Trish Berry, May 2025
Rachel Zoe Midi Dress, White Royal Caribbean Wrap, Faux Pearl Bracelet, Gray Anti-Seasick Bracelet, Gold and Pearl Ring (inherited), Gold Ring, Gold Necklaces with Pendants, Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail Polish (color #299 Pucker Up)
Bonaire (pronounced bon-air) is the ‘B’ in the ABC Islands, very close to the Venezuelan coast of South America. The citizens are Dutch, and Bonaire is a municipality of the Netherlands. The ABC Islands (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao) belong to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Dutch is the spoken language in Bonaire, but English is often used by the vendors and the excursions operators.
There are many forms of entertainment on Bonaire: mangrove kayaking; snorkeling on all the beaches (some beaches you can walk to); landsliding (for the young and brave only); UTV tour (this takes eight hours and most ships are not in port that long–you could be waving goodbye to your ship as it sails away); water taxi to Klein Bonaire to the ‘No Name Beach.’
There are lots of excursions to go see many iguanas, many sea turtles and flamingoes. If we go on an excursion, we make our reservations well in advance of departure day or the excursions are sold out. Your Royal Caribbean app will show you the available excursions.
Bonaire is another country of pastel colors, but also bold colors. Below is a beautiful painting of a young girl. It’s on a wall on a random street. It is not three dimensional, but flat paint. It holds your eye. Perfection in art. There was no signature on the painting so I cannot credit the artist. Wish I could.
Bonaire knows we like to have photos taken of ourselves to take home with us so there are many places for photos. If you are alone, a stranger will take your photo for you. If you are with someone, a stranger will take a photo for you and the other(s) with you. People traveling are happy people and are happy to help others along the way. 
Calypso Top, Marks & Spencer Shorts, Jellypop Tennis Shoes
Bonaire is filled with cuteness. Creativity is shown in the random advertising signs you see along the way.
If you decide to live on Bonaire, there are very nice apartments for sale close to the port. The port contains all the amenities that you would find in an urban city where you walk out of your brownstone, purchase your market items, and walk back to your apartment (arrondissement), much like they do in France.
As a lover of art, my eyes shoot to the unusual, the beautiful. Below is a handcrafted ceramic vase approximately four feet high. Much work and authenticity went into its making. It sits on a sidewalk. No signature so I cannot credit the artist.
Even the paved streets and sidewalks of Bonaire are paved with art. Below is a flamingo formed into the concrete. There were turtles, iguanas and other local critters embedded into the concrete.
Below is me on an old beat-up truck that is used for photos only. No driving this baby anywhere. Its engine is long gone. But it’s a cute photo location. And hubby joined me in the second photo. The photo of the two of us was taken by a kind stranger.
Dutch advertisement below. Wonder what they are advertising? Maybe ice cream? Haha It has a really cute cone holder.
Any restaurant in Bonaire offers fabulous food. You can get fresh seafood and eat in a thatch-roofed, open-air restaurant. Now that is a delicious experience.
Tourists enjoy the festive train that chugs through the streets and deeper into the island so you see things you would never seen on foot. It is worth the small amount charged for this ride. It lasts approximately two hours. It is open, so the winds blows and keeps the heat at a minimum, but always have your water bottle with you so you can drink.
Bonaire is known for the giant sea turtles that survive through clean waters and protection provided for them by the Bonaire government. Nature to the island is important for all critters. The government is preserving its island so it will remain a thriving place of creatures and animals as the years pass. Another one of my canvas tote bags that I buy almost everywhere I go. They are not costly, maybe $5.00 to $8.00, but we always have them to carry our water in and essential papers.
Wherever I go, I always find a library, big or small. This is a cute little library to take and give books for free. It was located outside the Museum of Bonaire. These freebie libraries are popping up all over the world. A wonderful idea. It encourages reading in the young. If you take a young child to one and find a good book that they like, they could become a life-long reader.
The books will teach them about kindness (Dr. Suess), and getting along well with others. As they get older, they will learn of foreign lands, local history, and maybe find a dream within themselves to follow.
Cute hubby below. Even he carries a tote with water in it. Stay safe. Stay hydrated.
I hope everyone gets to Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean, one day. You will always remember it. It is a beautiful island filled with beautiful things to see and adventures for the young and old. And it has beautiful people who are always kind and helpful to a visitor to their paradise.
Have fun. Safe travels.