BONAIRE, "THE DIVERS PARADISE"
BY CLAY LARROY
In
the world of traveling, there are plenty of great resources available to both
new and experienced travelers alike. There are many websites, guides, books,
videos, and other resources available. By writing this blog I hope that I am
providing valuable information about the wonderful vacation destinations in the
Caribbean. When you want to plan a vacation contact me!
Bonaire weather, climate and geography
Climate
Best Time To Visit
Hot throughout the year, but tempered by cooling trade winds. The average temperature is 28°C (82°F) and the average rainfall is 50cm (20 inches) per year. Bonaire offers good conditions for diving all year round, althought conditions at the south end are generally at their calmest February-April.
Required Clothing
Lightweights with warmer top layers for evenings; showerproof clothing is advisable throughout the year.
Geography
Bonaire is the second-largest island in the former Netherlands Antilles and is located 80km (50 miles) north of Venezuela and 48km (30 miles) east of Curaçao. The landscape is flat and rocky and, owing to low annual rainfall, Bonaire has a fairly barren desert climate. The island has small, beautiful beaches and safe waters.
Things to see and do in Bonaire
Bonaire
Donkey Sanctuary
The
Bonaire Donkey Sanctuary (www.donkeysanctuary.org) is a not-for-profit organisation
set up to take care of donkeys abandoned when the invention of new technology
meant they were no longer needed to work the salt pans. Visitors are encouraged
to feed and help care for the animals.
Bonaire
Museum
Located
just out of Kralendijk centre in a restored 1885 plantation mansion, Bonaire
Museum displays artefacts depicting the history of cultures on the island, from
the Caiquetio Indians and the Spanish to modern times, as well as an impressive
collection of seashells.
Festivals
Bonaire
has many festivals to choose from. The most popular are the colourful Carnival
and its firework finale of the Burning of King Momo, the Simadan (Harvest)
Festival in Rincón with its songs and dances, and Rincón Day, celebrating the
traditions and culture of Bonaire in the island's oldest village.
Flamingos
Bonnaire
is renowned for its flamingo population, though many of them inhabit the
protected southern areas of the island. An easier place to spot them is the
beautiful lagoon of Goto Meer.
Marine
Park
Bonaire's
Marine Park is centred on a spectacular coral reef, which is maintained and
protected throughout the year by marine experts.
Mount
Brandaris
Bonaire's
highest point is Mount Brandaris, situated in Washington/Slagbaai National
Park. The climb to the top is well worth it for the spectacular views.
Pink
Beach
Pink
Beach is one of the Caribbean's most beautiful beaches. It gets its pink tinge,
most obvious at sunset, from bits of pink coral in the sand. There are no
facilities.
Rincón
Rincón,
Bonaire's oldest village, echoes Bonaire's darker past. It used to house slaves
who worked on the salt flats. Nowadays there are bars serving cool drinks
beneath brightly coloured roofs.
Sailing
Half- or
full-day cruises can be arranged round the bay or to Klein Bonaire, the
island's tiny uninhabited sister isle. Every second week of October there is a
Sailing Regatta (www.bonaireregatta.org),
during which there is a carnival atmosphere on the island.
Salt
flats
The salt
flats change colour from breathtaking fuchsia to a subtle pink, according to
fluctuations in the resident algae population. The view is astonishing.
Scuba-diving
The
waters around Bonaire are clear, safe and teeming with fish of every size and
hue. The island is a diver's paradise and you'd be a fool to forgo the superb
scuba-diving and snorkelling on offer.
Windsurfing
Bonaire's
climate is perfect for windsurfing and professional windsurfers from around the
world flock to its breezy shores to compete or practise.
Witte Pan
huts
The
bright white stucco huts on Witte Pan were once inhabited by the salt workers
until the abolition of slavery in 1863. The eerily small holes on their
frontage served as doors, which the slaves would crawl through at night.
REFERENCE SITES
http://www.travelresearchonline.com/blog/index.php/destination-guides/
http://www.tourismbonaire.com/bonaire-nature
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