Bonaire Travel Guide for First-Time Visitors: What We Learned After 8 Days on the Island

This guide is for anyone planning their first trip to Bonaire and looking for practical advice on where to stay, where to eat, how long to stay, and which experiences are actually worth prioritizing.

Whether you’re traveling as a couple, with friends, or as a family, this guide shares everything we learned from our full week on the island.

Before this trip, I wasn’t entirely sure what set Bonaire apart from other Caribbean destinations.

After spending a week on the island, I realized it’s not necessarily one specific thing that makes Bonaire special—it’s how many different experiences you can have without ever feeling rushed.

One day we were hiking in Washington Slagbaai National Park. Another day we were driving through flamingo-filled salt flats and spotting wild donkeys.

We spent time snorkeling directly from shore, exploring the island by car, enjoying long dinners by the water, and taking in some of the most beautiful coastal scenery we’ve ever seen.

Despite doing all of that, the trip never felt busy.

Bonaire feels quieter, less commercialized, and more connected to nature than many Caribbean destinations. Instead of giant resorts and packed sightseeing schedules, the island encourages you to slow down and enjoy where you are.

Since our group included toddlers, most days revolved around one larger activity before nap time, followed by a relaxed afternoon at the beach, pool, or resort—and that rhythm ended up being perfect for all of us.

The island also offers an incredible variety of landscapes for such a small destination.

In a single week, we saw giant cacti, desert-like terrain, rugged coastlines, mountains, bright pink salt flats, flamingo-filled lagoons, and some of the clearest turquoise water we’ve ever experienced.

And while Bonaire is famous for scuba diving, some of our favorite experiences happened above the surface (though two of the guys in our group did do a lot of diving too!).

Bonaire snorkeling completely exceeded our expectations. There was wildlife everywhere, and we never once felt like we were missing out because we weren’t divers.

By the end of the week, Bonaire felt like one of those rare destinations that manages to be both relaxing and adventurous at the same time.

If you enjoy nature, wildlife, snorkeling, great food, and slower-paced travel, Bonaire is incredibly easy to fall in love with.

We spent 7 full days in Bonaire, plus a late arrival day and an early departure morning, and for us, that felt like the perfect amount of time.

It gave us enough time to:

• relax at the beach
• snorkel
• explore the national park
• do scenic drives around the island
• enjoy long dinners
• take a boat trip
• and still have downtime

If you’re visiting Bonaire for the first time, here’s what I’d recommend:

A long weekend is enough time to experience some of the island’s highlights, including snorkeling, driving through the southern salt flats, visiting a few restaurants, and spending time at the beach.

That said, I think you’d leave wishing you had more time.

This is what I’d recommend for most travelers.

A week gives you enough time to explore Washington Slagbaai National Park, spend time snorkeling, enjoy a boat excursion, visit different parts of the island, and still leave room for plenty of beach and pool time.

This is also the point where Bonaire’s slower pace really starts to shine.

If you scuba dive, love snorkeling, or simply enjoy slower-paced vacations, I could easily see spending 8–10 days in Bonaire.

There were several things we didn’t have time for, including Klein Bonaire, additional snorkeling excursions, more time around Sorobon Beach, and a few restaurants that were fully booked before we arrived.

Even after a full week, we all wished we had a few more days.

One of the reasons Bonaire has become such a popular Caribbean destination is there’s really no bad time to visit.

Unlike many Caribbean islands, Bonaire sits outside the main hurricane belt, making it a great year-round destination for snorkeling, diving, and beach vacations.

We visited in May and honestly couldn’t have asked for better weather!

Most days were sunny, the water was warm, and conditions for snorkeling were excellent.

We spent almost every day outdoors and never had to adjust plans because of rain.

In general, Bonaire experiences warm temperatures year-round, with average highs in the mid-80s. The island is also known for its steady trade winds, which help keep things comfortable even during warmer months.

If you’re hoping to spend a lot of time snorkeling or diving, Bonaire is a destination where conditions are typically good throughout the year.

For most travelers, I’d focus less on finding the “perfect” month and more on choosing dates that work best for your schedule.

No matter when you visit, expect plenty of sunshine, warm water, and lots of time outdoors.

One thing I was glad I researched before our trip was Bonaire’s visitor fees.

All visitors are required to pay Bonaire’s Visitor Entry Tax. We completed ours online before departure, which made the arrival process simple and stress-free.

If you plan to snorkel, scuba dive, or visit Washington Slagbaai National Park, you’ll also need to purchase the STINAPA Nature Fee. This fee helps support Bonaire’s protected marine parks and conservation efforts.

Since fees and requirements can occasionally change, I recommend checking the official websites before your trip and completing any required payments in advance.

It’s a small planning step, but one that makes arriving in Bonaire much smoother.

In our opinion, renting a car is one of the best things you can do when visiting Bonaire.

While Kralendijk is easy to explore, many of the highlights are spread out across different parts of the island.

During our trip, we rented a minivan and a truck (for the divers) for the week and had no trouble reaching any of the places we visited.

We drove to Washington Slagbaai National Park, Lac Bay, Sorobon Beach, the southern salt flats, the flamingo sanctuary, and numerous snorkeling spots.

Fortunately, driving in Bonaire felt surprisingly easy. Traffic was minimal, parking was generally straightforward, and we never felt stressed navigating the island.

Having a rental car gave us the flexibility to explore at our own pace and stop whenever we spotted something interesting along the way—which happened more often than we expected thanks to all of the wildlife, viewpoints, and scenic coastal roads.

We stayed at Harbour Village Beach Club, and this ended up being one of the best decisions we made.

The resort has:

• a private beach
• calm water
• excellent snorkeling directly from shore
• a peaceful atmosphere
• and an easy location close to Kralendijk

One of the biggest highlights was the house reef snorkeling.

Even as beginner snorkelers, we felt comfortable getting in the water right from the beach, and some of our favorite snorkeling of the entire trip happened there. Even one of the kiddos tried snorkeling!

The resort also worked especially well for traveling with toddlers because everything felt walkable, relaxed, and easy.

👉 I’ll be sharing a full Harbour Village Beach Club review separately because we have a lot more to say about our experience there!

The snorkeling directly from our resort was honestly one of the biggest highlights of the trip.

The reef was shallow, calm, and full of fish, which made it feel approachable even for beginner snorkelers.

Cadushy Distillery was one of the most unique stops of the trip.

We got a tour of the distillery and tried:

• cactus liqueur and other local flavors specific to the Caribbean
• Rom Rincón and other spirits like Vodka, Whisky, and Gin

This made for such a fun break after a morning exploring Washington Slagbaai National Park.

We honestly didn’t expect the Donkey Sanctuary Bonaire to be one of our favorite stops, but we absolutely loved it.

It was fun, interesting, and surprisingly peaceful. Plus, it was an especially great visit for the toddler we were there with!

If you enjoy animal sanctuaries or unique experiences, I definitely think it’s worth adding to your itinerary.

We booked a Sushi Sunset Boat Tour with Drinks with Captain Jack & Sun Bonaire, and it ended up being one of the most memorable experiences of the trip.

Watching the sunset from the water while eating sushi and having drinks with friends (and one other couple) was such a fun way to experience Bonaire from a different perspective.

When in Bonaire, book the boat tour!

Driving north around the island was one of our favorite low-effort adventure days.

Stops like:

• 1000 Steps
• Karpata
• and Salina Goto

were incredibly scenic and easy to combine into one relaxed day.

We only wish that we could’ve tried Posada Para Mira for lunch.

The boys were lucky enough to eat here after one of their mornings scuba diving, but when we went as a group, it was closed for a private event.

The southern part of Bonaire was one of the most visually striking areas we visited.

Driving past:

• bright pink salt flats
• flamingos
• giant salt mounds
• turquoise water
• and the historic slave huts

felt unlike anywhere else we’ve traveled.

This ended up being one of our favorite days on the island, and we wished we would’ve made more time for this earlier in the trip—I guess we’ll just have to come back someday!

👉 If you’re wondering how all of this fits together, check out my complete 7-Day Bonaire Itinerary (coming soon!).

One of the things that surprised us most about the Bonaire restaurant scene was how good the food was for such a small island.

We tried several popular Bonaire restaurants during our trip, and these were our favorites:

We loved It Rains Fishes so much that we ended up eating there twice during our trip.

The waterfront setting was beautiful, the seafood was excellent, and the hostess was incredibly kind and welcoming.

Plus, one of the weekly specials was so good that we were still talking about it days later, which definitely contributed to our decision to return before the trip ended.

La Cantina came highly recommended to us for a casual dinner and drinks.

We made a last minute reservation after another party canceled, and we’re so happy we did!

The atmosphere felt lively without being overwhelming, and it was a fun place to spend an evening in town.

At Sea was one of our favorite special dinners of the trip.

We opted for the tasting menu, and one thing we especially appreciated was that they offered a tasting menu for the kids as well.

That thoughtful touch made the experience even more enjoyable for our group.

Ocean Oasis was our first meal in Bonaire as a group, making it the unofficial start of our vacation.

We visited for brunch and loved the beach club atmosphere. It’s a great place to ease into island life and spend a relaxed morning by the water.

Biña ended up being one of the most memorable dining experiences of our trip.

We did the tasting menu here as well, but honestly, one of the biggest highlights was the bartender.

Every cocktail recommendation was fantastic, and the sunset views made the entire evening feel special.

Unfortunately, the full group missed out on Posada Para Mira because it was closed for a private event the day we planned to visit.

The guys ended up eating there after a morning of diving and couldn’t stop talking about both the food and the incredible hilltop views afterward. It’s already at the top of our list for our next trip to Bonaire.

A Broad Recommendation: One thing we learned quickly about Bonaire restaurants: make reservations in advance, especially for dinner. Many restaurants book up early, and you won’t want to miss out on one that you’ve had your heart set on.

After spending a week on the island, I realized Bonaire isn’t for everyone—and that’s exactly what makes it so special.

Bonaire is ideal for:

• snorkelers and divers
• nature lovers
• couples looking for a relaxing getaway
• friend groups who enjoy a slower pace
• families visiting Bonaire with kids
• wildlife enthusiasts
• travelers who enjoy scenic drives and exploring by car
• anyone looking to disconnect and slow down for a few days

Bonaire may not be the best fit for:

• travelers looking for a big nightlife scene
• people who prefer large all-inclusive resorts
• visitors who want packed sightseeing itineraries every day
• travelers expecting miles of soft white-sand beaches everywhere they go

While there are beautiful beaches on Bonaire, many are rocky or coral-lined and are better suited for snorkeling than long beach walks.

If your ideal vacation includes wildlife, snorkeling, beautiful scenery, great food, and plenty of time to relax, Bonaire is the perfect choice.

Even though Bonaire quickly became one of our favorite destinations, there are definitely a few things we’d do differently on a return visit.

First, we’d book CHEFS Bonaire much earlier. It was one of the restaurants we were most excited to try, but reservations fill up months in advance, and we didn’t get a spot.

We’d also spend a full day on Klein Bonaire. Several people recommended it to us for snorkeling and beach time, and it’s one of the few things we didn’t manage to fit into our schedule.

Because we enjoyed snorkeling so much more than expected, we’d also book another snorkeling excursion. Some of our favorite memories happened in the water, and we left wishing we’d had more time to explore Bonaire’s reefs.

We’d spend more time around Sorobon Beach and Lac Bay as well. The shallow turquoise water was beautiful, and we’d love to try windsurfing on a future trip.

Finally, we’d simply stay longer.

This was one of the most relaxing trips Tim and I have taken in years, and neither of us felt ready to leave when we boarded our flight home!

Bonaire isn’t the cheapest Caribbean destination, but we also didn’t find it outrageously expensive.

Accommodations tend to be the biggest expense (but worth it for private beach access), while many of the island’s best experiences—snorkeling from shore, scenic drives, wildlife spotting, and exploring the salt flats—are relatively affordable or free.

In our opinion, yes.

Many of Bonaire’s highlights are spread across the island, including Washington Slagbaai National Park, the flamingo sanctuary, Lac Bay, Sorobon Beach, and the southern salt flats.

Having a rental car gave us the flexibility to explore at our own pace.

Absolutely. Most of our group didn’t scuba dive, and Bonaire still became one of our favorite Caribbean trips.

Between snorkeling, beach clubs, wildlife, hiking, scenic drives, boat trips, and incredible restaurants, we never felt limited by not diving.

We felt extremely safe throughout our entire trip.

Whether we were walking around Kralendijk, driving across the island, or dining out in the evenings, Bonaire consistently felt relaxed and welcoming.

Yes. Visitors are required to pay Bonaire’s Visitor Entry Tax, and anyone planning to snorkel, dive, or visit Washington Slagbaai National Park should also purchase the STINAPA Nature Fee.

I recommend taking care of both online before your trip.

Between the incredible snorkeling, flamingo-filled salt flats, scenic drives, wildlife encounters, and long afternoons spent enjoying the beach, Bonaire quickly became one of our favorite Caribbean destinations.

By the end of the week, we were already talking about when we could come back.

It’s not often that a destination completely exceeds our expectations, but Bonaire absolutely did. We left wondering why more people aren’t talking about this incredible little island.

👉 If you’re planning your own trip, be sure to check out my other Bonaire guides, including where to stay, our favorite restaurants, snorkeling tips for beginners, our full 7-day itinerary, and the experiences we’d absolutely book again—all coming soon!

XOXO Sara at Travel A-Broads