Guides › Caribbean Islands › Bonaire
City guide

Bonaire

Bonaire is a Caribbean island in the Leeward Antilles. A special municipality of the Netherlands, its seat is the port of Kralendijk, on the west (leeward) coast of the island.

Type Place

Why go

  • Dutch Caribbean island.
  • Served by Flamingo International Airport (BON).

History

Bonaire is a Caribbean island in the Leeward Antilles. A special municipality of the Netherlands, its seat is the port of Kralendijk, on the west (leeward) coast of the island. Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao form the ABC islands, 80 km (50 mi) off the coast of Venezuela. The islands have an arid climate that attracts visitors seeking warm, sunny weather all year round, and they lie outside the Main Development Region for tropical cyclones. Bonaire is a popular snorkeling and scuba diving destination because of its multiple shore diving sites, shipwrecks and easy access to the island's fringing reefs.

Airports

Flamingo International Airport (BON) 0.4 km to the centre
Kralendijk, BO, BQ — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 7 airlines (Arkefly, Insel Air (7I/INC) (Priv), United Airlines, Delta Air Lines…) · direct flights to 6 destinations incl. Willemstad, Amsterdam, Atlanta, Houston, Newark… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 7 airlines, 6 direct destinations
  • Arkefly OR (767-300) · 2 routes: Amsterdam, Willemstad
  • Insel Air (7I/INC) (Priv) 7I (M83, F50) · 2 routes: Oranjestad, Willemstad
  • United Airlines UA (737-800) · 2 routes: Houston, Newark
  • Delta Air Lines DL (757) · 1 route: Atlanta
  • KLM Royal Dutch Airlines KL (330) · 1 route: Amsterdam
  • Scat Air DV (BNI) · 1 route: Willemstad
  • Tiara Air 3P (SH6) · 1 route: Willemstad

Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Indoor

Getting there by ferry

Caribe Watersport and Watertaxi
Ferry terminal · 4.4 km from the centre
Outdoor
Klein Bonaire Watertaxi
Ferry route
Outdoor
Caribe Watersport Watertaxi
Ferry route
Outdoor

Where things are

Full geo-intelligence in Better Mapping →
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping base map © OSM

Photographs

When to go

Tourist season
May – September

The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.

Shoulder season
April, October

Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.

Worth avoiding
Deep winter

Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.

Getting there & around

Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Flamingo International Airport (BON). Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: BON has direct flights to 6 destinations on 7 airlines (incl. Willemstad, Amsterdam, Atlanta, Houston, Newark…). By water: 1 ferry terminal within 20 km (nearest: Caribe Watersport and Watertaxi, 4.4 km); routes include Klein Bonaire Watertaxi, Caribe Watersport Watertaxi.

Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Bonaire. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.

Private aviation

On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.

Broker · Any aircraft via operators worldwide · Global charter broker with 30+ offices; private jets, group charters and cargo.
FBO, charter, management · Managed fleet · FBO network and management across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.
Fractional, jet card · Embraer Praetor, Bombardier Challenger & Global, Gulfstream · Fractional ownership and jet cards in North America and Europe.
Charter, management · Large-cabin & VIP airliners · Geneva-based operator known for large-cabin and VIP airliner charters.
Charter, management, FBO, MRO · Managed fleet worldwide · General Dynamics company: charter, completions and FBOs in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the US.

Tours & experiences