This Tiny Caribbean Island Is the World’s First ‘Blue Destination’ and It Has 85+ Dive Sites and White-sand Beaches

In Blue Zones, residents tend to enjoy remarkable health and unexpected longevity—and in the Caribbean, there’s an entire island embodying this health-first, preservation-minded ethos. Named the world’s first “Blue Destination,” Bonaire has been dedicated to preserving its delicate ecosystems for decades, protecting 20 percent of its land and 100 percent of its oceans. Thanks to the island’s forward-thinking sustainability practices and its safe distance outside of the main hurricane belt, Bonaire boasts some of the world’s most pristine reefs, teeming with life and color.

Naturally, the island is a haven for scuba divers. “But beyond the snorkeling and diving, Bonaire offers a kind of authenticity, simplicity, and return to nature that offers visitors space to think, reset, and renew,” says Jessica Gonzalez, vice president of hotel operations at Harbour Village Bonaire. With fewer than 30,000 residents, the island may lack the festivals or sprawling development of its neighbors, but whether you visit to explore under the waves, check out the island’s growing culinary scene, or crack open a fresh coconut along untouched shores, Bonaire is just what the doctor ordered.

Best Hotels & Resorts

Harbour Village Bonaire

Harbour Village Bonaire offers just 40 rooms, suites, villas, and beach houses, but this expansive property offers the luxe amenities of a much larger resort. With a PADI 5-Star IDC dive and watersports center located on a beach apt for both snorkeling and diving, it’s a particularly beloved destination for divers looking for comprehensive dive packages or one-off experiences. The resort also has its own 60-slip marina for yachts, fishing charters, and boat rentals, where many visitors dock while enjoying dinner at the beloved La Balandra Restaurant & Bar.

Delfins Beach Resort Bonaire, Tapestry Collection by Hilton

Set on a calm stretch of sand close to Bonaire’s charming capital city of Kralendijk, Delfins Beach Resort Bonaire is a sleek 148-room property complete with two pools, a fitness center, and on-site dining ranging from beach barbecue to the island’s best: Brass Boer. One of the island’s largest resorts, it offers easy access to everything from dive excursions and car rentals to day trips across the island. In 2024, it became a part of the Hilton Tapestry Collection, making it one of the only properties on the island where points-collecting travelers will want to stay.

The Bellafonte

The Bellafonte is a boutique property on a tranquil stretch of coastline south of Kralendijk; its 22 apartment-style suites are a hit with families or those looking for convenience and space. A gorgeous west-facing pool deck for sunset swims and a large pier for plunging into the sea mean you’ll hardly notice the lack of beachfront. Activities such as sunrise yoga, island tours, and a restorative stretching class specifically designed with divers in mind only enhance its appeal.

Windhoek Boutique Resort Bonaire

As challenging as it may be to imagine spending a trip to the Caribbean without an oceanfront location, it’s worth it for a stay at Windhoek Boutique Resort Bonaire. With a handful of thoughtfully designed one- and two-bedroom villas centered around a serene pool and surrounded by gardens, the property exudes peace and privacy. Plus, it’s just a few blocks from the beach.

Best Things to Do

Go scuba diving.

“Bonaire is located outside of the hurricane belt and within a marine park protected since the 1970s, so Bonaire’s reefs are among the most pristine in the Caribbean,” says Gonzalez. So revered is the island for its diving that Scuba Diving Magazine has named it the best shore diving destination in the Caribbean for 33 consecutive years. The 236-foot former drug-runner ship Hilma Hooker offers one of the most impressive wreck dives in the region, though the vertical walls at The Cliff, vibrant reefs at Sweet Dreams, and swarms of sealife at Salt Pier are just as unforgettable.

Hit the beach.

The island’s tiny size makes it easy to spend a day or two exploring the nearly two dozen beaches in Bonaire. The white sands at Sorobon Beach make it one of the island’s best, and though its offshore winds attract kitesurfers, it has great beachside bars and restaurants. Other popular options include 1,000 Steps for snorkeling, Te Amo for sunbathing while watching the planes fly in, and Klein Bonaire for undisturbed sands with a private island feel.

Visit the salt pans.

Drive down the coast from Kralendijk, and you’ll soon see towering white pyramids in the distance, evidence of the island’s small but mighty salt industry. The technicolor salt pans are even more memorable, shining with bright hues of pink, blue, and green, just as vibrant as the architecture of the island’s capital. Flamingos flock here, making the area even more picturesque.

Try kitesurfing.

Bonaire’s Sorobon Beach is among the best kitesurfing destinations in the world; it faces the Atlantic, resulting in ideal wind conditions for the sport. Kiteboarding Bonaire offers lessons and gear rentals around the island (less-visited beaches may be more apt for beginners). Janet Hoediono, executive chef at La Balandra Restaurant & Bar, suggests the not-as-popular Bachelor’s Beach.

Sample island spirits.

The historic town of Rincon is home to The Cadushy Distillery, where master distiller Eric Geitman crafted the island’s first rum made with island-grown Yerba di Holé spices and the kadushi cactus. Gietman’s other creations include island-inspired liquers made from fresh fruits and whisky. Beer lovers may prefer La Cantina Cerveceria, which brews its own beers on-site, including a blonde ale made with local aloe vera flowers.

Best Restaurants

Brass Boer

Brass Boer is an elegant yet accessible island-inspired dining experience. Named the best restaurant in the Caribbean by Caribbean Journal, this tranquil seaside spot is even open for breakfast, offering menus that marry international cuisine with Caribbean freshness. For a private dining experience, ask for Table 14, located on the pier.

La Balandra Restaurant & Bar

Dine over the water at La Balandra Restaurant & Bar, a restaurant modeled after a Spanish ship that makes you feel like you’re sailing over the sea. Fishermen will routinely dock here to leave the day’s fresh catch, so you know the seafood is the house specialty. Stay past sunset and until it’s dark to see how underwater night lighting reveals huge tarpon swimming below.

Cactus Blue

Locals will tell you that some of the best food on Bonaire is found at the island’s food trucks, and that’s particularly true at Cactus Blue, where lionfish burgers are a favorite with locals and visitors alike. Find Cactus Blue parked at its permanent location near the Corporal Meiss dive site on the beach adjacent to the airport.

Sebastian’s

Bonaire brims with great oceanfront dining options, but Sebastian’s has long been a favorite for its fresh, Mediterranean-inspired menu using seasonal ingredients. Pasta dishes featuring lobster and octopus are always a hit, though the chef specials usually have a fun Caribbean twist. Italian night on Sundays is immensely popular, so be sure to get a reservation.

Bella Brunch at Lady Bellaïs

Bella Brunch is more of a dining experience than a restaurant itself, but that’s part of what has made it such an instant favorite. Hop aboard the wooden Brazilian schooner, Lady Bellaïs, for the experience, which features a full brunch and open bar as well as a guided snorkeling tour around the island.

Best Places to Visit

Kralendijk

Exploring Bonaire’s capital city, Kralendijk, is a highlight in itself, revealing the island’s deep Dutch Caribbean roots in its colorful, gingerbread house-like architecture. Stroll down Kaya Grandi shopping for souvenirs like scrubs and bath products made with salt harvested on the island, or take a self-guided walking tour of town. Finish the day at Karel’s Beach Bar, the oldest restaurant on the island.

North Side

It takes just three or four hours to drive around the entire island, so travelers can easily plan on seeing everything Bonaire has to offer in one trip. On the north side of the island, expect “rougher shore lines, dive sites off the shore, hikes, and caving,” says Hoediono. A highlight is Washington Slagbaai National Park, the first nature sanctuary in the Dutch Caribbean, with its small museum, designated hiking trails, and spots for camping.

South Side

The south side of the island is renowned for its calmer, quieter beaches, particularly along the western coast. Bonaire even has a famous pink-sand beach, though with an admittedly gentle hue. Much of the southern tip of the island is occupied by its colorful salt pans, and on the southeastern side of the island, Sorobon Beach draws kitesurfers.

Klein Bonaire

Located just a half a mile from Kralendijk, the small, uninhabited island of Klein Bonaire is a must-visit day trip destination for those looking for a memorable excursion for snorkeling and diving. Water taxis, ferries, and private boats leave from the city frequently, but once you’ve arrived on the island, you’ll feel like you have it all to yourself. Come prepared with everything you’ll need for the day, as there is no food and very little shade on the island—just the untouched beaches you’ve been dreaming of.

How to Get There

Flights into Bonaire International Airport (BON) are relatively limited, but travelers have options. United flights connect the island to Newark (EWR) and Houston (IAH) once a week, while American Airlines flights from Miami (MIA) and seasonal Delta flights from Atlanta (ATL) reach the island multiple times a week. Canadian travelers will find seasonal WestJet flights from Toronto (YYZ).

Alternatively, travelers can search for flights into Aruba’s Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA) or Curaçao International Airport (CUR) and take one of the frequent daily flights to Bonaire; they’re so quick, you’ll be on the ground before you know it.

Best Times to Visit

“The weather in Bonaire is fairly consistent throughout the year, with an increase in temperature during September and October,” says Hoediono. Bonaire is located outside of the hurricane belt, making it one of the best destinations in the region for travelers looking for a vacation without the risk of getting rained out.

However, “the busiest months are December, January, February, and March,” she says, which is typical throughout the Caribbean. Traveling in the high season generally means higher prices and more fellow travelers, though on an island this small and laid-back, it never feels crowded.

Bonaire celebrates its oldest town, Rincon, with Dia di Rincon every April, marked by several days of folkloric dance performances, music, and local food in what is the island’s largest event. In October, Regatta Bonaire draws sailors for races around Bonaire and to its neighboring islands. Eager spectators and crews give the island a festive feel that is contagious, whether or not you know the first thing about sailing.

How to Get Around

Though Bonaire is easy to explore by car, most visitors will probably want to pick up a truck or SUV when grabbing their rental at the airport; this type of vehicle is better for hauling dive gear or for driving down some of the island’s rougher roads to reach remote beaches. There are no rideshare options on the island, so less adventurous travelers can rely on local taxis (though taxis are limited).