The reef-lined coast of Bonaire makes it one of the best places in the world for beaches, diving and snorkeling. Even more it’s less touristy than the nearby Dutch Caribbean islands, Aruba and Curacao. Recently, I enjoyed a Bonaire south tour on a golf cart. As an acupuncturist on a cruise ship, I just had a day there for adventure. My friend and I explored 10 points of interest, including snorkeling. So, read on to discover how to have a wonderful day in Bonaire on a golf cart.
About Bonaire
Aruba, Bonaire & Curacao, known as the ABC islands, are popular Dutch Caribbean destinations. They lie in the southern Caribbean, just 50 miles north of Venezuela. Bonaire is the only one of the 3 that is still considered Netherlands, while the other 2 are independent countries. Overall, the ABC islands have similar flat, desert and riverless terrains. All are in route of the Trade Winds and lie outside Hurricane Alley. Bonaire is known for being one of the best places in the world to both snorkel and dive with more than 90 dive sites. Its reef-lined coasts or fringing reefs provide many accessible snorkeling spots.
The island is 24 mi (38.6 km) long from north to south and 3 – 5 mi (4.8-8 km) wide from east to west. Also, just .5 mi (800 meters) west of Bonaire is Klein (“small”) Bonaire, known for incredible snorkeling. All reefs and beaches are protected by the Bonaire National Marine Park. Within walking distance from, the capital, Kralendijk, are the Chachacha and Coco Beaches. Sorobon Beach is popular for windsurfing and on Klein Bonaire is the pristine No Name Beach.
Bonaire’s most famous export is salt and its pink salt ponds are intriguing. One of the most unique landmarks on Bonaire is the crystal salt pyramids on the southern island. At the solar salt facility, firstly they condense the salt in ponds. Then, as the water evaporates the salt crystals form. These ponds turn pink from a microorganism called halophilic bacteria, which grow in high salinity of brine. The official languages are Dutch and Papiamento, a Creole language based on Spanish & Portuguese.
Exploring Bonaire’s North and South Loops on a Golf Cart
In the island capital, Kralendijk, we contacted Bonaire Cruisers for golf cart rentals. By emailing them beforehand, your reservation is waiting upon arrival. We found them convenient and informative. Just a 10-minute walk from the cruise terminal, we picked up our golf cart. They explained cart instructions in detail and even provided tips for travel. Even more, they provided maps for both the North and South Loops with detailed directions. We found this very helpful, so we were able to enjoy the exploration immediately with a ready to go plan.
Highlights on the north route include the 1000 steps, the most famous dive site on Bonaire. Also, there is the Rincon Village, the oldest village in Bonaire. Gotomeer is a lagoon with flamingos, and Seru Largu is a hill with a wonderful lookout point.
My Bonaire South Tour on a Golf Cart with 10 Places of Interest
The day before arrival, I reserved a golf cart with Bonaire Cruisers to pick up the next day in Kralendijk. We took the South Tour with only 5 hours to complete. We followed the counterclockwise route, starting off on the southwestern coastline and looping around to the southeastern coast. Here are the most popular stops in order when going counterclockwise. Also, if going this direction, bring snacks and water. We got very hangry with no places with food or water until the Sorobon Resort at the end of the tour.
Ocean Oasis: Our first stop was this beautiful resort. There is a bar and restaurant with chairs and even beds for rentals. It all looks out onto the ocean with a lagoon on one side with calm, shallow waters. This setting is very serene and a great first stop to refresh yourself to begin the journey.
Along the Bonaire South Tour, there are 4 color coded obelisks, representing different grades of salt along the southwest coast. The obelisk colors of blue, white, red and orange lie in this order as you drive south. Also, they represent the colors of the Netherlands’ flag.
Blue Salt Pan and Ruin: Going counterclockwise, the first obelisk you notice is the blue one at the salt pan. Ships stopped here for a certain grade of salt and there is a ruin here too.
Slave Huts at White Pan: Built in 1850, white slave huts housed the slaves to collect salt in the ponds and ship. The white huts and obelisk represent the grade of salt shipped from this area.
Red Beryl Beach Snorkeling & Diving: Here’s a chance for entry right off the beach for a shallow reef. I saw lots of fish and corals, such as, Staghorn, Pillar and Elkhorn. However, it’s best to have on rock shoes or fins to protect feet walking out to where you can swim. The beach sand is pink with tiny reddish-pink speckles in it.
Slave Huts at Red & Orange Pan: Built in 1850, red & orange slave huts housed the slaves to collect salt in the ponds and ship. The red/orange huts and obelisk represent the grade of salt shipped from this area.
Willemstoren Lighthouse & Ruin: Built in 1837, this is Bonaire’s first lighthouse. It is a great stop to collect driftwood and wander along the picturesque coast with a ruin nearby.
Pekel Meer Flamingo Sanctuary: This is one of 4 areas in the world where more than 10,000 flamingos breed. Pekel Meer means salt lake in Dutch. It has a deep pink color like the flamingos and pink salt shrimps that live here. The flamingos’ feathers turn pink from eating the microorganisms (algae, bacteria and beta-carotene) that turn the water pink.
Beach Wood Sculptures/Cool Graffiti:
On the southern tip of the island, there are colorful wood sculptures, stone pyramids and driftwood designs. We even found a dilapidated building with cool graffiti. The dramatic coastline here with more wind on the tip makes for interesting scenery with the random artwork along the way.
Sorobon Beach Resort – Windsurf & Wellness Hotel: On the eastern side near Lac Bay is the Sorobon Resort. We stopped here at the bar on the beach for snacks and drinks. With its shallow waters and the Trade Winds, this is one of the world’s best windsurfing locations. From the bar, we watched the vibrant windsurfers flying along. Also, there are yoga and wellness classes at the resort.
Donkey Sanctuary: This offers a shelter, food and water for more than 400 donkeys on the island that are sick or wounded. It is open 10 am to 5 pm and gives visitors a chance to interact with them up close.
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