Bonaire is a Caribbean oasis — small, calm and charming. Just a bit north of Venezuela, the Dutch Caribbean island has far more things to do than you’d expect on an island of just about 16,000 people. Of course, here, the sea is the star of the show. Bonaire is the unquestioned diving capital of the Caribbean (with dive sites at nearly every turn), but the water is truly a playground — with every water sport you can imagine. Here are five things to do on (or in) the water on Bonaire.
Diving
This is the soul of Bonaire, and whether you simply want to learn how to dive or are so advanced that you want to try technical diving, you won’t find better diving anywhere else in the region.
Kite Surfing
Above: Kite Beach
Head to the famous Kite Beach and try your hand at this increasingly popular pastime. (And Kite Beach is a great beach in its own right, if you simply want to watch others).
Snorkeling
The beauty of Bonaire is that if you don’t dive, you can snorkel. Every dive site is, of course, a snorkeling site as well, and the water is as clear as glass.
Wind surfing
Above: Lac Bay
There’s no scientific data on it, but it sure seems like there are more windsurfers on Lac Bay than anywhere else in the world.
Exploring the Mangrove Forest
Above: the water beneath the mangroves
The Mangrove Forest at Lac Bay has four species of mangroves, and the Mangrove Information Centre Bonaire organizes kayaking trips throughout the park. (You can also snorkel when you reach the halfway point — just watch out for the upside-down jellyfish).
— CJ