Experience tropical Bonaire!

Bonaire is a small island off the coast of Venezuela in the southern part of the Caribbean, a nine-hour flight from the Netherlands and approximately four hours from Atlanta and five hours from New York.

Bonaire is known for its sunny climate, pristine nature, turquoise seas, white sandy beaches, picturesque underwater world and its first-class diving, snorkeling and windsurfing facilities. Bonaire has an area of 288 km2 (17.166 hectares, 39 km long and 5 to 12 km wide) and has a population of 16.000 inhabitants, of whom 10.000 live in the capital Kralendijk.

Bonaire is also called "the best kept secret", "Place of absolute peace" and "paradise for diving enthusiasts".

Bonaire is one of the five island territories of the Netherlands Antilles, part of the Netherlands. It is a special municipality of the Netherlands, set up as a "public entity" under the Dutch Constitution.

Climate
Bonaire has an unique mild climate. The sun shines almost all the time, but the prevailing winds make it very enjoyable. During the Dutch winter months - October to February - there is a slightly chance of rain, but the average annual rainfall on the island is less than 60 cm (23 inches) and the rain comes mainly in short heavy showers. The afternoon average temperature is 30 degrees Celsius also known as 86 Fahrenheit. Overnight it's 26 degrees Celsius and 78 Fahrenheit overnight. The ocean temperature is generally between 26 and 28 degrees Celsius.

Time difference
During the winter, Bonaire is four hours behind GMT. The change of Europe's summer time makes a difference of five hours.

Residents and language
The population of Bonaire is a mix of several nationalities and ethnic backgrounds. The original residents are Arawak Indians from Venezuela. The official language of Bonaire is Papiamento, but they also speaks Dutch and English.

The capital
The capital of Bonaire is Kralendijk. Most of the residents of Bonaire (about 10,000) live here.

Vaccinations
No vaccinations are required to visit Bonaire.

Drinking water
Bonaire has a high quality of drinking water, so you can drink water straight from the tap.

Watersports, nature and tranquility
Bonaire has much more to do than just diving. It is also ideal for water sport, such as swimming, snorkeling, windsurfing, water skiing, wake-boarding and kayaking. The ever-blowing trade winds from the east creates ideal conditions for windsurfers and sailors. The island is home to a varied flora and fauna.

One of the charms of Bonaire is the limited size of the island. This makes everything easy accessible and everyone can enjoy Bonaire's treasures. As a tourist you will feel the relaxing and peaceful atmosphere of the island.