We chose the Suzuki because it had the open top, perfect for cruising around the island for the day. Klein Bonaire, a small uninhabited islet off the coast of Bonaire, is a world-class scuba diving spot that will amaze you with its mind-blowing underwater treasures. Bonaire makes it easy for cruise visitors to find a beach with 22 of them scattered around this small island and four right by the Kralendijk cruise port. When I saw a beach on the map called Pink Beach, we had to check it out. From there, snorkel with the current back down to No Name Beach. This area near the salt flats gives you unique views but also an idea of the islands history. East, West and South Caribbean Top Cruising Destinations. Choose one beach from 6 of the most popular beaches in Bonaire (transport only)! Photo stop at Salt Pink Waters, Slave Huts, Lighthouse, and Sorobon Beach! WebMake a payment and confirm your reservation. The Pekelmeer Flamingo Sanctuary is one of only a handful of places were flamingos actually breed, and it is home to over 10,000 flamingos. Having your ship arrange a Bonaire shore excursion for you is certainly easy. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); Hi! Fully licensed and insured shore excursion transportation! It has no sand or facilities, although it is likewise popular with flamingos. Discover where cruise ships dock, how to get to town, Atlantis, Paradise Island, Cabbage or Junkanoo. Complimentary soft drinks and bottled water! Excellent blog post. Manage Settings Thank you! Celebrity Cruises offers as many 44 shore excursions and Royal Caribbean has 49 cruise excursions. The rich cultural past of the Barbados and Bridgetown's cruise port is preserved in an exotic mix of quaint tropical ambiance. Bonaire is the B on the island trio known as ABC - Aruba, Bonaire and Curaao. In the Dominican Republic, we paid about $65 each to feed and interact with spider monkeys in a beautiful jungle setting. Wear water shoes as you have a long walk through shallow water to make it to the reef. Its located right at the edge of the airport. Together with Aruba and Curaao, it forms the ABC islands and has the status of a special municipality within the country of the Netherlands. Our partners (travel agencies and cruise lines) provide prices, which we list for our users' convenience. You are provided with the helmet, gloves, safety equipment and briefing, so all you have to do is relax and wait for the adventure to start! Whether you choose to book a tour with your cruise line or with an independent tour operator, make sure its cruise ship friendly and that you return to the ship by All aboard time. You can relax on the beach or find good snorkeling right off the water. #2. Whether you are looking for sightseeing, adventure, active or water sports, we offer a variety of things to do and Shore Excursions in Bonaire Kralendijk for your holiday. Its packed full of both snorkeling and sightseeing activities. Spending the day in Bonaire with a rental car meant we had many of the places we stopped to ourselves. The eastern coast differed greatly from the southern coast. The island has coral formations, salt pans, a flamingo sanctuary, and a perfect area to learn to windsurf. It lies below a 10-foot cliff, according to Tourism Corporation Bonaire. Bonaire Cruise Port: Tips, Excursions, Weather Quick Travel Tips. English speaking, friendly excursion driver! And you cant snorkel at Salt Pier if there is a boat at the dock. When we first arrived, we picked up a map with beaches and suggested snorkeling spots. Independent Quest: Maps and Guides for Travelers , Essential guide to Bonaire cruise port in Kralendijk: where cruise ships dock, how to get around, things to do, shore excursions, dining, and all you must know, By: Editor-in-Chief Update: January 9, 2022. Top 10 Bonaire Excursions Reef Snorkel ($69.99) Private Sailing ($849.99) Sightseeing - North and South ($74.99) North Side Island Sightseeing ($54.99) Satisfaction Guarantee Higher Quality Guaranteed Return to Ship Lower Prices 24/7 Support Customer Reviews 4.7 out of 5 see all 37,300+ reviews cruise not booked yet? But there are other ways to explore this pristine beauty of Bonaire's crystal clear waters - on a water taxi to Klein Bonaire to snorkel, on a semi-submarine or on a glass bottom boat. This is a great option if you dont want to rent a car, or if you simply want to save some money by not purchasing an excursion tour from your ship. Docks | Beaches | Activities | Shopping | Restaurants | Tours. These shells come from microscopic pink single-celled organisms called foraminifera. Lac Bay is perfect for windsurfing and has quickly become the capital of windsurfing in the Caribbean. Required fields are marked *. Klein Bonaire is a small, uninhabited island off the west coast of Bonaire. Whether you love just relaxing on the beach, finding adventure in activities or learning more of the islands history, there is plenty to do in Bonaire to suit your individual tastes. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. To get there, catch a water taxi from the city center boardwalk or from Eden Beach. You will dive at the National Marine Park where you will have the opportunity to admire the beautiful coral and colorful fish. 1.5 hours) on board a 44-foot sailing boat! The water is so beautiful and looks like a wonderful place to snorkel or dive! As you drive along the southern part of the island, you will see pink lakes on one side of the road and the clear blue waters of the ocean on the other side. These huts once housed the slaves who worked at the Salt Ponds. Bonaire boasts a mangrove reserve that is part of the Lac Bay National Park, located a 20-minute driving distance from the cruise port. Round-trip, clean, air-conditioned transportation from your Bonaire cruise ship terminal! Mind the rocky entry as it can be rough. The island has 86 official dive sites and 53 easily accessible shore dive sites. The reef drop off is very close to shore here, and the sandy beach is an easy entry. There are several beaches in Bonaire near the cruise port and the best way to get there is by local 3. Choose what activity you want to do and how many in your party up to 10 participants! Bonaire looks lovely, never heard of it before! The Cruise Port is 3-miles away from Montego Bay's, but both the old town and the island have top attractions and highlights that must be explored. Anyone who drives there actually will take 67 steps to reach the beach. The best part is the tour is family-friendly and everyone can join it, as you control your own speed and its super safe! Cruiseline.com is not a booking agent or travel agency, and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. And, they seriously discounted the fees. And you can also use the activity center. Get forecasts each morning for every major island. WebBON | Shore Excursions | Carnival Cruise Line Bonaire Bonaire F A Q s Already booked your cruise? Check out the interesting, fun, and exciting Bonaire Cruise Excursions options we have for you. You can also see them from Pink Beach sometimes if you plan to stop there. The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. WebExcursions & Tours About Bonaire Cultural Museum, Island Sightseeing with Optional Beach Drop Off Price: $40.00 See iconic landmarks like the flat salt ponds, the White Slave huts, and more on this exciting island sightseeing tour in Kralendijk. Each stone has the name of the site. Photo stop at 1000 Steps, Flamingo Sanctuary and Rincon! WebBonaire lies about 50 miles off the coast of Venezuela and is part of the islands known as the Leeward Antilles. After exploring the south coast, we continued on our journey around Bonaire, driving up the eastern coast. Very interesting writing and informative post Thanks for sharing with us. Other options include island tours for $75 to $125 that usually include a Is your cruise also stopping in Aruba? It will be difficult to find a cruise passenger that has been in Key West whom will not have anything but words of praise for this Port of Call. English is widely spoken in all tourist areas and tractions. The Bonaire cruise terminal is Harborside Mall, a small open-air shopping center. The slave huts stand along the waters edge. You can take a 10 minute walk southto the Divi Resort. Photo stop at 1000 Steps, Flamingo Sanctuary, Salt Flats (pink lagoon), and Slave Huts! When I went there, I remember that a taxi driver charged us around 6 $ per person one-way (we shared a vehicle with a few other people). The Bonaire Arts and Crafts Cruise Market is by the north and south piers in downtown Kralendijk. The island has taxis and rentals cars but no public transportation. Photo by Bella. MOST INTERESTING ITINERARIES We get you up close so you can experience the real thing. Chairs and umbrellas available for rent at some of the beaches! The natural beauty of St. Martin starts at Cruise Terminal, transportation to all top attractions is around the corner and affordable. The cruise port is right in downtown Kralendijk. All cruise ships calling to Bonaire Island dock at Kralendijk, the capital city of Bonaire Island in the Netherlands Antilles, Dutch Caribbean. Bonaire just had that little something extra that makes us want to go back and stay there for longer one day. Since most people stayed close to the ship or took a cruise ship excursion in Bonaire, we were able to find beaches that had no one else around and to make a loop around the island to find all the best places to go in Bonaire. The sanctuary is not accessible to tourists, but you can enjoy the flamingos from the road without entering the sanctuary. This marks an open area in the coral reef where you can enter the water. Round trip transportation from your Bonaire cruise ship terminal. Wildlife includes parrots, flamingos, parakeets, iguanas and all four species of Caribbean nesting turtles. A day on Bonaire should be spent on the beach enjoying the ever-changing blues of the ocean, the white sandy beach, sunshine and cool breezes. Before I share with you the best things to do in Bonaire port, I invite you to sign up below and get my insider SHORE EXCURSION GUIDE for FREE!if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'adventourbegins_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_2',127,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-adventourbegins_com-medrectangle-4-0'); Kralendijk is a small city easy to explore in a couple of hours. Scuba diving and snorkeling with local operators is, obviously a perfect way to do it. It takes about a 20 minute walk to reach the reef, but Lac Bay is one of the best snorkeling areas in Bonaire. English-speaking certified shore excursion snorkel guides! You may have read ravishing reviews about the Butterfly Garden but be aware that this has been closed for some time. There are not many cruise ships that visit the island, so it is not overrun with tourists during the day or at night like nearby Aruba. Pro Tip: If you do decide to do an organized shore excursion, you should at least price shop it by comparing your ships pricing against purchasing your own excursion from Trip Advisors selection of Bonaire tours. While most of the bay has a soft sand bottom, there are parts of the bay with shells, urchins, or bits of corral. You will find Tourist Information Kiosks near the exit gates of the Cruise Piers but these tend to close early (after most passengers exit the ship). Air-conditioned, fully licensed and insured transportation! You can rent a bike from Bike Rental Bonaireor Scooters Bonaire. It is located on the southeastern coast of the island, approximately 10 km/6.5 miles from the Bonaire cruise terminal (a 15-20 minute drive). When you disembark, turn left and breeze past the gauntlet of excursion providers toward downtown. Bonaire Beaches. The visitors center has a museum and walking trails. Obviously, all cruise lines offer many and diverse shore excursions in Bonaire (Kralendijk) cruise port. The water taxi drops you off at No Name Beach, one of Bonaires best beaches. Thats why I recommend booking a scuba diving tour with your cruise ship because you can get all the necessary information from the Shore excursions department and a diver onboard. Bonaire is a lovely little island located in the Leeward Antilles, in the Southern Caribbean, around 80 km/50 miles north of the Venezuelan coast. Sign up and never miss a blog post! If there are two cruise ships docking, the larger one will always moor on the Southern Pier and the smaller on the Northern Pier. for online shore excursion bookings. Your sliver of paradise! From Kralendijyk, to everywhere else is only 20 minutes by car. Signs nearby tell you the history of this area. Don't let the cruise line scare you into only buying their tours! Any of these can be fun and allow great independence. Very often, the taxi vehicles are minivans that can accommodate up to 6-8 people, and in that case, they have fixed prices they charge per person. In my blog, I share with you my insider tips & knowledge and about cruise ports, shore excursions, cruise destinations, and crew life onboard a cruise ship! Full of white sandy beaches, turquoise blue water and lots of peace and quiet. This is a working dock for loading the salt. He is the author of four books about cruising in the Caribbean, Alaska and Mexican Riviera. The average low temperature, which takes place mostly at night, is 78 degrees Fahrenheit or 26 degrees Celsius. Stops for snorkeling are usually in the open sea and you will use a ladder to go down into the water.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'adventourbegins_com-banner-1','ezslot_4',129,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-adventourbegins_com-banner-1-0'); See the list of the best catamaran and snorkel tours in BonaireCatamaran sail & snorkel, rel="sponsored nofollow noopener". Head back north and stop to check out the Cargill salt ponds You cant tour them but it is worth it to stop and spend time viewing them because they are such a striking feature of the landscape. Head east and go windsurfing and swimming at Jibe City and take a kayak tour with the Mangrove Center in the mangroves on Lac Bay. Open Bar at the boat: soft drinks, fruit punch, beer, wine (rose and white) and rum punch! There is also ahotel on Lac Bay if you are looking to stay here for a few days. At the south end of the island, you will find sparkling mountains made of salt and large pink lakes near the salt flats. The salt pans also are an ideal site to view flamingos. The island of Bonaire has the status of a special municipality within the Kingdom of Netherlands, and the capital city is Kralendijk, a gorgeous little city and a major cruise port of Bonaire. Taking a water taxi to Klein Bonaire is an easy and fairly inexpensive 3. Kralendijk is a small city easy to explore in a couple of hours. And there are also quite a few options close to town that dont require a rental car. The city's name means "coral reef" and Bonaire is an island country and one of the overseas territories of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (aka Holland). Child from: $79.00 USD. We are currently offering 12 excursions in Bonaire. The small size of the town and the island means that Bonaire has few historical and cultural attractions to visit. Taking a water taxi to Klein Bonaire is an easy and fairly inexpensive way to get in a good snorkel during your shore time. Rainfall averages one inch a month from January through September. Bonaire is famous for diving and snorkeling. There are several cruise lines that visit the island, so you can find a southern Caribbean cruise stopping there if you want to see more than just Bonaire. Coastal sailing cruise (approx. WebBonaire Shore Excursions Choose the activity or tour that best suits your wishes from the ones we have selected for you! St. Kitts Island and its port - Port Zante (as it is officially named) - has become in the last years one of the most loved cruise port destinations in the Eastern Caribbean. If you find the kiosks too busy or closed, the main (and larger) Tourism Office is located behind the Protestant Church on Wilhelmina Square, right at the start of Kaya Grandi. 1 Review Full Details Excursion Size: Standard Excursion Type: Active, Cultural, Scenic, Water/Beach Flamingo spotting is another major attraction. Photo courtesy of Rene Cicero.Photo courtesy of Rene Cicero. Options include: Pro Tip: Reserve your car/bike and the mangrove kayaking tour well in advance as they both book up early on cruise ship days. The whole island has a relaxing and laid back vibe that makes it perfect for a Caribbean getaway. We now feature over 5,000 tours in over 300 ports around the world. There are no services on the island but it has a nice sandy beach. Agreed :-) We loved visiting all of the ABC islands, but we especially loved Bonaire because it was less commercialized and more quiet. Complimentary bottled water and soft drinks! Log In to shop food, entertainment and gifts for yourself or a friend! The island has a population of less than 20,000 people, so its no surprise that public transportation is minimal. Renting a car also meant that we could take off and go see the parts of the island that are not visited as often. Very close to both cruise piers you will find the following: Cruise travelers may have read elsewhere that there is third docking spot in Kralendijk known as Ro-Ro Pier - this is, in fact, an inshore ramp not used by cruise ships. July 10, 2011. Bonaire is one of the worlds major exporters of salt because of the salt pans, which also have become something of a tourist attraction on the island. Bonaire shore excursions via cruise lines and independent operators emphasize land and water recreation, especially snorkeling and diving. Enjoy island sightseeing at its best and explore the highlights on the southern side of Bonaire. Super personalized service, only 10 participants per shore excursion boat! But its also a fantastic place to snorkel. Bonaire's Marine Park is considered one of the best in the area and it is home of hundreds of fish and coral. I need to just do it so I can dive these places too. Land Excursions Family Friendly Light Adventure Water Tours Bonaire Shore Excursions WE LOOK FORWARD TO BEING A PART OF YOUR REASONS TO With a constant wind blowing and warm waters year round, it is the perfect spot for windsurfing all year. The contrast makes for a beautiful view along the drive. We loved the freedom of renting a car in Bonaire because we were one of the few cars on the road. However, the even more famous Donkey Sanctuary is very much open and can be fun especially for those traveling with young ones. Take plenty of sunscreen as well as there is little shade on the island. Naturally, it is always a delight to walk down the gangway right into the city center but even when docked at the Southern Pier the cruise passenger is at less than 300 feet (100 meters) from the start of the Plaza Wilhelmina and the Sea Promenade officially known as Kaya J. N. E. Craane. Anyone who arrives at the north pier can walk directly into the market in Wilhelmina Plaza. Tenders & Terminals | George Town and Beyond | Public Bus, For those that have never been in Grand Cayman, the cruise passenger should know that George Town is a tender port, Where and What | Top Attractions | Shorex or On Your Own. Posted January 8. Learn how your comment data is processed. Pink Beach, the longest beach on the island, has fine pink sand. The northern pier is perpendicular to the coast, just over 200 feet long, with the exit gates opening directly into a pedestrian street right in front of the Wilhelmina Park. Sign me up! Even if you arent windsurfing, the view and the water here is gorgeous. We stopped at beaches that had no one else in sight and snorkeled anywhere that looked like a good spot. One hour of guided snorkel excursion at a beautiful Bonaire reef! Then drive up to the Goto Meer lake to see the flamingos and head into Rincon for a visit to the local Cadushy distillery. Docking | Getting Around | See and Do | Excursions and Tours. Then you get back into the boat and tell them how long you want to snorkel for. For those interested in mother nature's travails, the Echo's Conservation Centre is an attraction to check and so is the Mangrove Center. They run it three times a day from the Karels Beach Bar and they will also have a kiosk as you exit the ship. On 1/7/2023 at 5:47 PM, phoenix_dream said: Hearing the Bonaire port cancelled on at least one cruise being reported due to Bonaire deciding one ship only as of January 1st. Or, if you cruise is stopping in Curacao, check out this list of things to do there. Visit also our cruise guides to Curacao, Aruba, Falmouth, Cozumel, Costa Maya, Grand Cayman, Perfect Day at CocoCay, Labadee, St Maarten, Bermuda, Barbados, 25 Top Shore Excursion Packing List Items, What to Pack for a Cruise Top 50 Cruise Essentials. Bonaire is the smallest of the ABC trio and until recently the forgotten Island in the South Caribbean itineraries. The sites where the salt is produced have become such an attraction that the Bonaire Salt Park is expected to open sometime in 2018. These island have a lot in common but cruise passengers shouldn't infer that if you have seen one you have seen them all. SELECT id_history FROM history WHERE session_id = '4240ea6d4b8feb8ddbd5905ebfc2d8fa' AND id_portofcall = '12' AND id_portofcall != 0 +-+--. Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has available 22 shore excursions. Bonaire looks gorgeous! Landmarks like the Fort Orange and lighthouse, the Queen Wilhelmina Plaza or the Government Office Building are impossible to miss. The cannons are old English cannons that date between 1808 and 1812. But you can access the palapas, waterfront and restaurants. Super personalized service, only 6 participants per scuba diving shore excursion boat! Although small in size, Bonaire is such a wonderful place to visit, full of natural beauties and an incredible underwater marine world. Snorkeling shore excursions range in price between $50 and $100 depending on whether they include lunch or open bar. By contrast, major cruise lines - Carnival, Celebrity, Holland & America, P & O, Princess, and RCI - have many itineraries visiting Bonaire between the months of October and as late as May. Harbourside Mall, 31 Kaya Grande, has a variety of shops and restaurants. BEST PRICES GUARANTEED Visitors to Washington-Slagbaai National Park will find three major beaches at Boca Cocolishi, Boca Slagbaai and Playa Funchi. The houses are painted various shades of pink, orange, and white which contrast with the blue waters beyond them from the road. Because we dont plan ahead, we walked in and asked what was available. Playa Funchi is a highly recommended snorkeling site because of coral formations, attractive fish and calm waters. We only saw about ten cars the entire time we drove the southern coast, including stops.
