Sharing the Caribbean with you and helping you discover everything that makes our islands great!
What to see and do:
Bonaire is a fantastic island to explore, and it caters to all types of vacation styles. Whether you’re a thrill-seeker who wants a very active vacation or you’re looking for rest and relaxation, you can enjoy a wonderful stay on Bonaire.
The island is best known for its extraordinary diving. Dive sites can be found all over the island, but some of the best dive experiences are available right at Divi Flamingo Beach Resort, home to Divi Dive Bonaire. Divi Dive Bonaire offers the best shore and boat diving on the island, with the Calabas house reef just feet from the dock and a fleet of six dive boats. The team at Divi Dive Bonaire is made up of passionate dive professionals, and they can help make sure your dive is great no matter what your experience level is. If you’re a beginner, you can take a SCUBA certification course here and shore dive right from the dock later in the day, so you’ll be exploring the ocean in no time. Prepare to be surrounded by the smiling faces of returning guests; many guests here have been diving with Divi for years and have made Bonaire into their second home. If diving isn’t your thing, you may want to try snorkeling instead. There are plenty of shallower sites where you can see the beautiful coral and marine life. Whether you choose to dive or snorkel the waters, you’ll be immersed in the spectacular underwater world – it’s an experience that shouldn’t be missed!
An island hotspot that is perfect for everything from watersports to relaxing with a cocktail is Jibe City, located on the eastern side of the island. Jibe City is the place to be for wind and kite surfers, offering bright blue, warm, shallow waters and continuous winds that create perfect conditions for the sports. Lessons are offered for those who want to try out these watersports, or you can simply relax at the casual waterfront bar that is always buzzing with people and good music. 
Although you could plan your entire vacation around enjoying the ocean, we recommend spending a good portion of your time on land since there are so many great things to see and do! The capital city of Kralendijk is a very short walk from the resort, and it offers shopping, dining, great nightlife and more. When a cruise ship is docked at the port, there is a fun little market in the downtown square, providing the perfect opportunity to pick up a souvenir from your trip.
Bonaire is also great for animal lovers, who will definitely want to visit the donkey and flamingo sanctuaries. There are also many sightseeing destinations, including natural caves, salt pans, the beautiful Washington Slagbaai National Park, and of course, gorgeous beaches. Bonaire truly has something for everyone!
What to eat:
How often do you get the chance to say that you ate a delicious meal for a good cause? On Bonaire, you have the opportunity to satisfy your hunger while also benefitting and protecting the ocean – just order lionfish! Lionfish is a light and tasty fish, perfect on a sandwich or served as part of a main course.
However, lionfish are also a predatory species that feed on the native fish populations in the Caribbean Sea. For this reason, many divers (including those on our team at Divi Flamingo Beach Resort) take part in lionfish hunts to help control the population and protect the natural marine life. Their catches can be found as the daily special at restaurants and roadside eateries all over the island, including at Divi Flamingo’s own Chibi Chibi restaurant. Our new Executive Chef, Antonio Bruni, will be cooking up some mouthwatering lionfish dishes for guests to enjoy, so if you happen to see it on the menu of daily specials, make sure to stop in and give it a try! It’s a very versatile fish that can be served many different ways; some of our favorites are as a lionfish burger or lionfish ceviche. No matter how it’s served, it’s going to be delicious!
What to drink:
When exploring Bonaire, you can’t help but notice the abundance of cacti growing wild throughout the island. Visitors-turned-locals Eric and Jolande Gietman found a unique use for all of these cacti when they moved to Bonaire in 2009. The couple, who initially discovered and fell in love with the island while on their honeymoon, founded the Cadushy Distillery, where various liqueurs representing the flavors of the Caribbean islands are made from the kadushi cactus. This is the world’s only liqueur made from a cactus, and it’s all made in Rincon at the island’s only distillery. We recommend spending an afternoon at the charming Cadushy Distillery, where you can sample all of the flavorful, island-inspired liqueurs along with rum, vodka and whisky, which are also made from cacti! Along with the tasting is a personal explanation of the distilling process from start to finish, often from Eric himself. You’re sure to leave the tasting with a lift in your spirits after experiencing Cadushy Liqueur, “the spirit of Bonaire.”
Take a bottle of Bonaire’s Cadushy Liqueur home as a souvenir and try out this recipe:
Cadushy Mojito
- 2 parts Cadushy of Bonaire Liqueur
- 1 part Rom Rincon (the Cadushy Distillery’s signature rum)
- 1 tsp simple syrup
- 10 fresh mint leaves
- Lime
- Soda water
Squeeze some lime wedges into a glass. Add the Rom Rincon, simple syrup and mint leaves, then muddle gently. Fill the glass with ice and add the Cadushy of Bonaire Liqueur. Top it off with soda water and garnish with a sprig of mint and a wedge of lime. Cheers!
For more delicious recipes, visit www.cadushy.com.
Go to www.diviresorts.com/bonaire.htm to learn even more about this amazing island!
