How To Plan A Vacation To Bonaire – Here’s Everything You Need To Know

Allow me to introduce you to Bonaire, a little slice of heaven that puts the ‘B’ in the ABC islands of the Caribbean. If you like laid back beach vacations, I have a feeling you will love it. Here’s my full guide on how to plan a vacation to Bonaire with everything you need to know to take the stress out of travel planning. If I’ve missed anything, feel free to ask in the comments.

How To Plan A Vacation To Bonaire – Here’s Everything You Need To Know

Disclaimer

There are affiliate links included in this post. This means at no extra cost to you, I earn a commission if you book through the link.

Planning tips

Why visit Bonaire?

Bonaire is a fantastic destination for a relaxed beach getaway.

It is the shore diving capital of the Caribbean where you can enter the water from the beach and snorkel over incredible reef sanctuaries. The water surrounding the island is protected so you are bound to see lots of wildlife.

When you are giving your sea legs a rest you can visit the unique attractions of the island like the Donkey Sanctuary, learn about the history of the island at the Slave Huts, and finish your day with a sunset cocktail.

It’s built up enough to offer some convenience to travelers, however laid back enough to retain its small island charm.

Good for:

• Snorkeling and diving
• Outdoor and nature lovers
• Laid back island vibes

Not good for:

• All inclusive resort style vacation
• Indoorsy types
• Big city, fast paced vibes

How to get to Bonaire from the US

The Bonaire airport is the Flamingo International Airport (BON) – do airport names get any cooler than that?

American, Delta, United all have non stop flights to Bonaire from a range of airports including Miami, Atlanta, Houston, and Newark.

I went through Miami direct to Bonaire with American Airlines and it was about a 3 hour flight.

What are the entry requirements for Bonaire?

*These can change – always check before traveling for updated requirements*

US citizens can enter for a period of up to 6 months every 12 months without a visa.

You will need a valid passport.

You will also need to pay the Visitor Entry Tax. I recommend paying this online before you visit because it will speed up your customs process. You can pay your Visitor Entry Tax here and screenshot or print the confirmation with QR code to show when you arrive.

There are currently no vaccine or testing requirements for entry.

What currency is used in Bonaire?

USD is the currency in Bonaire.

Do you need cash or card?

Card payments are widely accepted throughout Bonaire.

You will want to have some cash on you for payments at smaller businesses like food trucks as many of these are cash only.

Do you need to tip in Bonaire?

Tipping in Bonaire is at your discretion and the process is a little different from the US.

Firstly, the standard amounts are different. In Bonaire, 10% is plenty.

If you plan to pay with card you need to let the staff member know your tip BEFORE they swipe your card. They will add it to the total.

For example, if they provide you a receipt for $30 and you want to add 10% tip, you can say “can you add $3 for the tip” then they will charge the total of $33.

Occasionally some machines could add the tip separately, but the majority were not set up to do this.

Alternatively, you could use cash for tips.

Do you need to rent a car in Bonaire?

It is best to have a vehicle for your stay in Bonaire.

Without a car, you will be restricted to the limited taxis and any day tours you take and won’t be able to make the most of your stay in my opinion.

Visiting the Washington-Slagbaai National Park requires a pick-up or Jeep (something with high clearance), other than that a regular car or scooter is all you need.

We booked a regular sedan through AVIS, though if I was visiting again I would probably try PB Car Rental.

Is it easy to drive in Bonaire?

Driving in Bonaire is fairly easy. There’s no crazy traffic, no stop lights (only roundabouts), and it’s a place where you can cruise alongside amazing scenic views.

The main hazards are the quality of the roads which are not good for the most part. You’ll need to keep an eye out for pot holes and some of them can be deep so do your best to avoid them.

The other thing to be aware of is that some sections of the road can be narrow so you will need to slow down and sometimes move off to the side a little if a car is coming towards you.

How do you get a STINAPA pass for Bonaire?

One thing that makes Bonaire an amazing place for snorkeling and diving is that the water surrounding the island is protected as the Bonaire National Marine Park.

Because of this you need to pay a nature fee through STINAPA to enter the park – that is to do any swimming, snorkeling, or diving.

You can get your STINAPA pass online here and it includes entrance to the Washington-Slagbaai National Park.

Keep a screenshot or print the confirmation in case you get checked when you’re out.

Money from these passes goes back into protecting the nature and wildlife of the parks.

How long do you need to visit Bonaire?

In my opinion, at the bare minimum you’d need 3 full days, though I think 5 full days would be much more ideal.

With 3 full days you could do:

• 1 day for the north of the island
• 1 day for the south
• and 1 last day for either the Washington-Slagbaai National Park, a tour, or cruise around town.

It would be rushing through everything though and you’d miss a bunch of spots.

5 days is more ideal and would allow you to slow down and experience each part of the island.

When is the best time to visit Bonaire?

In terms of weather, Bonaire has consistent warm weather year round. There is a rainy season from December to March, though these are more like passing showers as opposed to monsoonal rain.

Basically, you can experience amazing warm beachy weather year round.

November to April is the peak season for Bonaire. During this time it will be more crowded and prices will be higher.

What language is spoken in Bonaire?

English is widely spoken around the island. The official language is Dutch, though Papiamento is also widely spoken.

Where is the best place to stay in Bonaire?

Book your stay at Casa Mantana and thank me later.

This is where I stayed and it was absolutely wonderful. I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Here are a few of the highlights:

• Convenient location that is walking distance to town, restaurants, shops etc.
• Comfortable rooms in quiet setting
• Bonus shared items like beach chairs and coolers (perfect for sunset watching)
• Amazing friendly hosts that are always there to help if you have any questions or need recommendations

Guesthouses reign supreme on Bonaire – it’s not a high-rise hotel type of destination. If that is your travel style, the only one like that on the island is the Courtyard by Marriott.

There are plenty of guesthouse options on Booking.com which is what I use to book my accommodation when I travel.

Is Bonaire safe for solo female travel?

I didn’t take this trip as a solo traveler. However, with my experience I feel confident to give an assessment based on my time there.

I would certainly feel confident visiting as a solo female traveler. No destination is 100% safe, but I felt comfortable and safe walking around there and didn’t notice anything too concerning.

As with anywhere, use your common sense safety precautions and protect against the elements if you will be out in the heat.

Sightseeing tips

What are the best things to do in Bonaire?

Here’s a quick list and I have a detailed guide on the best things to do in Bonaire here which has all the best things to see, do, and eat!

• Cadushy Distillery
• Donkey Sanctuary
• View the Salt Pyramids
• Spot Flamingos
• Snorkel – here’s my in-depth guide on the best places to snorkel in Bonaire
• Visit Klein Bonaire
• White and red Slave Huts
• Willemstoren lighthouse

What tours to take in Bonaire?

If you are looking for day tours, here are a few to look into.

• Explore underwater caves with Cave Tours Bonaire
• Kayak the mangroves with Mangrove Info Center
• Sailing and snorkeling with Melissa Sailing
• Washington-Slagbaai National Park with Adventure Makers Bonaire

What are some unique food and drinks?

• Cactus Liquor – Cadushy Distillery
• Iguana stew or soup – Posada Para Mira
• Lionfish – Cactus Blue Food Truck
• Goat stew – Posada Para Mira
• Fresh tuna – Kite City Food Truck
• Dutch grocery items – Van Den Tweel grocery store

Where to eat in Bonaire?

Here are some of my favorites and I’ll have detailed guides coming soon.

Best places to eat in Bonaire for breakfast:

• Between 2 Buns
• Bagel & Bloom

The best food trucks in Bonaire:

• Kite City (amazing tuna burger)
• Cactus Blue

Best places for dinner in Bonaire:

• Blue Garden Brazilian Grill
• Bon Tapa Restaurant

Best places for drinks with a view in Bonaire:

• Karels Beach Bar
• Hangout Beach Bar

Snorkeling and diving in Bonaire

Since the water is a protected area, there are a few important things to be aware of when it comes to snorkeling and diving in Bonaire.

You can find all the rules for snorkeling and diving in Bonaire on the STINAPA website when you pay your nature fee.

Here are a few of the key rules.

Entering and exiting the water

You are not allowed to touch any of the coral, plants, or animals in the water.

If you’ve been into snorkeling and diving then you’ll recognize this as ‘don’t be a douchebag in the water 101’, but it’s important to mention.

Every time you touch coral you are damaging it, so this is in place to protect the reefs. However there is also a lot of fire coral so it’s also going to protect you from nasty scratches.

This means that when you enter and exit the water you can’t walk all over the coral and plants as you go in.

Most areas have sandy sections where you can walk in to enter the water – look for these then float once it is deep enough.

Follow the yellow rocks

To make this easier, look for the yellow rocks.

Bonaire has a painted yellow rock system to identify attractions and snorkeling areas as well as entry and exit points for the water.

Not every single site had the entry and exit rocks but a lot of the more popular ones did.

Look for these and they will make it a lot easier to get in and out of the water. If they don’t have an entry and exit rock, just look for the most clear area to enter the water.

Packing tips

What do you need to pack for Bonaire?

Here are some essentials I recommend packing for your vacation to Bonaire. I have an Amazon list here with everything in one place.

• Reef safe sunscreen – you can purchase this locally
• Insect repellent – you can purchase this locally
• Waterproof camera – I use the GoPro with this floaty selfie stick
• Lightweight towel
• Waterproof bag for your valuables while you swim
• Reusable bag if you plan to visit a grocery store (they don’t have bags)
• Solid toiletries kit
• These sandals are great for walking on all sorts of terrain
• A waterproof dry bag like this is handy if you’ll be there in the rainy season

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