The Port and its Terminals Driving there, Tunnel and Parking Top attractions Shopping. You can make the most of your time in the port of Bonaireand head back to your ship having had a good sampling of the island. Open Air Bus Sightseeing: Te Amo Beach, Salt Flats, Flamingo Sanctuary, Salt Plantation and Slave House, Lighthouse, Lac Bay and Sorobon! Check the folowing websites to find out more about what to do on your own: Besides the water-related activities, the cruise passenger has other options. Along the road, little rocks had the corresponding names and numbers, making it easy to find the spots you wanted to see. Although located in the center of Kralendijk, the one attraction that is not self-evident is the Terramar Museum. The cruise port is right in downtown Kralendijk. 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. If Bonaire is your cruise port, get ready to enjoy the idyllic scenery of the island for your day in Bonaire. Don't forget your cameras, for some great photo opts. All snorkel equipment including mask, sterilized snorkel tube/mouthpiece, fins, and flotation vest! The houses are painted various shades of pink, orange, and white which contrast with the blue waters beyond them from the road. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'adventourbegins_com-leader-3','ezslot_13',135,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-adventourbegins_com-leader-3-0'); Your email address will not be published. We have visited Saint Lucia, several islands in the Bahamas with Groupon and Living Social, Jamaica, Turks & Caicos, the Dominican Republic, Bonaire, Curacao, and Aruba. Banks are open between 8AM and 4PM. Celebrity Cruises offers as many 44 shore excursions and Royal Caribbean has 49 cruise excursions. It really is perfect for snorkeling with such clear water! WebWater Tours in Bonaire BONAIRE GLASS BOTTOM REEF & SNORKEL Take this glass bottom boat trip to Klein Bonaire, and discover Bonaires underwater wonders right from the first moment you are on board Read More & Book SAIL AND SNORKEL TO KLEIN BONAIRE Enjoy the friendly atmosphere and space on our sailboats. When you disembark, turn left 2. The road goes along the coastline, so you have water views the whole way. WebShore excursion tours are the best way to maximize the value of your cruise as well as your time ashore. Cunard, Viking or MSC, for example, do not have any call scheduled for the next couple of years. This island is uninhabited, so there are no options to buy food or water there. Each obelisk is painted a different color to help the ships navigate. Having a rental car gave us the freedom to see what we wanted and for as long as we wanted. The Tourist Information Office in Kralendijk. The tours are usually organized in small groups, which makes the whole experience more comfortable and personalized. Explore more with the Wayfaring Views newsletter. DIY Excursions for the Bonaire Cruise Port 1. 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. You can rent from AB Car Rental. Playa Funchi is a highly recommended snorkeling site because of coral formations, attractive fish and calm waters. They returned every Sunday to be back in time to work on Monday. We stopped at beaches that had no one else in sight and snorkeled anywhere that looked like a good spot. But if you want to rent equipment, it will cost extra. The cruise passenger will find useful to have cash for small purchases like souvenirs, taxis and tipping. Bonaire might be a small island but it offers a lot of snorkeling and sightseeing. 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. East, West and South Caribbean Top Cruising Destinations. There are many Banks, most with ATM's, in Kralendijk. Choose one beach from 6 of the most popular beaches in Bonaire (transport only)! Snacks at the boat: brie cheese, tuna salad, fresh fruit and something sweet! Bonaire looks gorgeous! Enjoy the best of the north and south sides of Bonaire! Just pay your $40-$100 for a pre-arranged tour. Antigua is one of the most popular cruise destinations. Not far from the Northern Pier (1.3 miles - 2 km) the Spice Beach Club of the Eden Resort is another good option. Open Bar at the boat: soft drinks, fruit punch, beer, wine (rose and white) and rum punch! The cruise lines normally offer catamaran shore excursions, but these are usually fully booked, so if you want to join your cruise ship shore excursion, make sure you book in advance! If so, check out these 27 things to do in Arubaand look sharp on your cruise with this packing list. 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! Four beaches close to Kralendijk are Bachelors, Te Amo and Flamingo, along with one of the most unusually named beaches in the Caribbean. We won't send you spam. For updated coronavirus (Covid-19) information and travel advice to Bonaire (Kralendijk) cruise port visit the website of the U.S. Consulate in Curacao. Kralendijk is a small town of about 3,000 people, so there are few walking around attractions. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. English-speaking certified shore excursion snorkel guides! Known as one of the Top Scuba diving sites in the World, and promoted as such to exhaustion, many cruisers not interested in diving or snorkeling frequently wonder what else to do or see. They are open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon and again from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. 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? Taxis, rental cars and excursion buses are the main means of getting around the island. Along the way, you will stop at many sightseeing attractions. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); Hi! The pier is very simple and doesnt have any building or sheltered area except for the tent where the security gate is and that the security staff normally uses. WebEXCURSION COMPANY We offer over 5000 experiences, in over 500 ports worldwide. We hiked along the rocks and enjoyed watching and hearing the waves crash, but swimming was out of the question. For those interested in mother nature's travails, the Echo's Conservation Centre is an attraction to check and so is the Mangrove Center. Celebrity Cruises offers as many 44 shore excursions and If you are looking for more snorkeling options, walk down the beach to the south until you find a yellow post. The visitors center has a museum and walking trails. Whatever you choose to see and do in Bonaire, it is easy and affordable to explore the Island on your own. All Rights ReservedDuplication in part or whole without prior written consent is prohibited by international laws. You need to be able to walk around 10 minutes to reach the dock where youll embark on your catamaran. Check out the Bonaire Landsailing tourif(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'adventourbegins_com-leader-2','ezslot_11',133,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-adventourbegins_com-leader-2-0');Land sailing tour. I'd love to see one IRL one day - adding Bonaire to my ever growing list! The average low temperature, which takes place mostly at night, is 78 degrees Fahrenheit or 26 degrees Celsius. You then do a 1-way snorkel back to where you dropped your stuff on the beach. The island has coral formations, salt pans, a flamingo sanctuary, and a perfect area to learn to windsurf. Visitors to Washington-Slagbaai National Park will find three major beaches at Boca Cocolishi, Boca Slagbaai and Playa Funchi. Get the chance to sail and snorkel, visit the popular beaches, the salt flats and many other sites! If your cruise stops at the port of Bonaire, youll have your choice of shore excursions, but youve only got one day so make the most of it. Check out the interesting, fun, and exciting Bonaire Cruise Excursions options we have for you. 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.. Oceania Cruises organizes 14 shore excursions, Bonaire Monthly Weather Averages: Rain, Temperatures, Bonaire cruise port at Kralendijk. English-speaking certified shore excursion guide! You can cash money easily in Bonaire. We are currently offering 12 excursions in Bonaire. 735. Due to the proximity of the cruise piers to Kralendijk, walking is undoubtedly the best way to explore this beautiful, small and quaint Caribbean capital. The easiest ATM to find is next to the main entrance of the Tourism Office, at the start of Kaya Grandi. Boca Cocolishi on the north coast is not well-suited for swimming because of the strong surf. Almost all Bonaire beaches are public except for Sorobon, a clothing-optional beach in a private nudist resort where non-guests pay $10 for admission. We only saw about ten cars the entire time we drove the southern coast, including stops. 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. Opening hours are from 9 am till 5 pm. Scarcely populated (around 19,000 inhabitants in an area 6 times the size of Manhattan) with a small capital with only 3,000 inhabitants, Bonaire's natural wonders and laid-back ambiance are main tractions to enjoy and discover on a cruise in the Caribbean. As much as there are lots of nice and easy things to do on your own when calling at the port of Bonaire, all cruise lines and independent local tour operators offer excellent shore excursions, which cruise passengers should consider. The USD has been adopted since January 1, 2011. Living in Florida makes cruises and flights to the Caribbean easier and cheaper than from other parts of the United States or the world. You can also see them from Pink Beach sometimes if you plan to stop there. Choose what activity you want to do and how many in your party up to 10 participants! The boat will thentake you the requisite distance south and drop you in the water. The pilings create a vertical column which brings the fish right up to the surface of the water. Bonaire is a very scenic island boasting a variety of natural treasures and rich flora and fauna. A narrow fringing reef starts near the shoreline and extends nearly 1,000 feet offshore. Bonaire is the second largest of the ABC islands in the Leeward Antilles group; Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Catch a 10 minute cab ride north to Eden Beach. Kralendijk Cruise Excursion to Klein Bonaire. You can find full directions including maps of the walking routes and best snorkeling areas here. They will shuttle you over to the island where you can drop your stuff. Salt continues to be a major part of Bonaires economy even today. Wear water shoes as you have a long walk through shallow water to make it to the reef. These shells come from microscopic pink single-celled organisms called foraminifera. English is widely spoken in all tourist areas and tractions. Discover where cruise ships dock, how to get to town, Atlantis, Paradise Island, Cabbage or Junkanoo. Love finding travel tips, ideas for future trips, and ways to save money on travel? It takes about a 20 minute walk to reach the reef, but Lac Bay is one of the best snorkeling areas in Bonaire. Certainly, Bonaire is not a shoppers paradise like the sister islands of Aruba and Curacao. Then drive up to the Goto Meer lake to see the flamingos and head into Rincon for a visit to the local Cadushy distillery. If there are two cruise ships docking, the larger one will always moor on the Southern Pier and the smaller on the Northern Pier. Cruise ships dock in one of two piers on a wide bay on the Southern part of the West coast of the island of Bonaire, right by Kralendijk the main city and capital of the island known as: The two piers are suited to moor up to three cruise ships, although only very seldom this happens. Enjoy a lovely sail along the coastline and then experience a guided snorkel by professional Bonaire shore excursion guides. WebBonaire is located off the coast of Venezuela and has for years been known as a world-class diving and snorkeling destination. They run it three times a day from the Karels Beach Bar and they will also have a kiosk as you exit the ship. Full of white sandy beaches, turquoise blue water and lots of peace and quiet. The southern coast featured clear and calm waters with sandy beaches and some rocks. Bonaire lies about 50 miles off the coast of Venezuela and is part of the islands known as the Leeward Antilles. It is $25 for divers and $10 for all other users. 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. MOST INTERESTING ITINERARIES We get you up close so you can experience the real thing. See iconic landmarks like the flat salt ponds, the White Slave huts, and more on this exciting island sightseeing tour in Kralendijk. , so the taxi drivers usually drop you off there. The waters are calm and ideal for families with young children. The cannons are old English cannons that date between 1808 and 1812. See the beauty of this tiny rugged gem of an island. The reef drop off is very close to shore here, and the sandy beach is an easy entry. Other options include island tours for $75 to $125 that usually include a July 10, 2011. Considering that cruise ship dock next to Kralendijk, there is no need for a shuttle. Mind the rocky entry as it can be rough. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. What do you do on cruise excursions? 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