The Best Things to Do in Bonaire
Bonaire is the lesser-known sibling of the Dutch Caribbean islands, a sister to Aruba and Curaçao (their first initials make up the chain’s catchy nickname: the ABC islands). The colorful Netherlands Antilles archipelago lies 50 miles off the coast of Venezuela and comfortably outside the Caribbean’s hurricane belt.
Bonaire is laid-back by design: Large chain hotels have been kept out and eco-preservation enforced since the 1970's, keeping the local dive sites some of the best in the world. The island’s relaxed and slow pace which helps maintain the island’s chief attributes: its national park, and legendarily pristine wilderness, both above and below the surface. Adventure sports abound, too: diving, caving, sea kayaking, mountain biking, wind surfing, and cliff jumping, to name a few. The culture contains layers of Amerindian, Spanish, African, Dutch, and British influences. In fact, you’ll hear traces of the languages of all of the above (plus some French and Portuguese) during any given conversation in Papiamento, the creole language spoken. You'll find you can get by just fine with a few key phrases: por fabor, danki, and bon dia—all of which mean exactly what you think they do. Warning: Bonaire may become your new favorite spot.
Bonaire is laid-back by design: Large chain hotels have been kept out and eco-preservation enforced since the 1970's, keeping the local dive sites some of the best in the world. The island’s relaxed and slow pace which helps maintain the island’s chief attributes: its national park, and legendarily pristine wilderness, both above and below the surface. Adventure sports abound, too: diving, caving, sea kayaking, mountain biking, wind surfing, and cliff jumping, to name a few. The culture contains layers of Amerindian, Spanish, African, Dutch, and British influences. In fact, you’ll hear traces of the languages of all of the above (plus some French and Portuguese) during any given conversation in Papiamento, the creole language spoken. You'll find you can get by just fine with a few key phrases: por fabor, danki, and bon dia—all of which mean exactly what you think they do. Warning: Bonaire may become your new favorite spot.