Katefromupstate

Hi, Bonaire has been repaving many roads this year, most of the ones tourists will drive on are fine for golf carts. For locals, golf carts can be a problem when we’re trying to get to work, the store, appointments, etc. One of the things that folks that rent golf carts can do is to periodically pull over and let traffic pass. The golf carts go slower than cars and most tourists drive slowly to enjoy the scenery and frequently go in large groups, making it difficult to pass them. Locals driving frequently get stuck behind golf carts and are too polite to honk at you, so please check your rear view mirror and if you see cars lined up behind you, please move over so we can pass. We appreciate it! Hope you enjoy your trip, Kate

Hi, On a cruise ship day, the ferries to the small island of Klein Bonaire will be booked for shore excursions, so if you want to go there, you will need a reservation. The ferries usually come directly to your ship and drop you back off there. It’s not a 90 minute round trip unless they are planning a slow boarding time, the ferry to Klein takes a little less than a half hour. If you want to go to chogogo, get there as soon as you can, they have a limited number of day passes and they often sell out. If you arrive and they are sold out, you can walk next door to Eden Beach Resort and buy a day pass there. Hope you enjoy your trip! all the best, Kate

Usually any cruise that goes to Bonaire will also stop at Curacao and Aruba, so you can check a few stops off your list. Due to our location near the equator, you’ll likely be on at least a 9 day cruise to stop at Bonaire. Bonaire is beautiful and unspoiled. It is safe, quiet, and the residents are kind and friendly. (I live on Bonaire, so I’m biased.) The sea is crystal clear and warm. The island takes its eco status seriously, and you will find the sea, corals, and marine life protected. We are divers and other than Indonesia, Bonaire diving is the best we’ve ever done. If you like to snorkel, you can walk into the water almost anywhere, the reef is close to shore. If you take a shore excursion by boat, they will take you to the best snorkeling sites. We have some sandy beaches, but we are not ringed with sand beaches like Aruba. Our shores are more rocky, which is better for the corals than sand. We are a quieter island, without high rise buildings or traffic lights. We do not attract spring breakers, we tend to attract nature lovers and people who live to dive, snorkel, windsurf, kite surf, kayak, etc. We have parrots in the trees and donkeys and goats meandering along the side of some roads. Yet we have every modern convenience and store we need. Our downtown is beautiful and right where the ship docks. If you just come on a cruise, you will not likely have a chance to experience restaurants here, but the island is also known for amazing chef owned restaurants. Many people come back to Bonaire to live or to do a land based vacation after experiencing it on a cruise ship stop. We are a short direct flight from Miami, and there are also nonstop flights to Bonaire from Atlanta, Newark, Houston and Toronto. all the best, Kate

Depending on how much time you have before you need to get back on the shop, you can either relax at Divi Flamingo to enjoy the small beach area, or if you’ve had enough sun and water, walk into town. There are great shops on the waterfront and the street behind it, and there is a cruise ship market with handcrafted goods. It’s all in the same area, so easy to get around. Try Gio’s homemade ice cream on Kaya Grandi. Or, you might enjoy a late lunch or drinks and apps at Karel’s Beach Bar, which is a restaurant with a thatched roof that extends on a pier into the water. The views are great, you can see the ship from there, and in the clear water you’ll see many fish hoping to have some bread thrown to them. enjoy! kate

Yes, a taxi can take you there. Just remember to get the phone number of the driver so you can call for a ride back to port when you are ready. Kate

Glad to hear it was helpful, thank you for letting us know. I hope you have a wonderful time in Bonaire. We’re currently in Japan on a cruise with NCL. best, Kate

So glad to hear you enjoyed it! Next time you’re scheduled for a stop in Bonaire, we’d love to meet you. We are currently in Japan on an NCL cruise and having a great time. all the best, kate

Sorry that happened to you. Going forward, this won’t be a problem with upcoming cruises this spring because Bonaire does not do daylight savings time. So, when you all turn your clocks forward tonight, Bonaire will be the same as east coast time zone. Then in the fall when the US falls back, Bonaire will be an hour ahead of east coast time zone again. Kate

Yes, the beach is now open again. The island did a great job cleaning up and protecting the mangrove area, and installing booms to prevent more from coming ashore. The west side of the island, where most of the beaches, hotels, restaurants and dive sites are located, was not affected. kate

Hi Toni, just got notice that Lac Bay is again open so you can do your full driving loop. kate

Hi Toni, Yes, unfortunately an oil spill made its way to our eastern shore, where the mangroves and Lac Bay are located. The western side of the island is not affected. Our environmental protection group, STINAPA, the government and volunteers have placed oil blocking booms off the east coast in an effort to prevent more oil from coming into the shallows and shore. During this time the area is closed. Since you aren’t cruising for another week, it is possible the area will be open by the time you get here. What date are you arriving? You can look at the Bonaire Reporter online (free weekly newspaper) to see updates and also InfoBonaire. Hope to see you when you arrive, just ring the bell! all the best, Kate

You can rent a boat with captain for your group with Mako Tours Bonaire or Salty tours Bonaire. You can do a private (max 4 people) off the shore (no boat) snorkeling tour with privateguidedtoursBonaire.com. Bonaire is the premier shore diving location, so you don’t need a boat. Our island is surrounded by reefs very close to shore. enjoy! kate

No, the landsailing is its own activity. But you should have time to do both, if your cruise is there long enough. If you book directly with the landsailing people (blokart Bonaire) they can sometimes pick you up, too. Kate

There is no rental shop there. There are many dive shops on the island that rent masks, fins and snorkels for about $8 per piece, or $24 per person. If you have room in your suitcase, better to bring your own, since it is high season and a lot of equipment is rented by the week by divers and snorkelers staying on the island in hotels. Remember to bring water shoes, our beaches are rocky. If you have never snorkeled before, you might want to join a snorkel tour that provides the equipment and instruction. best of luck, Kate

We live on Bonaire. It’s best to make a reservation with a dive shop to ensure they have the space on the dive boat and the equipment you need. Bonaire is the ultimate Caribbean shore diving location, so you will be on the island with many divers who fly in and spend a week or two diving. They will have reservations for equipment and dives. All our dive operations here are great, just google them and check their price and offerings menus. You can also do shore diving from almost anywhere on the island. VIP diving offers guided shore diving and equipment rental. enjoy! Kate

Sorobon (that’s the name of a resort on Lac Bay) has a gentle sandy shallow entrance. There are many similar shoreline entrances into Lac Bay through bars, restaurants and free spots near the parking lot at the far end. However, the sea is about waist to chest deep maximum, so you’ll have to walk a ways out to swim. Ocean Oasis has a rocky entrance. use google earth to see the shorelines of both. enjoy! kate

Hi, Sorobon is the name of a resort located on Lac Bay, which is on the other side of the island from the port. People generally refer to Lac Bay as “Sorobon” but the resort does not own the beach. There are many restaurants, bars, places to enter the water. Sebastian’s Beach is at the far end, through a restaurant, but you can also drive past it and find free beach access. Lots of windsurfers here due to the shallow calm water, very interesting to watch. You can’t walk it, but a cab can take you. Just remember to arrange a pickup time and get the cab drivers number before the cab drives off.

Totally understandable that you couldn’t remember the beach name on the island of Klein Bonaire, it’s called “No Name Beach.” 😁. Kate

The beach entry at Chogogo is shallow enough that they can stand up. They will probably love the zero entry pool and the lazy river there. Hotels don’t usually rent snorkel gear unless they have an onsite dive shop. Dive shops on Bonaire will rent snorkel equipment, usually about $8 for each piece per day. So mask, snorkel and fins would be around $24 per person. No lifejackets, since they are mostly renting dive equipment, which is a BC (buoyancy compensator) vest designed for divers to wear underwater and above. My suggestion is that you buy inexpensive snorkel sets (make sure snorkel is a dry snorkel that makes it hard for water to get in) and bring them with you. It will probably be less than the cost of rentals. I’ve never seen regular life jackets or rentals here, since a regular life jacket will make it difficult for snorkeling. It is designed to keep you erect with your head above water, when snorkeling, you need to lie flat with your face in the water. Salt water is very buoyant and if you’re with your grandchildren in shallow water and they can swim, you may not need it. If you want one, I’d go for blow ups on their arms or a sling type that has a net area they can lay across with two blow up compartments on either side. It looks like a little hammock and you can sit or lie in it. Folds to almost nothing. I would also have the kids practice in the shallow pool until they are quite comfortable breathing in and out through the snorkel and kicking, before bring them into the sea. Enjoy!

Hi Toni, Yes, you will need water shoes for almost every water entry in Bonaire. Feel free to randomly show up, you’re invited! We like meeting fellow cruisers and happy to help. Kate

hi (realized I don’t know your name) No worries, this is fun. I feel like we made a new friend. Yes, it’s easy to park at Andrea 1 and it’s rarely crowded on a weekday morning. You can also park on the street and walk down the path. We live at #20 on that street, yellow house on the left. What date are you arriving? Feel free to push the gate bell, we may even come snorkeling with you! You can also use our outdoor shower after your snorkel for you and your gear so you’re not driving around sticky. We always leave our towels and coverups on the beach with no problem. Locking your daypacks in the trunk is a good idea, don’t leave anything in view in the car, the same as you wouldn’t anywhere. Bonaire is one of the safest places we’ve ever been, there is no area to avoid. And, you’ll be glad to hear our official currency is the US dollar! Credit cards widely accepted. Since you want to keep your time flexible, I’d just go to lunch when you’re ready, especially on a weekday. I’ve never eaten at Kos Bon So so can’t comment on that. Yes, the dirt road that Sorobon Beach Club, Jibe City and Sebastian’s Beach restaurant and bar is on is driveable in a sedan. There are some bumps, but we just drive a little slower. There is plenty of parking. Lots of lovely gift shops downtown selling jewelry, clothes, souvenirs, art and glassworks by local artists, etc. Our downtown shopping area is basically two long streets parallel to each other (one on the sea) so you can just wander between them and see almost everything. All the best, Kate

Maybe the feature doesn’t work anymore but you can probably figure email out with my user name. Since you’re renting a car, you can easily do both loops now that you’re not doing the mangroves. Here’s an itinerary that covers everything you mentioned you want to see. Leave town and head north, there is one road, Kaya DeBrot, that runs parallel to the sea and continues all the way north. When we have guests, we start with a morning snorkel at Andrea 1 dive site, where we live. After you enter the water, swim to the left. Numerous fish are most active then and it’s a great site. Continue north (road is now called queens highway from this point on maps) and see the ocean on the left. Each dive site is marked by a yellow rock with the name of the site. A nice photo stop is at 1,000 Steps dive site, you can park across the road and take photos at the top of the stairs or go down and snorkel there too. ( It’s not really a thousand steps, it’s about 60, but when you’re climbing back up with a scuba tank on your back it feels like it) continue on the road until you come to a choice of the shortcut to Rincon on the right, or the road to the left. Follow the road to the left, it will eventually turn to the right and you’ll see Gotomeer lake, a brackish lake frequented by flamingoes. Keep going till you see a parking area and overlook on the right. Great photo stop, and has porta potties. The road will continue down to the shores of the lake where if you see flamingoes, you can park on the side of the road and take pics. No walking on the shore is permitted. Continuing on, you will continue upwards on the road and eventually arrive in Rincon. On the right after you enter town, you will see a sign for Posada Para Mira, a hilltop open air restaurant with magnificent views, serving traditional Bonairean food. They are closed Tuesday and Thursday, but are open the other days from 11 am to 6. You can see their website and photos online. After lunch, you can continue on and follow signs for the Cadushy distillery you want to see (they are closed only on Sundays). You can sample the products and buy what you like at the bar area, and if you ask them to show you how it’s made they will take you to another counter and explain the distilling process and how the cactus is gathered. Very interesting. Follow signs to get back to kralendijk (town) and you will be on the eastern side of the island with the sea on your left. You will pass the go kart land sailing place on your left, and sometimes you don’t need a reservation. You can just pull in and watch them, or ask them if you can join for a half hour. There are back roads out to Kaminda Sorobon, but at this point for expediency I would head back to the right side of the island where you pick up the southern loop. Use the Marriott as your destination on google and continue south from there with the ocean on your right. If you have time, you can snorkel at Salt Pier if a ship is not docked. Sometimes you see a turtle in the shallows. You can swim out to the pylons at the end, there are usually lots of fish swimming amid them. If it is crowded with cars and tour buses, continue on. Then you’ll see the things I mentioned in my other post. When you get to Sorobon/lac Bay on the other side, either turn left and head directly into town on Statius Van Eps to go back to the ship or if you still have time, drive down the dirt road past Sorobon beach club and park at the end. You can see beautiful shallow Lac Bay and windsurfers, and have a drink at one of the beach bars. Then turn around and go back to Statius to go back to the cruise.

Hi, Kaminda Sorobon is off Statius Van Epps so your directions are fine. You can look at google maps and see how the roads connect, and where your tour is. Regarding food, there is a convenience store called Good and More on the left as you do the southern loop. There is also a restaurant called Oasis on the water past that, but you may hit it too early for lunch. There are a number of grocery stores too, just not on the loop. If you do the loop early enough, you could eat lunch at Foodies, which is on Kaminda Sorobon. Great food, view of Lac Bay and kitesurfers. Not a quick lunch, but if you get there around noon you should be great to have a leisurely lunch, since you’re near your tour. Best to make a reservation. There are also restaurants on the water at Lac Bay but cruise ships sell excursions there so they will be crowded. When we have houseguests, we do the north and south loop in a day, including a leisurely lunch and time for snorkeling. But that’s not including the mangrove tour. I think you’ll enjoy the southern loop and mangroves, that is a great introduction to Bonaire. Then, if you fall in love with the island like most of us did (we came here on a one week scuba vacation in 2015 and decided to move here.) you’ll have much more to see when you come back. I tried to send you a direct email but you have that feature disabled. If you want to email me directly with more questions about your plans, feel free. Kate

Hi, I live on Bonaire. How are you getting to your rental car, or are they picking you up? If I know where the car rental drop off it will help to figure times. Stores downtown don’t usually open till 10 am, so if your partner likes to shop, you could do that for a bit before going to your mangrove excursion. The cruise ship market (an open air area with vendor stalls) will be setting up earlier in the morning so you can look at that while you’re waiting for stores to open. Some stores stay open later when a cruise ship is in town, most close at 5 pm. I think just walking around the beautiful downtown seafront street in the morning is scenic, even if shops aren’t open. I wouldn’t sacrifice exploring time in the car waiting for the stores to open. If your ship departs at 8 pm, it is likely your all aboard time will be 6 pm or 6:30 at the latest. Let the mangrove folks know what time you need to be back at the ship so your tour doesn’t run over. If you’ve chosen the one where you snorkel as well as paddle, you’ll want to clean off and change clothes afterwards. It doesn’t sound like you will have time to do anything afterwards but get back to the ship. After the mangrove tour, don’t take the long southern loop to get back to the ship, there are shorter routes. Kaya Statius van Epps cuts directly across the island and it is what we take when going to the Lac Bay Area. You can also use this route to get there if you are running short of time before the tour and skip going around the entire southern loop, just doing part of it. To do the southern loop you will head south towards the airport, and by 11 am, there are usually two food trucks parked at Te Amo Beach (across from airport) for the snacks or early lunch you mentioned. You can drive around the entire southern tip of the island, passing many small beaches on the right and the Salt mountains and flats on the left. There are also the original slave huts on the right. Depending on what day you are here, you will likely see lots of colorful kite surfers in the air at Atlantis beach, on your right as you approach the southernmost beaches. Not enough time? Just past the airport, look for signs for Statius Van Epps and go left for a direct route to the other coast. If you drive the full loop, when you round the bottom of the island and start up the other side, watch for the lighthouse, totems, art and cairns made on the ocean side. Residents and tourists make these art pieces from materials that wash up on shore such as driftwood, rope and dead coral pieces. There were a number of sculptures meant to look like Christmas trees last month. Hope you have a wonderful trip! Kate

It depends on what time of year you are traveling here. Bonaire is currently one hour ahead of Eastern standard time, since we don’t have daylight savings time. In spring when the US turns its clocks ahead, we will be the same time as US east coast time. If you book an excursion on Bonaire, it will be on Bonaire time. Most ships will notify you to set your watches ahead the night before, in the daily paper cruise guide, on ship tvs, etc. Scuba here is wonderful, enjoy!