Index

Accomodations

Restaurants (North to South)

Donna and Giorgio's

			Reading the Bonaire Reporter at Donna and Giorgio's

An italian restaurant on main street, as you head north our of Kralendijk, Donna and Giorgio's offer the usual italian fair without pretention. The tables are right out front on the patio / gravel, where you can watch the cars go by. On wednesday night, one of the central tables is reserved for a local salsa band. Bring your appetite, because the portions are generous!

De Tuin

One of our favorites! De Tuin (pronounced "The Ton" as-in "a metric ton") is an internet cafe, bar, and restaurant. Several of the locals hang-out here, and it's common to be handed a Dutch menu (they also have English ones). The first time we went, Frank and Phil (our Divermasters at the Carib Inn) suggested we try the ribs. They gave us specific instructions to order individual portions, otherwise they give you fewer ribs and lump all the orders on a single serving plate! The ribs are served with a sour cream dip which is excellent.

Capriccio's

Capriccio is located on Kaya Isla Riba, just north of City Cafe on the waterfront. They have an outdoor terasse, but I would suggest opting for the indoor dining room instead. The terrase doesn't receive much wind, there is traffic passing within a few feet, and there's a dumpster accross the road. The dining room is cool, and (if you have the choice) you can sit in one of two cozy alcoves. You can't really go wrong with any of the menu items. My favorite is probably the Gnocchi, which are handmade by the chef. Capriccio's also have an extensive and resonably priced wine list, many of which are private imports from Italy.

Mona Lisa

			Melanie at the Mona Lisa Restaurant

The Mona Lisa was one of the first establishements on main street -- built before there was even a paved runway. It was named after the original owner's two daughters (Mona and Lisa). Since the Mona Lisa has been around for so long, it has a real lived-in feel. There are plenty of dusty artifacts hanging from the ceiling and walls - some of which haven't been painted in a hundred years, I expect. The Mona Lisa is another local hang-out, and before sitting down for dinner, I would encourage you to have a drink at the bar and soak up the atmosphere.

When you're ready, you can move to the dining room or choose one of 3 tables in the bar area. The bar tables offer the same food, but at a lower price. If you reserve early, you can ask for a window table in the dining room. The same lived-in feel extends into the dining room, and with the warm personal service of Rudy, you'll feel at home in no time. Some locals we know come here almost every week. Although the menu doesn't change much, all the plates are absolutely exquisite. Try the shrimp bisque -- I've never tasted a better one.

Richard's Waterfront Dining

Arriving on Bonaire, we like to eat at Richard's that first evening. The restaurant extends onto the beach, and the view is breathtaking - a perfect setting to start a vacation. As you look out onto the bay, you might even see the lights of night divers on the reef. Richard's offers a variety of local fish and some meats. The fish can be a little dry, but the view more than makes up for this.

Washington-Slagbaai National Park

The Birds of Bonaire

Bonaire has a large number of itinerant visitors. There are about 90 migrant species from North America, 25 from South America and 25 sea birds. Bonaire is a stepping stone between continents for many birds and gives them a chance for a safe place to rest before they continue their migration. A large number of Greater Flamingos make their way from Venezuela to Bonaire, a 50 mile flight, every day. The Flamingos use Bonaire as a breading ground, and young (grey) flamingos can be seen on occasion. After a few months, they'll fly back to Venezuela with the adults, where they'll remain for the next 4-5 years, returning to Bonaire when they reach sexual maturity.

Bonaire Underwater

Photographer at Salt Pier

The waters around Bonaire are protected by the Bonaire National Marine Park, which actively promotes conservation of the reefs. There are over 80 marked dive sites around Bonaire, most of them accessible from shore. Some of the more popular sites, located within the bay, have seen better times. The bay dive sites are close and have little current, making them perfect for beginners. As you travel further south, the sites become more spectacular. Dive sites past the White Slave Huts (about 10-15 mins from Kralendijk) receive few visitors: the soft corals are plentiful and healthy, and where you would see only one or two fish of a species in the bay, you'll find whole schools of them down south. There are a few sites within the bay worth a visit, such as the Town Pier, Hilma Hooker, and Salt Pier.

If you're going to do any shore diving, get your hands on Bonaire Diving Made Easy - Practical Guide to the Shore Dives of Bonaire, by Jessie Armacost. It's printed in Bonaire and should be available in most local dive shops. In this book, you'll find up-to-date information on the majority of marked and un-marked dive spots around the island.

Dive Sites (North to South)

Playa Benge (Washington-Slagbaai National Park)

Playa Benge is almost half way around the park, and is accessible by shore or boat. This far north, you have a chance to see schools of fish not frequently seen in the bay. The coral formations are also large and impressive. The waves from Hurricane Lenny destroyed most of the coral above 30 feet, but the reef is still in excellent shape down to 130 feet or more, and it's starting to come back in the shallows. Make sure you save some air for the shallows -- the current can move you around a bit, but the juveniles and small creatures you'll see are well worth it. I lost count of how many Yellowtail Damselfish and blennies or every sort we saw.

Town Pier

			Orange Cup Coral at Town Pier

Hilma Hooker

Propeller of the Hilma Hooker

The Hilma Hooker is another classic dive for Bonaire, albeit during the day. No doubt this would make an excellent night dive too. There are three moornings on the Hilma Hooker and an easy shore access. This site can be fairly busy, so you might want to dive it outside of the peak boat diving hours (about 8:30am to 10:00am and 1:30pm to 3:00pm). This is especialy true for photographers that want to take wide angle shots without other divers getting in the way. A typical dive on the Hilma Hooker starts from the bow (south) to the stern (north), and finishes on the reef (east).

Salt Pier

			Backlit Salt Pier Pilings

If you dive the Salt Pier by boat, there are two ways to do it. The dive boat can drop you off at the pier, and then go tie-off at Jeanny's Glory, just north of the pier. You swim along the pier (going north), and eventually arrive at the boat. The divemaster will certainly brief you on the markers you can use to find your way back -- this includes a huge chain and floating drum (must be 20 feet accross) which is located between Jeanny's Glory and the Salt Pier. The other way to dive the Salt Pier from a boat is to tie-off at Jeanny's Glory, and then swim south to the pier, turn back, and swim back to the boat. To conserve air, you should stay shallow between Jeanny's Glory and the Salt Pier.

The prefered mathod of diving the Salt Pier is from shore. You can park on the north side of the conveyor which crosses the street. There's a small parking lot, but you can (and should) park closer to the shoreline. The swim out to the pier isn't very long, and there are plenty of small criters and fish in the shallows. When you reach the pier, you can swim from one group of pilings to the next. There are usually large Tarpons, Baracuda, and Jacks hanging around, but there are plenty of small critters too, including Seahorses.

Fish Hut South

Giant Anemone at Fish Hut South

This is an unmarked site just south of the Fish Hut (it's really just after the fish hut). There's a 2 foot brain coral at the edge of the shore that marks a good entry point. The smooth rock botton has many holes filled with Sea Urchins, so be careful where you step! There are lots of healthy soft and hard corals on this reef. If you're looking to take a picture of large Purple Sea Fans, this is your site. We also noticed a higher than average number of shrimp and anemones. Melanie found her first Sea Horse on this reef.

Vista Blue

			Green Turtle at Vista Blue

Sweet Dreams

The entry here can be a little tricky -- there are holes with small Sea Urchins to avoid as you walk through the waves. Once you reach the sandy area, the swim out takes a few minutes. There might be some current in the shallows, but this will let up as you swim out towards the reef. There are small coral heads and soft corals to examine on the way out. On the reef, you'll see lots of schooling fish, soft corals everywhere, large and curious baracudas, and probably one or two turtles. If you're a photographer, this site is excellent for wide-angle shots.

Red Slave

			Willemstoren Lighthouse at Sunset