Cruises to Bonaire

Cruises to Bonaire bring you to a pristine landscape of semi-desert and low-lying volcanic hills, the entire island fringed by dazzling beaches and spectacular coral reefs. Kralendijk, the buzzing capital, is packed with history and colorful Dutch colonial architecture, as well as a thriving art scene, nearby beaches, and some great places to sample island cuisine.

Outside Kralendijk, you’ll find some of the best diving and snorkeling in the world, many of the reefs accessible from the beach. A drive around the island reveals jagged cliffs and blowholes, as well as shimmering salt pans where pink flamingoes feed. Whether you choose to explore the underwater world, hike desert trails, or shop for handmade jewelry in town, a Caribbean cruise is a wonderful introduction to this enchanting island.

Bonaire’s cuisine includes influences from the Caribbean, the Dutch, and the Spanish. Seafood is widely available, while goat meat is an island favorite. Most dishes come with funchi, which is similar to polenta, or the rice ‘n’ peas that you find all over the Caribbean, the peas being beans rather than green peas. Fried plantain is a local favorite, too.

Try pastechis, like Spanish empanadas, and guiambo, similar to gumbo, a rich stew of seafood and okra. A stobá is a rich meat stew cooked very slowly. If it’s made from kabritu, that’s goat meat, while baka is beef. A local classic is keshi yena, in which an Edam cheese is hollowed out, filled with meat, and baked, the cheese imparting its delicious gooey flavor and texture into the meat.

Bonaire’s first inhabitants were the Caquetío people, who migrated from Venezuela around 1,000 years ago. The first Europeans arrived from Spain in 1499 and were quick to enslave the islanders, taking them to Hispaniola to work the plantations there.

By 1526, Bonaire had become a place for raising livestock, with some of the Caquetío returning to tend the herds. The island, along with Aruba and Curaçao, was claimed by the Dutch in 1633, who brought African slaves to cultivate crops and harvest salt. The slaves’ tiny huts still stand by the salt pans, a reminder of this dark time in the island’s history. The abolition of slavery in 1863 meant a 100-year pause in the salt industry, although it is thriving again today. But Bonaire’s principal income nowadays is from tourism, particularly ecotourism and diving.

It’s easy to get around Kralendijk on foot since it’s compact and walkable. Try a tuk-tuk if you don’t want to walk. If you want to venture further into the island, renting a bicycle, car, scooter, or booking a taxi are all good options to get around. You’ll need a pickup or a Jeep if you want to drive in Washington-Slagbaai National Park. To visit Klein Bonaire for snorkeling, hop on a ferry or water taxi.

You can buy art, prints, driftwood ornaments, and sea glass jewelry from local artisans at Wilhelmina Park, a market very close to the cruise terminal. For more varied shopping, Kaya Grandi, Kralendijk’s colorful main shopping street, is lined with artsy souvenir shops. Look for Cadushy products, a range of island-made liqueurs, herbal teas, and cactus soup mixes. Another special gift to take home is salt scrubs and salt bath products made with Bonaire salt and scented with aromatic oils. For a foodie souvenir, pick up a wheel of Dutch cheese.

The official currency in Bonaire is the U.S. dollar. Mastercard and Visa are the widely accepted credit cards. While in Bonaire, leave a 10% tip for your taxi driver and a 10-15% tip at restaurants if there isn’t already a service charge included in your bill.

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