Bonaire
Bonaire
Over the last two decades, Bonaire
has consistently ranked as the finest
snorkeling and scuba diving
destination in the Caribbean. A major
reason for this prominence is the
island's diligent stewardship of its
marine resources -- all of the waters
off Bonaire's coast have been legally protected since 1979, and it shows.
But there is plenty more to do here. The unusually steady trade winds that
wash over the island create ideal conditions for world-class windsurfing, and
the sere beauty of its semi-desert landscape is home to an outlandish
assortment of wildlife. Iguanas meditatively toast themselves atop the desert
rock formations of Washington Slagbaai, while vast orange-pink clouds of
flamingoes drift across bone-white salt flats. Divi-divi trees bend into surreal
sculptures of the wind itself, and towering cacti stand as reminders of the
Caribbean's diverse ecology.
We invite you to explore all these aspects of Bonaire -- and more -- in the
pages that follow. Our dive pages offer the most up-to-date and
comprehensive coverage of Bonaire diving on the world wide web, including
site descriptions, service providers, and a Marine Park profile.
Welcome to Bonaire, or,
as we say in Papiamentu, Bon Bini!
Location
30 miles
(48 km) from Curacao;
50 miles (80 km) north
of Venezuela and 86
miles (129 km) east of
Aruba, outside of the
Caribbean hurricane
belt.
Size
24 miles (39 km)
long by 3-7 miles wide,
112 square miles (290
km2). Highest elevation is Brandaris Hill, 784 feet (240 meters).
Climate
Yearly average temperature is 82°F (27.8°C); water
temperature of 80°F (26.7°C); rainfall of 22 inches (56 cm); humidity of
76%. Sunny, all year round.
Air Field
Flamingo Airport has a runway of almost 1.5
miles (2.4 km) in length, long enough to
accommodate 747 Jumbo Jets. The airport's
designation is BON.
Banks
Bonaire has a number of banks, all of which
have ATMs located conveniently around the
island. Banking hours are Monday through Friday
8 or 8:30am until 3:30 or 4pm. Many are
opened during the lunch hour.
Currency Click Here For Currency Exchange
The Netherlands Antilles Guilder (NAFl.) is fixed
at the exchange rate of 1.77 to the dollar for
cash and 1.78 for traveler's cheques. Most
stores and businesses exchange it at 1.75. You
can spend dollars everywhere, but will likely
receive your change in guilders. Traveler's
checks and credit cards are widely accepted. Be
sure to have your passport or positive ID when
changing Traveler's cheques at banks.
Climate
The average air temperature is 82º Fahrenheit
(30ºC) and 75% relative humidity. Average water
temperature is 80ºF (29ºC). Rainfall averages
22" (52.8cm) per year. There is a constant
trade wind that generally makes the evenings
cool and comfortable. Average windspeed is 15
mph (25kph).
Customs
Besides articles for personal use, visitors over 15
are allowed 400 cigarettes, 50 cigars, 250 grams
of tobacco, 2 liters of distillated beverages, 2
liters of wine.
Dress Code
Casual (but no beach wear) downtown. Evening
clothes are casual to casual nice. Topless
sunbathing and nudity is prohibited on beaches
except for Sorobon Beach Resort (a privately
owned nudist resort). See our Religion page for
appropriate church attire.
Drinking
Water
The water is distilled from seawater and is
perfectly safe to drink.
Driving
License
Foreign and international licenses are accepted.
Electricity
127 volt, 50 cycle. 220 volt is also available at
some resorts. Most U.S. appliances will work,
however a bit hotter. Dive shops and resorts
have stations for guest use for charging camera
batteries, etc. It is recommended that you use
them to avoid damage to delicate equipment.
Emergencies
Bonaire has the 60-bed hospital, Hospitaal San
Francisco, and a number of doctors. There is an
ambulance plane on call for emergencies. A
recompression chamber is located adjacent to
the hospital and is run by a highly trained staff.
The emergency phone number is 191.
Entry
Requirements
US and Canadian citizens must have a valid
Passport and a return or ongoing ticket. A Birth
Certificate with a picture ID is also acceptable.
Ferry Services
Many people ask but unfortunately there is NO
ferry services of any kind between Aruba,
Curaçao, Bonaire, and Venezuela. Scheduled
travel between these destinations are limited to
air travel. It might be possible to charter a boat
for your own personal tour.
Internet
E-mail access is available through local
providers. A VIP hook-up can be arranged
through BonaireLive. For arrangements and
more information contact the vendor at
011-599-7-5180. There is also a public e-mail
terminal at the Harbourside Mall and a cyber
cafe, de Tuin, is located in the center of town.
Language
Papiamentu (local language), Dutch, English and
Spanish.
Location
50 miles (80 Km) north of Venezuela and 86
miles (94 Km) east of Aruba, well outside of the
hurricane belt.
Population
+/- 15,000 people
Size
Bonaire is 24 miles long (38.6 km) and 3-7 miles wide,
112 sq. miles (180 sq.
km) in area.
Klein Bonaire, an island off our west coast, is
1500 acres.
Store Hours
Most stores are open Monday through Saturday
from between 8 or 9 AM until 12 noon when they
close for one to two hours, then remain open
until 6 PM. Hours vary widely and some stay
open during lunch hour. The larger
supermarkets are open from 8 AM until 8 PM
(may close during lunch) and some may be
open on Sundays from 11 AM to 2 PM.
Taxes. tipping,
service
charges
There is a 5% tax on virtually all goods and
services (NAOB tax). A room tax of US$
5.50-$6.50 is also charged per person per day.
A departure tax of US$10 is levied for
international destinations, US$5.75 for other
Antillean islands except Aruba. Car rental tax is
US$4 per day.
Tipping is much the same as in the States.
Some restaurants add a 10-15% service charge
automatically, so if in doubt, ask.
Taxis - generally a 10% tip is greatly
apppreciated. In dive shops, etc. 10% is also
the norm.
Taxi
Taxis are available at the airport. From other
locations you may call the taxi stand at the airport
at Tel. 8100
Telephone
Direct dialing is possible from most resorts.
AT&T, MCI, etc. can also be accessed. The local
telephone office, TELBO can also place calls to
all locations. For on island calls, dial just the last
four digits.
For cell phone users, you can use them here by
contacting Obersi Electronics at
011-599-717-8741 to make arrangements at
least two weeks in advance. Or you can rent a
cellular phone for the length of your stay with
Cell.Rent tel. 09-5692244 /6999
Television
Hotels offer 22 cable channel viewing including
premium movie channels, ESPN. CNN, Disney,
Spanish and German language channels as well
as the local station TV 11. Bonaire uses the
NTSC system
Time Zone
Atlantic Standard Time. Same time as the United
States East Coast during Daylight Savings Time
(mid-Spring to mid-Fall). Bonaire does not
change time for Daylight Savings, as is the
custom in the US and Europe.
Tourism
Seasons
High Season Winter/Spring: Dec. 15 - Apr. 14
Low Season Summer/Fall: Apr. 15 - Dec. 14
Windy Season: May - Aug, moderate wind
Jan-Apr
Rainy Season: Nov. - Jan.
