First time to the ABC's

[Fouremco]

@Perky1, after giving it more thought, I'll change my initial "recommendation" to "Option One" and add the following:

 

Option Two:

 

Drive north, but this time make your first stop Oil Slick Leap, go on to 1000 Steps, then continue north to Karpata. I love this site, one of the reasons I decided I needed to add this option! From there, go to Rincon for lunch. After eating, drive east and then south back to Kralendijk. Depending on the time you've spent in the water and enjoying a leisurely lunch, you might have time to drive south of the city for a bit more snorkeling or site seeing.

 

Other than including Karpata, this circular route benefits from providing a greater variety of sight seeing, not only because you don't backtrack over the same bit of road, but because the windward side of the island that you'll see after leaving Rincon is very different.

 

Decisions, decisions... 

[Perky1]

14 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

@Perky1, after giving it more thought, I'll change my initial "recommendation" to "Option One" and add the following:

 

Option Two:

 

Drive north, but this time make your first stop Oil Slick Leap, go on to 1000 Steps, then continue north to Karpata. I love this site, one of the reasons I decided I needed to add this option! From there, go to Rincon for lunch. After eating, drive east and then south back to Kralendijk. Depending on the time you've spent in the water and enjoying a leisurely lunch, you might have time to drive south of the city for a bit more snorkeling or site seeing.

 

Other than including Karpata, this circular route benefits from providing a greater variety of sight seeing, not only because you don't backtrack over the same bit of road, but because the windward side of the island that you'll see after leaving Rincon is very different.

 

Decisions, decisions... 

so, did you get to see the donkey sanctuary and flamingo’s.  I have the maps that (although blurry) that they give you with the golf carts so I will try to figure it out between what you and Mr_T have suggested.  Thank you both so much.... try to find better map online too.

[Fouremco]

55 minutes ago, Perky1 said:

so, did you get to see the donkey sanctuary and flamingo’s.  I have the maps that (although blurry) that they give you with the golf carts so I will try to figure it out between what you and Mr_T have suggested.  Thank you both so much.... try to find better map online too.

If you go with Option Two, when you leave Karpata, continue for around 50 m until you reach Kaminda Karpata. Instead of turning right towards Rincon, turn left and continue paralleling the shoreline for about 2.5 km. There you'll turn right onto Kaminda Goto, which runs along the shore of Gotomeer, a saltwater lagoon and flamingo hangout. We've always seen flamingos there, in varying numbers. Just continue on to Rincon.

 

As for donkeys, we've never visited the sanctuary but have seen dozens and dozens of them at the sides of the road. When you drive along the eastern coastline after leaving Rincon, you'll see small herds of them between the road and the sea. 

 

Here's a snapshot of the route. Ignore the 59 minute time estimate, as that would be for a car driving non-stop.

 

[Cyber Kat]

I know most people want to snorkel or be beach bums, but DH and I are all about photography.  We have done photo tours in other places (Barbados was the best!). Does anyone on the ABC islands do organized photo tours?

 

I know we could do it on our own, but it’s so much better with a local photographer who knows the great spots!

 

[Fouremco]

1 hour ago, Cyber Kat said:

I know most people want to snorkel or be beach bums, but DH and I are all about photography.  We have done photo tours in other places (Barbados was the best!). Does anyone on the ABC islands do organized photo tours?

 

I know we could do it on our own, but it’s so much better with a local photographer who knows the great spots!

 

A quick search on Google will give you what you are looking for. I checked for each of the ABC's and there are tours offered on each island.

[Cyber Kat]

4 hours ago, Fouremco said:

A quick search on Google will give you what you are looking for. I checked for each of the ABC's and there are tours offered on each island.

Been there, done that!  Lots of tours but none that are photography tours.  Also checked TripAdvisor and Tours by Locals.  I'm quite internet savvy 😄

[Fouremco]

53 minutes ago, Cyber Kat said:

Been there, done that!  Lots of tours but none that are photography tours.  Also checked TripAdvisor and Tours by Locals.  I'm quite internet savvy 😄

I'm just an old septuagenarian who muddles his way through all this new fangled technology, so I'll defer to your superior internet savvy and your pronouncement that Google couldn't find you any photography tours. I guess an old geezer like me must be using some different, old fashioned logic in my searches, though, coz I've found a few in the limited time I had to take a peek today.

 

Here are three photography tours for Bonaire, one available directly, one through Viator and one with a focus on nature and birds:

 

https://www.nature2experience.com/photography-tours-bonaire/

 

https://www.viator.com/en-CA/tours/Kralendijk/Private-Photography-Tour/d4309-158023P1

 

http://www.bonairebirdtours.com

 

Here's one for Curaçao from Viator:

 

https://www.viator.com/tours/Curacao/Private-Instagram-Photo-Tour-of-Curacao/d725-41074P2

 

Time for my afternoon nap, so no time to search for Aruba, but if you don't find what you are looking for, you might want to reach out to one of the local photographers and see if they know anyone.

 

[stoshb]

Has anyone done the land sail excursion in Bonaire?  This is something I have wanted to do for ages?  

 

Will be there in May

[mahdnc]

1 hour ago, stoshb said:

Has anyone done the land sail excursion in Bonaire?  This is something I have wanted to do for ages?  

 

Will be there in May

 

We were going to book it for next month, but our Silhouette cruise got cancelled because of drydock schedule changes!

 

Too bad, it looked fun. 

[MNBluffBuffs]

Wow!  Thanks everyone for the great information.  We booked with Woodwind😎  Still deciding on the rest!  It would seem to many great options!

[mahdnc]

1 hour ago, MNBluffBuffs said:

Wow!  Thanks everyone for the great information.  We booked with Woodwind😎  Still deciding on the rest!  It would seem to many great options!

 

Good to hear! I am sure you will enjoy it.