Caribbean Paradise

Seeing and touching a turtle and seahorse up close and personal and even getting a decent photo. My first night dive with bright colors of purple and orange was incredible. I gained increased comfort and interest in shore diving as the visibility was second to none.

Quick Tips:

Don't bother with curling irons or hair dryers. The normal weather conditions include a constant wind not to mention the fact there are so many water oriented sports. Clips and scrunchies are popular.

Best Way To Get Around:

The island is 7 by 24 miles, biking and walking are easy, cheap, viable modes of transportation. If you are shore diving to an area other that where your dive shop is located, rugged vehicles (roads are rough) can be rented for about and will include a tank holder in the bed of the truck. Taxis need to be called as they are not just cruising the main streets. From the airport to my hotel in town was .

Amenities include fully equipped kitchen with microwave and coffeemaker, color cable TV, air conditioning and a porch. Hammocks are in the garden. Service charge is 20% and tourist tax is $6.50 per person per day. Bike rentals are available for $10 a day including a lock. Bikes are on the honor system and you pay at the end of the stay for how many days you used it. Car rentals are available for $40 per day or $240 per week. Arrangements for diving, kayaking and nature tours can be made at the desk and they will arrange for a taxi if you required it. Late arrivals can make arrangements for some basic grocery items.

Off season one-week rates
$35 for a studio 1 person, capacity 5
aab@bonairenet.com
Rietje Choenni

As the name implies this restaurant is for those out late. Located on an open terrace with seaside dining and across from the nightclub scene this is a good place just to watch the nightlife or get take out food. With strands of tiny white lights it appears to be a nightclub or extremely fancy restaurant. But don’t pass it by. Unusual dishes from tenderloin with peanut sauce to yucca fries await. Yucca fries are made by peeling and boiling yucca (found at fruit and veggie stands) until it is tender then deep-frying. Pizza, mixed delights and your own hibachi, and vegetarian burgers are also offered. A full service bar serves up your drinks. They are closed on Mondays

On the bottom level is Zeezicht Restaurant that has a reasonably priced salad bar, is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner serving local and international cuisine. It has a full service bar and a really neat nautical theme. Fishnets are hung on the walls with old lanterns, fish lures and others items from days long gone. There is both inside and outside dining.

Most credit cards accepted other than Amex. Casual dress is fine but evening out attire works just as well.

Swiss specialties are served here and include vegetarian, meat and fish dishes. Unusual dishes from spinach rosti (browned thinly sliced potatoes topped with spinach and swiss cheese) to fladli soup (egg pancakes sliced into beef broth) are offered in large portions. This is an indoor restaurant complete with cloth napkins and tablecloth. There is a bar, which is open until midnight or longer. Specialty coffees, wine and other beverages are available.

It is located near the church in the center of town with a small parking lot but don’t be put off by the plain white L shaped little building and the fact that it is not on the beach. The food is why you come to this restaurant. All major credit cards are accepted. Dress is little better than casual.

Bari Reef is directly off several dives shops such as the Sand Dollar, Buddy Dive, and Captain Don’s Habitat and has some of the best shore diving in my opinion. For one thing, in order to rent gear you need to do a check out dive and this is the place. The check is not monitored it is simply to introduce you to the area’s shore diving.

Each dive shop offers an easy entry point either a ramp (unless destroyed by 1998 Hurricane) or a cleared path into the water. For some 20 years Bari (meaning barrel) was the dumping ground for Bonaire. Just some 15 years ago it was cleaned up and is excellent reef for diving. Bonaire’s claim to fame is shore diving, not drift, wreck, or other such. It is the number one reef, for the number of species found on one reef. They have even started a group lead by Jerry Ligon, Sand Dollar’s Naturalist Guide, that can identify 100 species on a single dive. I’m not well versed on minor differences so I can only identify about 25 on a single dive. But I was able to get up to about 85 over the course of my trip.

Both the Century Club and the Reef Club can be joined via Jerry for free. A shore dive at Bari Reef with Jerry, preceded by a couple of hours of slides and other information vital to identifying species, costs about $30 and truly enhances future dives. The reef club keeps statistic on species and the number of them all over the world and you don’t have to be an expert to be a part of it.

link will give you a nice dive site map along with the names of the sites. link does not have as nice a map but it provides a chart with the name of sites as well as if it is good for snorkeling.

Shore diving sites within Washington-Slagbaai Park include Playa Funchi and Boca Bartol; the latter better suited to advanced divers and not accessible by boat.

Shore diving north of Kralendijk includes Ol’ Blue, 1000 Steps, and Weber’s Joy. Easiest entries are at Pietries Pillar and La Machaca, which are not accessible by boat.

Town Pier located in downtown Kralendijk and Salt Pier, south of the airport near the salt pans are both good shore dives, but require a local dive master and Harbor Master permission. Guided shore dives usually cost about $20.

Shore diving south of the airport offers shore access at every site, but some such as the Hilma Hooker Wreck require quite a bit of a swim. The better sites for shore diving in this area include Aquarius, Larry’s Lair and Willemstoren Lighthouse the furthest south dive site. There are many other sites along the highway that are better accessed by boat.

Everything from plants and animals to reefs and fish are monitored, protected, and/or observed with several organizations to join or get information from such as link. Bonaire is a place for nature lovers and nature preservationist.

Turtles are protected, as are their nests and eggs by both local and international law. The turtles I found while diving are called Hawksbill, but others include Loggerhead, Green and Leatherback. If you spot a turtle while diving you are requested to report the sighting to a dive shop or the Marine Park. The Sea Turtle Club of Bonaire link can provide information, pictures, and statistics.

Corals are protected by both local and international law and included hard corals, soft corals and sea fans, regardless of whether are alive or dead. (Little sand is found on any beaches, it is all chunks of coral) Coral reefs can be destroyed by stirred up sand (watch your fins), trash, and touching. Some varieties can take as long as ten years to grow an inch and they provide homes to many little fish. More information can be found at link.

Plants are protected by domestic laws such as the orchids, lilies, cactus, bromeliads and others. Bonaire was once a forest (incredible to fathom) but the hardwood tree was harvested to near extinction. I discovered mostly brush and cactus, which are home to iguanas and lizards that are also protected. Turtle grass in Lac Bay is not to be touched or disturbed due their importance to fish larvae from the sea and conch.

Birds too are protected. I did see two of the local parrots as well as the sugar thief (which is actually attracted to bowls of sugar water and syrup on your table.) There are also the terns, snowy white egrets, herons and the great white egret that is starting to increase in numbers again.

Last, I will mention the donkey and flamingo preserves. Neither of which is to be harassed or otherwise annoyed. Both are protected and being taken care of. More information for the wild donkeys can be found at link and donations are accepted.

Transportation to Cai Point in Lac Bay, kayaks, water bottles, back rests and viewers (for the water) are all provided along with a guide that discusses the flora and fauna during this half day tour. Mollan, our guide, explained that the turtle grass we saw seemed to be dirty as it attracted dust which in turn kept the waters clear. She pointed out the upside down jellyfish that resided that way as they received enough nutrients from the influx of the water that there was no need for drifting around and having long tentacles. They actually looked a lot like sea anemones at first, until you noticed some of them turn sideways. And yes they have a mild sting, we were informed. The large red sea stars were abundant in the bay as there is no coral to hinder their movement.

Red Mangroves have roots that look like branches growing downward toward the water. Bright orange and purple sponges as well as mussels attach themselves to the roots in the water.

Birds included green egrets, snowy white egrets and the great white egrets that were prized for their plumage years ago resulting in dwindling numbers. We were also greeted by laughing gulls on the shore.

Sand Dollar Dive and Photo is located right off Bari Reef, which is reputed to have over 250 species of fish. (One of the top dive spots for number of species at one reef). A la Carte shore and boat diving is available as are packages for both. One boat dive is $20; a package of 12 is $280. An air fill is $4 and $30 for 6 day of unlimited fills. The boats visit most of 70 dive sites and are 20 minute long rides. Three boat dives per day are offered, two in the morning and one in the afternoon. A morning naturalist dive to with slides and a presentation costs $30 and is a great idea to begin identification. Prices do not include a 10% service charge and 5% sales tax.

This dive shop offers shore dives to Bari Reef that happens to be rated as one of the top reef for variety of species. Only 15 years ago it had been a dumping ground for 20 years for the residents.

This full service dive operator has specialty training in wrecks, deep diving, kayak diving, underwater photography as well open water one and advanced courses. The staff at this shop includes a photographer complete with equipment rental and purchases, a naturalist for both diving and birdwatching and specialist in night diving.

Arrangements can also be made for mountain biking, hiking, kayaking, snorkeling and cruises.

Bonaire is shaped a bit like a crescent. In the middle of this crescent only 500 yards from Kralendijk is Klein Bonaire, although the water depth I am told gets to 600 feet deep in the crossing. Klein Bonaire is completely flat with scrub brush and no facilities or development. It is my understanding that the government purchased it from an individual to keep it that way. It serves a great purpose for scuba diving and snorkeling. Diving depths here are from 70 to 90 feet. Water temperature even at depth is about 80 degrees.

Forest dive site is where I and four other people from boat slipped from 60 feet to 130 feet unintentionally. This is a forest with huge mushroom-shaped coral, black coral and sponges that are so dense it is easy to go around an obstacle only to discover you have dropped 20 feet. This is not a good place for inexperienced divers. Huge brain coral the size of boulders and sheet coral at 90 feet only serve to reinforce the feeling of being alone in a forest.

Joannies Sunshi and Bonaventure are two other dives sites a little closer to the main land than Forest. The dives are also shallower more in the 60-80 foot range. Here you find a turtle or two, sponges, gorgonians, sea fans, anemones, flower coral, and vase sponges with red lipped blemmies, basslets, and butterfly fish darting in and around. There are also plenty of Christmas tree worms that disappear if your finger gets with a few inches of it. A macro lens is advised to photograph this one.

Returning to the boat and climbing up the ladder while in rough water will leave you with plenty of black and blue marks on your shins. There is no way to avoid them. The surface water is rough, but the under current mild. An ala carte boat dive costs $20 and these moderate depth sites are usually visited on the 11:30 boat dives.

The deep dives to Hilma Hooker and the Invisibles are only conducted at the 8:45 boat departures to make sure divers make their deepest dives first. The one tank boat dive a-la-carte price is $20 and both dive sites are 100 feet.

Although the Hilma Hooker Wreck can be reached from shore, it is a long swim. This wreck is so large it has three moorings where three boats can tie up at once. (Bonaire boats do not drop anchors.) The 236 long freighter sank in 1984 from not quite known reasons. The boat was having engine trouble and when the harbormaster inquired if they could provide assistance the captain said no and they would fix the problem while anchoring out at Klein Bonaire. Officials in Florida were in contact with the Bonaire harbor master and told them drugs were suspected. The boat was brought near the shores of the main island where no drugs were found. Not until the harbormaster began reviewing design blueprints. The drugs were brought ashore and destroyed. A couple of days later the boat sank. It rests on its side with the bow at 100 feet and the propeller at 65 feet. Coincidentally before the ship sank, divers in the area had made the remark it would make a great artificial reef. Under the bottom of the ship at about 115 feet reside several huge barracudas.

The Invisibles is a really neat dive sight. It has two reefs that parallel the shore. The reefs are huge pinnacles with only an expanse of sand and garden eels separating the two. When you are on the bottom of the sandy area, every direction you look are pinnacles as if you are in the middle of a crater. It is almost disorientating the way you feel incredible tiny gazing up the sheer walls. If you have good buoyancy, you can hover your way up or down the pinnacles and be able to view the tiny sea life such as the red-banded shrimp peeking out of the tube coral. They look so much like a spider. This is also when you realize a scene you are watching is a fish protecting it’s nest as it chases another one away when it gets too close. You also notice the small blemmies and gobies darting in and around the coral, the inch long nudibranchs, Christmas tree worms and lettuce sea slugs.

Groupers, jacks, spotted eels, trunkfish, filefish, and balloon fish are visible as well at these sites.

The coastal trail, also the long route is 34 km and takes approximately 2 ½ hours with minimal stopping. The roads are 90% dirt with good size ruts so renting a truck or jeep is a necessity. The roads are one way and the sites are pretty well marked. The entrance fee is $10 and you will be a given map with practically no sightseeing information, but plenty of warning regarding the surf and high fire danger. First stop shortly after going through the gate is Playa Chikitu where you will find Indian inscriptions. Boka Kokolishi is a magnificent waterfall pattern in the ocean with a very small beach area, which I choose not to venture. It seems as if these rounded level steps have to have been man-made.

Further down the road is a Malmok Lighthouse, which provides a nice view, but you cannot go inside the higher level. Boko Katuna is a beach across from a lagoon, which is haven for bird watchers. Even a few flamingos are around, but they are very shy and depart quickly when they hear a sound. Boka Bartol is a wonderful beach with a sheltered cove for escaping the sun after you’ve been out enjoying a good snorkel. Here the water entrance is smooth without waves and has plenty of sea life. This is also one of the very few beaches with sand in Bonaire. The buildings on the beach are from an old plantation used for harvesting aloe plants. I found no problems wondering in and around the buildings.

There are no services anywhere in this park. Bring plenty of water, sunscreen and anything else of importance. I came across only one other vehicle. Mountain bikes can be rented and I’ve heard that people do hit the trails on their bikes. Do due the lack of facilities and the need water, I personally could not have handled it. This area has scrub brush and large cactus, shade it is nearly non-existent. As you park, you will notice the iguanas and lizards race to get under your car for shade and the possible of water from your air conditioner.

Jibe City located on the southern part of Lac Bay at Sorboron Beach has sailboard rentals from $20 per hour, $45 for a half-day (four hours) or a full day for $60. You can make reservations after 4:00pm to have a hold placed until 11:00 am the following day for sailboards. Two-hour lessons from beginner to advance can be arranged for $45, although advanced lessons do not include equipment. Private lessons, lesson packages and video analyses are available. Free clinics are offered at 9:00am and are half an hour long on a simulator with half an hour on the water.

Kayak rentals run $10 for two hours or full day for $30. Two hour guided tours through the mangroves in Lac Bay and sunset trips are offered for $40. There is also a combination snorkel/kayak trip to Klein Bonaire (the island) for $40 lasting two hours and guided.

Jibe City Lac Bay, Sorboron Beach 599 717-5233 599 717-4455 fax link

Town Pier is the most photographed night dive in Bonaire. Because it is a working pier with tug boats that tie up, you need to contact the harbor master or schedule the night dive with a dive shop as I did.

The lights from the pier make it much easier for a first time night diver. Concrete steps lead into the beach area, which is another plus. You can decide where to have your gear on and walk down or sit on the bottom step to put it on. Afterwards a brief snorkel, you are under the pier. The bright orange cup corals on the pilings were nearly blinding. Looking closer we found frogfish, fire worms, sponges and more. In the old tires on the bottom were eels that were easily coaxed out by tapping on the tire. Since nighttime is their feeding time you are much more inclined to see the entire spotted eel rather than just it’s head from behind a rock. Trumpet fish and trunkfish were active as well. For me, the colors during the night were the most spectacular part of the dive. The divemaster picked up a trunkfish and gently set in on the palm of my hand. I was fascinated petting this creature that was neither slimy nor weird nor confined to me in any way. This same man also petted the eels that were inside the tires.

The cost for the dive was $20 including transportation for an hour dive in a maximum of 20 feet deep water. The time in the water was from about 7:30 to 8:30pm.

Sand Dollar Dive & Photo Kaya Gob N. Debrot #77 599 717-5433 599 717-5252 fax link link

Many of the dive sites on the main island off the western coast can be accessed by either shore or boat. From the one way paved road along the shoreline, rocks are painted yellow indicating the name of the dive site. Average diving depth is 45-50 feet with a very mild current. The sites along here are where you find the smaller brightly colored fish such as butterfly fish, trunkfish, angelfish, gobies, and even seahorses.

The cost for a boat dive is $20 and includes a one tank dive. If you are renting a vehicle a tank hold is usually included in the back of the truck. Bonaire Marine Park charges $10 a year park entry fee that goes to the preservation on the park. The money pays for research and promoting ecological awareness. For additional information: link or limk.

Ol’ Blue’s shore access is a little tricky, but it can be done. There is ledge with staghorn coral and pencil coral as well as mushroom like coral. Wrasses and filefish come out from the shallows to great you.

La Machaca is a step off Captain Don’s Habitat (dive shop). In 30-40 feet of water you will find snappers and grunts, anemones and lettuce sea slugs (about 1 to 1 ½ inches long, but very cute). In the sandy areas you will see the yellowhead jawfish peering up from their holes. I rather thought they looked like little angels myself.

1000 steps does have a long staircase down to a beach area for shore diving, but I preferred to do this one as a boat dive. Because it is shallow and has a beach, this is also a good place for snorkeling. Trunkfish, trumpet fish, wrasses, gobies, filefish and spotted eels abound. Often the trumpet fish (master of disguise) would follow an eel in hopes of getting a meal scared up.

North Island Shallow Dive Sites Sand Dollar Dive & Photo Kaya Gob N. Debrot #77 599 717-5433 599 717-5252 fax link link

This one way inland trail around is 24km and takes approximately 1 ½ hours with little to no stopping. Hiking and wildlife viewing are the opportunities in this part of the park. Brandaris Mountain, my first stop is 241 meters, somewhere around 760 feet high with two false tops before reaching the real top. I took 45 minutes each way for this trek and it is moderately strenuous around the large boulders. From here the view of Pos Nobo Lagoon feeding into Wayaca Beach and Playa Funchi Lagoon are breathtaking. Continue down the road to pass Boka Slagbaai and you reach Gotomeer. This is a large flamingo sanctuary with hiking trails for better viewing. These shy birds are heavily protected not only because of there numbers (which are increasing), but because little disturbance can reek havoc with their mating habits.

The inland trails of this park offer several footpaths off the main dirt road. I commend those that mountain bike the entire park, but I would rather pull a bike out of the bed of my truck at certain points. Neither fresh water nor any other facilities exist in the park except for the infrequent trashcans. Among the scrub brush and cactus are plenty of large lizards and iguanas, which will race to the shade under your parked vehicle and hopefully get some water from the air conditioner you have been using along the drive.

The park is open from 8-5 with the last vehicle entering at 2:45 and costs $10. This park covers nearly 30% of Bonaire.

National Park Washington-Slagbaai link hours 8-5, entrance from Rincon City

Departure tax is $20, goods and service tax is 5%, room tax is $5.50-6.50 per person per day and tipping for diving, taxis, restaurants etc… is 10-15%. Because of what I felt was such personal service while diving, I tipped very well and am sure it is appreciated. A visa and onward ticket is required. Languages spoken are papiamentu (local), Dutch, English and Spanish. Invariably you can get your point across and/or questions answered. Dress code is casual, but beachwear worn downtown is frowned upon. Tap water is from treated seawater and is safe to drink. Post office is located at JA Abraham Blvd across from the shopping plaza and two buildings away from the tourist center.

Transportation- Taxis are not readily available but can be arranged. Bikes are about $10 per day to cover a 7 x 24 mile island. Vehicle rentals are reasonable around $40 per day, but reservations are advised to make sure a one is available. The car agencies don’t bother to inform you of the type of fuel so ask as the stations have leaded, unleaded and an oil/gas mix. Foreign driver’s licenses are accepted. The distance between Kralendijk and Hato, two main cities are a couple miles. This is an easy island to bike around, but shore diving makes vehicle rentals popular. The two places that a vehicle comes in handy are Washington Park to the north and Lac Bay to the south.

Low season is mid-April to mid-December with the rainy season from Nov-Jan. Bonaire is typically breezy making a nice hairstyle a waste of time. The evenings are balmy and a little less breezy. At 8:30 I was still walking in a t-shirt and shorts.

Shopping is closed on Sundays and during about 12:30-1:30 during the remainder of the week. Restaurants are frequently closed from 2:00-5:00.

Pink Beach, located due south of Kralendijk, is a beautiful strand that takes on a pink color when it is wet. The sand is like fine talcum and the water is calm. Scuba diving, swimming, and snorkeling are all good here. Nearby, and a little inland, are the saltpans with bright hills of salt and a pink flamingo sanctuary. The shrimp of these ponds turn pink due to what they eat and this in turn is why flamingos are pink. The young birds are not so pink as they have not eaten enough shrimp to develop the darker color. This beach area is also the only area you find some shade, plenty of trashcans and cooking pits.

The salt industry began in the 19th century with slaves working them and living in tiny quarters called slave huts. Next to the huts were obelisks of orange and blue so incoming ships would know where to make their pick up. The salt industry also required the use of donkeys for carrying heavier items. Once the operation became mechanical and their need ceased, they were turned loose. Now the wild donkeys are found in several places on the island and in particular a reserve that provides food and medicine, educates the public and allows them to feed the animals. This preserve, the Donkey Sanctuary is indicated on the coastal road heading south from the airport. The admission is free and it is open from 10:00-12:00, link, offers a snacks and gifts with the money going to the care of donkeys. Just as a side note it is a $750 fine for hitting one of these creatures. Dawn and dusk you will find them crossing the roads.