making a conscious effort to protect it.

🌿 Read more about the Top Eco Resorts & Hotels on Bonaire

How Bonaire is Pioneering Sustainable Travel

Here are a few quick stats about how Bonaire is pioneering sustainable travel to the island:

Clear pools of Boka Kokolishi Beach in Bonaire's national park.
Boka Kokolishi
  • 💙 In 2019, Bonaire launched the Blue Destination Certification Program “to inform, guide and reward companies on their way to a more sustainable and social business.” (More on this below.)
  • 🌵 The Washington Slagbaai National Park was the first nature reserve established in the Dutch Caribbean (est. 1969).
  • ☀️ Bonaire is the leading island in terms of clean energy, producing over 40% of its electricity thanks to solar and wind power. They are also transparent in their reliance on petroleum-based fuel (60%), and are implementing more solar panels on roofs as well as transitioning to bio-diesel in the future.
  • 🦩 The native flamingos of the island are heavily protected in nature reserves and sanctuaries, with a rehabilitation center and strict no-drone policies.
Female watching pink flamingos in the wild on Bonaire Island in the Dutch Caribbean.
  • 🏝 Bonaire’s 770+ exotic donkeys—first introduced to the island by the Spaniards—are well taken care of by the non-profit Donkey Sanctuary.
  • 🤿 Many dive shops, including Dive Friends and VIP Diving, were awarded Blue Destination Certification. Dive Friends also hosts quarterly Dive Clean Ups and both shops were awarded a PADI Green Star for their environmentally-friendly business practices. You can learn more in my guide about diving in Bonaire.
  • 🐠 Bonaire boasts 6672 acres of a protected marine park. Established in 1969, Bonaire’s National Marine Park is one of the oldest marine reserves in the world. (You will see several coral restoration trees and gardens during your dives!)
  • 🌳 There are nearly 1900 acres of protected wetlands and abundant mangroves.
  • 🌊 STINAPA, a non-profit organization, helps to protect and educate about Bonaire’s nature parks. All visitors must pay a nature fee to help fund conservation efforts.

As is the case with any destination, improvements can always be made.

Donkey Sanctuary

Bonaire’s mission is just that—to inspire other Caribbean islands to follow in their footsteps toward a greener, more sustainable future.

What Is Bonaire’s Blue Destination Certification?

Even though they are already pioneering ecotourism in the Caribbean, Bonaire Island aims to do more, which is why the Blue Destination Certification was brought to life in 2019.

In sum, Blue Destination Certification promotes what Bonaire already stands for: “synergy between nature, culture and economy.”

The hope is to attract visitors who share their values in caring for people and the planet.

To earn certification, companies must adhere to a set of criteria developed by the Blue Destination committee.

Currently, there are twelve overarching themes upon which businesses—including hotels, restaurants, cafes, car rental agencies, offices, and diving schools—are rated.

  1. Purchase and sales
  2. Social welfare and local employment
  3. Preventing exploitation
  4. Health and Safety
  5. Accessibility
  6. Energy and Climate
  7. Waste
  8. Water
  9. Preventing pollution and nuisance
  10. Nature and landscape
  11. Cultural Heritage
  12. Transparency

You can see which companies are currently certified and learn more at BlueDestination.com.

Eco Adventures Not to Miss on Bonaire

Land Sailing

Landsailing on Bonaire.
Get ready to set sail!

No brakes, no engine, only wind power—such is the thrill of land sailing on Bonaire!

Land sailing, or sand yachting, is like being on a Mario Kart track—except there is no pedal power here, only sails and gusts of wind.

If you are looking for eco-friendly things to do on Bonaire, look no further than Bonaire Landsailing Adventures.

Donna and the team will teach you everything you need to know before you get behind the handlebars of your very own “blokart” and start cruising in the wind!

Washington Slagbaai National Park

Female hiker on Brandaris Peak in Washington Slagbaai National Park on Bonaire Island.
Hiking to the top of Brandaris peak!

The Washington Slagbaai National Park is teeming with hidden nooks of pristine beauty. The national park is so big and wild that it takes hours just to drive through (in a 4×4, preferably).

But beyond the one-way muddy roads and thick forests of Kadushi cactus lie some of the island’s prettiest geological gems, beaches and bays, and snorkel spots.

🌵 Read more about what to do and see in my guide to Bonaire’s Washington Slagbaai National Park

Kayaking in the Mangroves

Kayakers in Lac Bay, Bonaire.
Kayakers off Lac Cai beach

Lac Bay, located on the east side of Bonaire Island, is a gorgeous shallow bay home to wetlands and mangroves.

Here, you can kayak through a tunnel in the mangroves and go snorkeling, while learning about the symbiotic relationship between the different types of mangroves, plants, and marine life.

While we didn’t have time to do this tour, it is a great eco-adventure to have on Bonaire. You can only visit the mangroves with a certified guide.

The guys at Royal Tours offer a clear-bottom kayak and snorkeling tour that departs from Lac Cai (the conch shell beach).

Exploring the Caves & Karst Nature Reserve

We didn’t realize how diverse Bonaire really was until we learned that it doesn’t only have palm trees, flamingos, desert cacti, mountains, national parks, and marine reserves, but it also has a secret underworld of caves and caverns.

There are approximately 400 caves on Bonaire! And several can be explored with a guide. There are dry caves and also submerged caves that you can snorkel in, similar to the cenotes in Mexico.

Bonaire’s Karst Nature Reserve aims to protect its elaborate cave system through conservation, research, protection, and sustainable tourism. Inside some of the caves, you can also find historical and cultural wonders, such as the paintings and handprints of the island’s first inhabitants.

Scuba Diving

Shore divers entering water on Bonaire Island in the Caribbean.
Shore divers

Of course, what better way to discover Bonaire than through its world-famous dive and snorkel sites?

There are over 85 registered dive sites (and plenty more named but unregistered ones), around Bonaire and Klein Bonaire—the small, wild island you will see in front of Kralendijk.

While most of the dive shops on the island all work consciously to protect the environment, we found that Dive Friends and VIP Diving take the extra step with Blue Destination Certification, PADI Green Star awards, and regular reef clean-up initiatives.

Read even more things to do in Bonaire, Caribbean in my bucket list guide! 🌴

Where to Eat, Stay, & More

Eat

We had an amazing time discovering Bonaire through its cuisine!

While we weren’t adventurous enough to try the local goat or iguana stew, we did get the chance to try a variety of different at some of the best restaurants in Bonaire serving fresh seafood and creative dishes inspired by the island’s diverse mix of cultures including Dutch, African, Spanish, French, Chinese, Portuguese, German, and Antillean.

Some of our favorite places to eat on Bonaire were:

  • Brass Boer
  • Posada Para Mira
  • Sebastian’s
  • Kite City Food Truck
  • La Cantina Brewery
  • Ingridiënts
  • Mezze

If you would like to learn more about what is considered sustainable seafood on Bonaire, you can find some great information here.

Stay

We stayed for one week in the lovely Delfins Beach Resort, a 4-star luxury hotel located just a 10-minute drive from Kralendijk.

Woman in red bikini lounging in pool cabaña at the Delfins Beach Resort on Bonaire Island.
Tropical beach club and bar with colorful lanterns and tables on the sand.

Delfins, along with a few other eco-forward hotels mentioned below, all are excellent places to stay in Bonaire.

🐬 Delfins Beach Resort ($$$+) — Features luxurious apartments and villas, a pool and spa, a waterfront restaurant, and a 5-star dive shop. It’s one of the new hotels on the island. Sustainability-wise, it uses solar panels on its apartments and villas and mindfully sources non-toxic detergents and hotel products.

🏴‍☠️ Captain Don’s Habitat ($$-$$$) — Captain Don’s Habitat has been working with the environment, culture, and economy in mind since the beginning. The founder, Donald Steward, is also the celebrated founder of Bonaire’s prized marine park and helped bring forth diving tourism to the island. Don’s Habitat has long been working to improve upon its environmentally-friendly practices. They have an awesome house reef for diving and snorkeling, lush gardens, on-site dining, and more.

🦋 B&B Kas Chuchubi ($-$$)— This small and sweet Bed and Breakfast has all the touches of luxury accommodation but is packaged in a homely setting.

All of the above hotels, while improvements can be made to become more environmentally friendly, are Blue Destination Certified.

🌿 For more information on each hotel, read my guide to the best places to stay on Bonaire

Pack

Bonaire is unlike many other tropical islands in that you can’t only pack a swimsuit and expect to stay inside your all-inclusive resort.

No—here, on this island of flamingos and lizards and dive sites and caverns, adventure beckons and you will need to be prepared to meet it!

Woman holding juice at a tropical beach bar with palm trees and boho palapas in Bonaire.
Ocean Oasis Beach Club

Here is my quick list of essentials to pack for a vacation to Bonaire:

  • ☀️ Reef-friendly sunscreen (I brought my tin of Raw Elements Natural Sunscreen, but you can find Sea & Sky Sunscreen in the shops on Bonaire).
  • 💦 Reusable water bottle (Bonaire’s tap water is 100% filtered ocean water and is safe to drink!)
  • 👟 Closed shoes for adventure activities (e.g. hiking Mount Brandaris, horse riding, etc). I wore my Allbirds Tree Runners and they were great.
  • 🪸 Water boots or water shoes for entering shore dives
  • 🤿 Snorkel mask (+ gear). You can rent snorkel equipment for $15-20 in most dive shops on Bonaire for one day. However, you might prefer to invest in your own scuba diving mask. I bought my Beuchat for my Open Water Course and never looked back!
  • 🦟 Eco-friendly mosquito repellent (Murphy’s Naturals is my go-to!)
  • 👒 Hat + sunglasses

As for clothing, I packed this much for our 8-day trip and it worked out perfectly:

  • 2x Swimsuits
  • 1x Beach coverup
  • 2x Rompers (one short-length for beaches, and a long one for nice dinners)
  • 2x Shorts (only used one pair!)
  • 2x Tank tops
  • 2x Yoga outfits (we did two yoga lessons + a SUP lesson)
  • 1x Long skirt
  • 1x Jean (for the plane)
  • 3x Shoes (1 sneaker, 1 sport sandal, 1 beach sandal)
  • 1x Light cardigan

I reused outfits a couple of times, but I didn’t need anything more than that! I have a 40L backpack, so I can use it as my carry-on (no need to check it in).

Packing Tip: Most resorts on Bonaire will be equipped with both US and European-style outlets!

So, Is Bonaire Island on Your Bucket List?

Bonaire has pristine beaches, wild landscapes, and some of the best snorkeling and diving in the Caribbean.

But what really makes this little island in the Caribbean Netherlands special is its eco-centric commitment and vision.

A commitment to preserving the nature of the island while ushering in sustainable tourism that benefits not just people, but also the culture, economy, and the planet and all its creatures.

And that?

That’s the kind of destination I want at the top of my bucket list.

That’s the type of do-good vacation I want to have.

So, with all that said, I wish you your first Bon Bini na Boneiru (“Welcome to Bonaire”), and I hope to see you on the island someday!

Finally, if you have any questions about visiting Bonaire, please feel free to reach out and drop a comment below.

Please note this article was written in partnership with Tourism Corporation Bonaire (danki!), however, all opinions and thoughts expressed here are mine alone. It is my hope that, with this guide, you can enjoy visiting Bonaire Island responsibly and contribute to its ecotourism mission.

🇧🇶 PIN IT & SHARE WITH A FRIEND 🇧🇶

By: Bri · In: Bonaire, Caribbean, Responsible Travel, The Netherlands

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Comments

  1. julie says

    November 27, 2022 at 6:29 pm

    hi bri! thanks a lot for all this info 🙂
    have you gone to the supermarket? what about the prices there? and lunch menu prices?
    thanks again!

    Reply
    • Bri says

      November 29, 2022 at 9:37 am

      Hi Julie! Admittedly, we didn’t do much grocery shopping since we were eating out lots and staying at a hotel! We also didn’t get to see the farmer’s markets. As for eating out, lunch menu prices are much more affordable than dinner prices from what we experienced and saw. I’d recommend checking my Bonaire restaurant guide for some great options! If you have any more questions, just shout! x

      Reply
  2. Sarah says

    November 2, 2022 at 4:12 pm

    The land surfing eco adventure blew my mind! Never even heard of it before and sounds epic. Bonaire seems like a dream destination 🤩

    Reply
    • Bri says

      November 3, 2022 at 6:00 pm

      It definitely is! We had so much fun land sailing and it’s a great activity for all ages and non-divers too.

      Reply
  3. Steve Bennett says

    November 2, 2022 at 11:26 am

    An excellent explanation of why to visit this island. Nicely done!

    Reply
    • Bri says

      November 3, 2022 at 5:59 pm

      Thanks for reading, Steve! xx

      Reply
  4. Josefine says

    November 2, 2022 at 6:33 am

    I had literally never heard of Bonaire until you went and now it’s at the top of my bucket list! It looks like a tropical Paradise 😍 Thank you!

    Reply
    • Bri says

      November 3, 2022 at 5:58 pm

      You and Dom would love Bonaire so much!

      Reply
  5. Nishi says

    November 1, 2022 at 8:14 pm

    What a beautiful place! My son would love the scuba diving

    Reply
    • Bri says

      November 3, 2022 at 5:58 pm

      Oh yeah! Everyone on our plane was pretty much there to dive!

      Reply

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I’m Bri, an adventurous digital nomad living abroad full-time since 2015. It is my hope to inspire you to live a life of adventure, seek out meaningful experiences, and travel slowly and mindfully!

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Traveling solo in Nepal has awakened in me a confi Traveling solo in Nepal has awakened in me a confidence & sense of self (at the risk of sounding cliché), of “my essence” and inner Knowing, and where my compassion and passions mingle and thrive. I was reading some of your comments on my recent Reel about solo travel and how I put myself at great risk/in danger. But as I was telling my Tibetan friend, Sonam, tonight (yes, the new one I made last week!), I inform my decisions mostly by 1. Asking myself, “Would this make a good story?” and 2. Listening to my body and emotions. Yes, it’s risky to travel solo, to be a female in a male-dominated culture, to go out after hours with people you just met, etc. But doing that — and all the magic that followed by “allowing” — reminded me exactly of who I am at my core: Curious and open to the world, willing to get uncomfortable for the sake of finding magic and serendipity. Some of you said, “I’m too scared to do this, how do you overcome that fear of personal safety?” And to this I say, I don’t! Fear accompanies me along the journey. Living life is one big risk. It’s uncomfortable to be open, vulnerable, and unsure. But once you accept that and once you begin to let compassion and curiosity guide you rather than your fear, the real magic starts to happen in all areas of life, not just travel. I find these moments most in travel though, when I’m confronted with contrast and am left vulnerable to the world and the kindness of my fellow humans. My Reels are not meant to romanticize or gloss over very real risks/threats in life, but rather to share a real account of what’s possible (adventure, connections, love, etc) when you worry less about societal norms and what’s “safe not safe” “right not right” and allow your over-active fears to take a backseat. 
This is your reminder to trust your inner compass to guide you in writing your epic life story. ✨✨

To sum it up: 

1. Choose a life of adventure 
2. Stay curious
3. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable (otherwise said, seek discomfort)
4. Let love and light flow in and out 
5. Change is the only constant 

#solotravel #nepaltravel #solofemaletraveler #soloadventure #localtravel #trekkingnepal #adventurethatislife
The strength of women 💛 These ladies were lau The strength of women 💛 

These ladies were laughing so sweetly while filling up their water jugs at the Manga Hiti fountain in Patan. I watched them for a while and then plucked up the courage to ask if I could take their photos, which only made them giggle more. 

I've always felt that not being able to communicate in the same language makes for even more interesting encounters. Without words, we have to touch each other's humanity with eyes and gestures, and most of the time it leads to unspoken mutual understanding, acceptance, and love. We three walked away with the biggest smiles on our faces. I yelled out "Dhayabad!" (Thank you!) as they hoisted their jugs up the stairs, laughing all the way. I won't forget this shared moment between us 🙏 

Check stories for the landscape orientation for some of these photos ✨ 

#nepal #nepalnow #nepalphotography #nepaliculture #nepalisbeautiful #natgeoyourshot #patan #kathmanduvalley #lifetimeexperiences #photonepal #nepaltravel
Did you feel it? Nepal’s ancient wisdom, its swi Did you feel it? Nepal’s ancient wisdom, its swirling spirituality, its raw humanity? ✨🇳🇵❤️

#nepal #visitnepal #nepalnow #travelstories #localtravel #mindfultravel #slowtravel #natgeotravel
When you say “yes” as a solo traveler and stay When you say “yes” as a solo traveler and stay open to the randomness of life and the kindness of strangers, really wonderful memories can be made. Thank you Lama family and my new Tibetan friends for such a fun and insightful sequence of experiences 🙏 💛

#solotravel #localtravel #nepaltravel #nepaldiaries #nepali #solofemaletravel #kathmandunepal #thamel #tibetanfood #solotraveldiaries
My first week back in the chaos of Kathmandu, 💛 My first week back in the chaos of Kathmandu, 💛 

Being back after 7 long years away has jolted my body, brain, and spirit. At first, I felt overwhelmed with the recurring thought of, "I don't know what to do with myself." It was only when acceptance knocked on my door, and I finally decided to let it in, that things began to shift and flow.
 
In Nepal, particularly Kathmandu, everything around me swarms like a hive. I have nowhere else to go but inside myself. I've discovered through years of slow traveling (and solo travel) that peace awaits me there -- a sense of independence, power, and knowing that is still, comforting, and safe. And I can tap into it whenever I need to.

Chaos and peace reside in all of us, and Nepal has a cosmic, ancient way of reminding you of just that. 

📍 Patan Durbar Square, Lalitpur

#nepaltravel #patan #durbarsquare #nepalphotography #slowtravel #nepal #solotravel #lalitpur
They ask, “Why?” I was 29 when I embarked on They ask, “Why?” 

I was 29 when I embarked on the plane on the 21st, and 30 when I disembarked on the 23rd. How fitting. I spent all of my 20s abroad (except for my two final semesters in undergrad), and moved to Nepal when I was 21. 

What better way to say goodbye to my twenties than by returning to the start? I felt the desperate urge to start my 30s this way—alone on a one-way ticket with no concrete plans. I have both feared and longed to come back all these years. You see, I had made a promise to one of my closest Nepali friends that I’d see her again, but the reality is that I no longer can. 

She, along with another dear friend, passed away from cancer a couple of years back. The thought of returning to my old life here without my friends made me, well, incredibly sad. I had thought that, upon landing in Kathmandu—or taking a bite of my first momo—after so long, I’d find myself bursting into tears of both grief and gratitude. But I didn’t. Instead, I found familiarity in the chaos and chaos in the strangeness. 

Just being here—and the decisions and actions it took to get here—has reminded me of the preciousness of this one very short life. And that, by choosing to celebrate mine—at the exciting turn of a decade no less—by coming back to Nepal on a solo trip that would force me into daring discomfort when I could instead retreat to the comforts of family or my partner, is how I want to live it.

Truth is, a couple of months ago the thought of Nepal felt out of reach. It felt risky, unattainable. But the idea itself pushed open, just a crack at first, a door that had been otherwise closed. I could have more easily ignored my “what if?” daydreams—calling them off as too hard, too uncomfortable, or too far-fetched to actually pursue—and kept it shut.
But sometime in mid-July, I decided to look at flights. And I found one (truly, just one) option that could work. And it just so happened that it would fall on my birthday, or rather bridge my birthday. The idea of getting on a plane at 29 and getting off it at 30—back in Nepal—sold me. I fell in love with the story, the adventure, the unknowingness of it all. 

So, yeah. That’s why. Or as I prefer, “Why not?”
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