The Dutch Caribbean island of Bonaire has been one of the hottest destinations in the Caribbean this year, continuing a trend that began last year. 

In the first quarter, Bonaire welcomed even more visitors than it did in the same period in 2019, before the onset of the pandemic, and the island is poised for a big summer. 

Next month, the island hosts a pair of major festivals: the ultra-popular Bonaire Rum Week from June 12-17 and the newly-launched Bonaire Yoga and Wellness Festival from June 19-25. 

Bonaire Rum Week, now in its second year, is the Caribbean’s premier celebration of premium rum, with a slate of nine different events hosted at top hotels and eateries across the island. 

Unlike most rum festivals held in indoor expo halls, Bonaire Rum Week is all about enjoying the Caribbean’s most delicious export al fresco at oceanfront and tropical settings. 

“There’s no rum festival in the world quite like Bonaire Rum Week,” said Alexander Britell, editor and publisher of Caribbean Journal, which is organizing the event in collaboration with Tourism Corporation Bonaire. “It’s a chance to explore Bonaire’s dynamic culinary scene and enjoy some of the Caribbean’s greatest rums.”

Bonaire Rum Week kicks off with a VIP event at Bamboo Bonaire, followed by the Grand Opening on June 13 at Rum Runners, the island’s most famous bar. 

On June 14, the Plaza Beach and Dive Resort hosts the Rum on the Beach party, while on June 15 guests can enjoy a Rum Lunch at the Harbour Village Beach Club’s La Balandra restaurant; that evening, there’s a happy hour at stunning sunset deck at the Divi Flamingo Resort. 

June 16 includes a rum party at the Buddy Dive resort followed by a night of rum and world-class dining at the number one restaurant in the Caribbean, the Brass Boer. 

“The decentralized nature of the event means you can pick and choose which rum events to enjoy,” Britell said. 

All events require an RSVP to rum@caribjournal.com. 

Bonaire is also hosting a unique edition of its popular Taste of Bonaire festival, with a Taste of Bonaire-Rum Week collaboration on June 17.

The following week, the island takes its chill to another level, with the Caribbean’s newest wellness week.

The new Bonaire Yoga and Wellness Festival puts the island’s zen atmosphere in the spotlight, with an agenda filled with wellness events and yoga classes hosted by top experts in the space. For more, visit Bonaire Yoga and Wellness Festival. 

For more, visit Bonaire Rum Week.