The Caribbean Island of Bonaire Is Now Open for Tourism

The Dutch Caribbean island of Bonaire has reopened its borders for tourism from its key source markets of the United States and Canada, the Tourism Corporation Bonaire said this week.

Crucially, all United States and Canadian visitors must first fly to Curaçao as the island is maintaining a ban on direct flights from the US to Bonaire through mid-November.

For now, Curaçao is only welcoming tourists from four states in the U.S.: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and, most recently, Florida. (The first flights from Florida to Curacao will be launching on Dec. 2, with service on American Airlines from Miami).

United will relaunch flights from Newark to Curaçao on Nov. 7, while JetBlue will launch flights from New York to Curaçao on Dec. 9.

There will be four daily flights between Curaçao and Bonaire.

All travelers to Bonaire must undergo and receive a negative PCR test result within 72 hours of travel.

All travelers additionally need to fill out a health declaration form for the island’s Public Health Department 48 hours before departure (you can find the form here).

“Bonaire wants to gradually expand the number of flights to the island in the future,” the Tourism Corporation Bonaire said in a statement. “This will only be possible if circumstances allow it and the risks are minimal.”

Bonaire has just one active case on the island, and a total of 134 since the beginning of the pandemic, 130 of whom recovered.

So what’s open on the island? Many of the island’s top hotels and vacation apartments will be back open in early November, including the Harbour Village Beach Club and Captain Don’s Habitat, among others.

— CJ