Welcome to the island with more flamingoes than people.

Bonaire is exactly what you'd think of the Caribbean without all of the commercial bullsh*t. What do I mean by that? This isn't an island for all inclusive resorts and Americanized restaurants. I mean that in the best way.

If you've never heard of Bonaire, it's a Dutch island that has only 20,000 people living there and not a single traffic light.

Fun fact: there are 24,000 flamingoes and 1,500 donkeys.

For most of the trip I didn't come across any Americans. Many people I met were from the Netherlands including college students who do 6 month long internships on the island. Immersing myself in a new culture, I felt like I truly escaped from my life for a bit as I experienced the laid-back island life mindset.

My scuba instructor didn't have a cell phone for 6 years. These people live in one of the most beautiful places in the world and don't even want to post about it on social media…how refreshing.

Here's my "top things to do" Bonaire itinerary cheat sheet, and all of the photos you see were shot on film!

Top Things to Do in Bonaire: What to See.

Washington Slagbaai National Park This is a drivable (but you need an SUV) National Park with everything from hiking to the beach and cliff jumping. The cactus tree, called cadushi, is found only in Bonaire, Curacao and Aruba. Pretty cool!

Epic Tours Sunset Cruise This is a must-do. While relaxing on the catamaran, you're served a very tasty three course meal with stops along the way to snorkel. That sunset…woof.

Scuba dive! Bonaire is known as one of the most beautiful places to dive in the world and for shore diving specifically. With over 100 dive sites, it lives up to the hype. I finished my scuba certification here at Buddy Dive over three days.

Jibe City This place is such a cool vibe if you're out on the water or lounging at the restaurant with a drink in-hand. I took windsurfing classes here and damn it's hard. No matter how many times I fell, I couldn't get over how clear the water was.

Salt Pans You can't get up close and personal with them since it is an active site, but the pyramids are roughly 50-feet high and contain approximately 10,000 tons of 99.6% pure salt. It's also surrounded by pink water, where the salt crystalizes…mindblown.

Shopping The downtown is filled with colorful buildings and local shops from clothes to art to local souvenirs.

Top Things To Do in Bonaire: Where to Eat.

Sebastian's One of my favorite meals of the trip and it's right on the water for sunset. I had the octopus and a homemade Snickers ice cream bar.

Posada Para Mira Casual spot for lunch near the Washington Slagbaai National Park.

Mezze Contemporary Middle Eastern restaurant, Great dinner spot downtown with outdoor seating.

Blennies The outdoor restaurant at Buddy Dive. Fun vibe to hangout and have a few Coronas after a day under the sea.

Senang Get the sushi boat. This was located at Delfin's (the resort I stayed at).

Karel's Beach Bar Downtown and on the water. Try the iguana soup!

Kite City Food Truck Can't get more local than this. I had a barracuda burger and ate there more than once. Located right on the beach to enjoy with their homemade Sangria.

Top Things To Do in Bonaire: Where to Stay.

Delfin's Beach Resort A beautiful oasis where I stayed. Started my morning on the hammock on the beach. There's pools, a dock for snorkeling and an on-site restaurant.

Buddy Dive Resort Many divers stay at Buddy Dive which I recommend if you plan on diving a lot. It's a very welcoming place.

Here's a pic of my scuba instructor Jack and I giving my version of the “ok” symbol for diving. Hand signals are very important underwater. You really bond with the people who go 60 feet below the surface with.

Be good,

JB

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