bonaire

[thesparkster]

hi. people have been very helpful on here giving me advice and their opinion on what Caribbean islands they like but nobody has mentioned Bonaire. can anyone please tell me if this is a nice island? I am just deciding what excursions to go on and where. thank you

[Firsttimer 03/08]

We stopped on Bonaire a few years ago on Christmas Day whilst on an Ocean Village 2 cruise - it was a lovely place. We took a speedboat taxi organised by a local guy on the quay (fairly large boat!) to a nearby island where there was nothing but a great long beach & coral reef v close to shore for snorkelling. I think it's usually a v popular trip & there may even be a bar on the island but on Christmas Day there was just about 40 of us from the ship - fab!

 

hi. people have been very helpful on here giving me advice and their opinion on what Caribbean islands they like but nobody has mentioned Bonaire. can anyone please tell me if this is a nice island? I am just deciding what excursions to go on and where. thank you

[dronnygirl]

We took a local taxi to a nearby beach (sorry can't remember the name) but there was a lovely reef and we went snorkling. First time we had ever seen so many beautiful fish. We took the kit with us but there were shops selling snorkling stuff. There were some lovely market stalls in the main port selling some nice souvenirs.

[misscolina]

If you want a snorkelling tour to Klein Bonaire (deserted island) try Woodwind cost $50 p.p. just google it or a 3 hour North and South Island Tour try Bonaire Vista Tours I think this is $30 p.p. great recommendations on Trip Advisor, or you can just stroll around town, there is only one main street with plenty of shops and restaurants. You can see the coral and fish as you walk along the promenade into town.

[kevinyork]

hi. people have been very helpful on here giving me advice and their opinion on what Caribbean islands they like but nobody has mentioned Bonaire. can anyone please tell me if this is a nice island? I am just deciding what excursions to go on and where. thank you

 

Bonaire is sweet. But unless you want to take a trip/taxi to a beach the main street will occupy only a couple of hours or so. The dock is immediately next to the town.

[Denarius]

Cruise ships visit Bonaire mainly for its snorkelling, rated as perhaps the best in the Caribbean. Indeed, colourful fish swim right up to the shore, even within yards of where the ship ties up.

[thesparkster]

thank you all for your help.

[sammydo]

Loved it...there just a few days ago, we got water taxi over to Klein Bonaire a little island about half mile out...you can see it from the ship, there were lovely white sands and great for swimming snorkelling etc, but there are no facilities and only small amounts of shade, but definitely worth a visit if you are a beach lover.

 

We then retuned and had hr or so in bar overlooking the harbour, which had greats food and cocktails, then went round the town, but tbh could have done with another few hours there. Will definitely love to go back there again. Didn't get a chance to go and see the flamingos, so that's on our to do list if we get to go there again.

[bee-ess]

Loved it...there just a few days ago, we got water taxi over to Klein Bonaire a little island about half mile out...you can see it from the ship, there were lovely white sands and great for swimming snorkelling etc, but there are no facilities and only small amounts of shade, but definitely worth a visit if you are a beach lover.

 

We then retuned and had hr or so in bar overlooking the harbour, which had greats food and cocktails, then went round the town, but tbh could have done with another few hours there. Will definitely love to go back there again. Didn't get a chance to go and see the flamingos, so that's on our to do list if we get to go there again.

 

We are going in March and interested in going to Klein Bonaire - did you pre-book the water taxi, how much is it ? Are they frequent or do you have to book times, Thanks

[sammydo]

hiya. Bee-ess

 

No. did not book water taxi, just got off the ship and went to a stall that was offering water taxi there every 45 mins, it cost us 10 dollars each way, but there was also another larger water taxi that went there, and i think that may have been possibly better and cheaper.

we went for the first one we saw, but if you go past those stalls and walk a bit further on, the bar that i mentioned, had the larger water taxis going from there.

the trouble with ours was that they said it would be leaving at 10.15, then when we went back. they changed it to 10.30, as they needed 15 to go on the taxi, (that was full capacity) (she also didnt mention this at the time we paid) and then still at 10.30, she was dithering, saying she couldnt find the captain, eventually after a bit of a walk, we got on it, at 10.50am, (with 15 people, ) but coming back was fine, just waited until we saw it coming across, and got on. if i did it again, i would walk to the bar and get water taxi from there,...at least it would be definately worth going there and checking out the times and price first, nothing to lose.

 

when you leave the ship, turn left through the little stalls, and just keep walking along the water front until you get to the bar, which goes out into the water, the water taxis stop there. its not far, you will be able to see it from the port side of the ship when you dock.

 

the ship also did a trip over there, but leaving at 8.30 and returning at 11.30am,...bit early for us, but also the cost was about £48 each, so i thought that was really expensive, and had it rained on the day, i would rather have not gone there, but as it was we loved it, and had great weather.

 

dont hesitate to ask if you need to know anything else.

[bee-ess]

hiya. Bee-ess

 

No. did not book water taxi, just got off the ship and went to a stall that was offering water taxi there every 45 mins, it cost us 10 dollars each way, but there was also another larger water taxi that went there, and i think that may have been possibly better and cheaper.

we went for the first one we saw, but if you go past those stalls and walk a bit further on, the bar that i mentioned, had the larger water taxis going from there.

the trouble with ours was that they said it would be leaving at 10.15, then when we went back. they changed it to 10.30, as they needed 15 to go on the taxi, (that was full capacity) (she also didnt mention this at the time we paid) and then still at 10.30, she was dithering, saying she couldnt find the captain, eventually after a bit of a walk, we got on it, at 10.50am, (with 15 people, ) but coming back was fine, just waited until we saw it coming across, and got on. if i did it again, i would walk to the bar and get water taxi from there,...at least it would be definately worth going there and checking out the times and price first, nothing to lose.

 

when you leave the ship, turn left through the little stalls, and just keep walking along the water front until you get to the bar, which goes out into the water, the water taxis stop there. its not far, you will be able to see it from the port side of the ship when you dock.

 

the ship also did a trip over there, but leaving at 8.30 and returning at 11.30am,...bit early for us, but also the cost was about £48 each, so i thought that was really expensive, and had it rained on the day, i would rather have not gone there, but as it was we loved it, and had great weather.

 

dont hesitate to ask if you need to know anything else.

 

Thanks Sammydo - I think we do this if the weather is fine.