Bonaire, you are beautiful! I was lucky enough to visit Bonaire last year on my Southern Caribbean cruise that I sailed on with Royal Caribbean.  Bonaire is an island of the Netherlands and lies off the coast of Venezuela. Beaches, Lagoons, and desert-like hills cover this small island in the Southern Caribbean.

We docked in Bonaire from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, so we did have an entire day to spend on the island. I had done tons of research about Bonaire, and knew since we were spending money on other shore excursions at our other ports of call, we had planned to spend the day in Bonaire on our own. Bonaire is famous for its windsurfing. Dan and I are not windsurfers (lol) but I thought it would be really cool to hang out for the day and watch other people windsurf, which is exactly what we did!

Since we docked early and had to be back to our ship by 4:30 (usually you have to be back to the ship 30 minutes to 1 hour prior to your ship departing your port of call), we decided to get a jump on the day and are so glad we did! We headed to Jibe City! Jibe City is where you can windsurf, kayak, kite-surf, sail, or fish, or if you’re like us- sit in a beach chair and watch everyone else do it (lol) Jibe City is about a 15-minute cab ride from the cruise terminal. When you walk out of the terminal, you will see a major taxi stand with a sign showing different options of where you can go. Jibe City wasn’t listed on the sign, so you’ll need to tell them where you want to go, and then they’ll put you in a taxi filled with other people to get you to multiple destinations.

Jibe City offers windsurfing lessons, or you can leave it up to them and watch while you sunbathe. This area overlooks Lac Bay, which is the windsurfing capital of the Caribbean! If you do plan to visit Jibe City, try to get there early because they do only have a limited number of chairs to lay in. We were lucky and able to get 2 chairs right on the water. It’s a small space, but when I say the chairs are limited, they really are! Since we were so close to the Equator, the sun was SO hot and SO strong. We lasted about 2 hours (even during the mid-morning!) and headed next door to the Hang Out Beach Bar. Everything is connected, so it’s literally right next door and not too far to get to. The tables are seat yourself, so again, come early if you plan to beat the lunchtime crowds. The bar is so cool because it is basically built over the water. We had our table that faced out towards the ocean so we could watch the windsurfers, had a great ocean breeze and could see the water beneath us through the floorboards. Dan and I spent a good amount of time here (especially since it was shaded!) We drank the local beer and enjoyed a relaxing lunch as well. The food from the grill was really good too! This small spot on the island was a great spot to spend in Bonaire.

We left Jibe City about 2 hours prior to when we had to be back to our ship. We wanted to make sure we could catch a taxi and get back to the port with time to spare. I always collect an ornament when I visit somewhere new, and with tons of shopping options for tourists right in the port, I had to allow some time to spend there when we got back. If you stay at Jibe City until much later and are having a hard time getting a cab, let the workers know and they will happily call you a cab to get you back to the port.

 

If you’re looking for other options besides sitting and watching windsurfing or like to be a bit more active in your ports of call, Bonaire offers tons of other great options! There ae over 20 beaches in Bonaire. Some of the famous beaches include 1000 Steps Beach, No Name Beach, Playa Palu di Mangel, Sorobon Beach or Te Amo Beach.

The Pekelmeer Flamingo Sanctuary is also very popular! You can learn about the birds, iguanas, and other reptiles with a visit here.

The Cadushy Distillery is another fun spot. You can taste the only liquor ever to be made by a cactus. The Cadushy Distillery is the only distillery on Bonaire and is a working distillery in the center of Rincon.

Bonaire also has some great hotels that you can purchase a day pass to and spend your day relaxing and using the hotel amenities if you choose to spend your day this way instead.

When you are driving around the island and see pyramid-like shapes in the distance, know those are salt pans! Salt was the production is huge in Bonaire and is a major industry for them This is also where the Flamingo Reserve is, which protects the flamingos. The flamingos are protected by law and can be seen from the road. The entrance is prohibited to keep the flamingos protected.

Know Before You Go:

The official languages of Bonaire are Dutch and Papiamento however, English is widely spoken on the island of Bonaire.

You can use USD (Dollars) when you visit Bonaire. I always suggest having cash on hand with you when you visit these small islands but know that credit cards are widely accepted. Taxis usually only take cash, so many sure you have some with you.

If you have any questions related to traveling to Bonaire, feel free to contact me!

Love and Travel Dust,

Molly