Regarded as one of the world's
premier sites for shore diving, the
tiny boomerang-shaped island of
BONAIRE, located 80km north of Venezuela,
has much to offer those seeking an
active tropical holiday. Beneath the
clear blue waters, divers and
snorkellers are treated to a
stunning spectacle: schools of fish
of every imaginable shape, size and
colour swim with sea turtles and
other marine creatures in and around
the delicate coral and sponge
gardens. All this and more can be
found in the waters of the
Bonaire
Marine Park, which surrounds
the entire island and its
neighbouring offshore cay, the
uninhabited
Klein Bonaire.
As rugged and barren as the land
may seem, the island has a different
character to it depending on where
you are. In the hilly north, the
cactus-strewn landscape of Washington-Slagbaai
National Park preserves remnants
of the island's history along with a
host of local flora and fauna. To
the south, the land opens up and
becomes flatter, and vast
multicoloured saltpans
attract the largest colony of pink
flamingos in the Caribbean. If
you're after more adventure, there's
windsurfing at Lac Cai , on
the island's east coast, and
kayaking in the nearby mangrove
swamps.
Outside of its natural
attractions, Bonaire's appeal is
low-key. In the evening you can
enjoy the sunset while dining in one
of the many restaurants found in Kralendijk, the island's tidy capital, also
home to a few cultural attractions
and numerous shops.
