The Best Things to Do in Bonaire: Ultimate Cruise Port Guide

Bonaire is a southern Caribbean island, along with Aruba and Curacao that are collectively referred to as the ABC islands. Bonaire is located 50 miles north of Venezuela and is the 2^nd largest ABC island. It offers a more laid-back style with less tourism traffic, and is known for its diving — not beaches — due to a rocky, coral coastline. If your cruise ship is stopping in Kralendijk, Bonaire, you will want to take a look at our list of the best things to do in Bonaire on a cruise to help make the most of your visit to this island.

8 Best Things to Do in Bonaire on a Cruise (2025)

1. Explore the Coral Reef

Bonaire is one of the top dive destinations in the world, and thus snorkeling or scuba diving definitely tops our list of the best things to do in Bonaire on a cruise. As part of the Bonaire National Marine Park, the entire coastline has been protected for more than 40 years. With its protected ecosystem, the reefs that surround Bonaire and Klein Bonaire are some of the most beautiful in the world. Bonaire’s initiatives to preserve and restore these coral reefs, coupled with the calm waters, make it a prime location to view a diversity of marine life.

If you do not want to snorkel, other options are available to visit the National Marine Park, including glass bottom boat tours.

Tour Duration: 3-4 hours (including transportation)
Price Range: $85 to $129 per person
Best For: Those who love sea life and swimming

Sample Tour: Bonaire Swim and Snorkel Adventure

2. Make it a Beach Day

Sorobon Beach is located in a large protected bay with shallow waters, which makes it an ideal location for swimming and popular island sports including windsurfing, kitesurfing, and snorkeling. Although Bonaire is not known for its beaches like Aruba, Sorobon Beach is rated as one of the best beaches on the island among cruisers. It has a restaurant, bar, and facilities as well.

Cruisers can also take an approximately 30 minute water taxi over to the secluded beach on Klein Bonaire. “No Name Beach” offers white sands, as well as great swimming and snorkeling opportunities. Of note, there are no facilities on the beach.

Tour Duration: 3-5 hours
Price Range: $50 to $70 per person
Best For: All ages who want to relax and spend a day at the beach

Sample Tour: Water Taxi Transfer to Klein Bonaire

3. Take an Off-Road Island Tour

Given its rugged terrain, Bonaire offers many 4×4 adventures along the island. Many cruisers also recommend renting a golf cart to tour the island on your own.

While in Bonaire, you must see the flamingos. Goto Meer Bay is a popular spot to view these shy, pink birds, as is the flamingo sanctuary on the southern part of the island near the salt flats. This salt pond area is said to be one of the largest breeding grounds for flamingos. Bring binoculars or a camera with a good zoom as the creatures will be off in the distance.

The Salt flats of Pekelmeer are another must have photo-op in Bonaire. The contrast between the pink colored salt pans and the large white, dry salt mounds is unlike anything you will ever see back home.

The Willemstoren Lighthouse, located at the southern tip of the island, dates back 150 years and is another popular stop on an island tour of Bonaire. Although this lighthouse is not open to the public, it still makes a great photo op.

You will also see slave huts during your drive along the southern coast. These stone structures, dating back to the 1800’s, were the “homes” of slaves working in the salt flats. Once you see these tiny buildings, it is hard to imagine that anyone could have ever lived there.

Tour Duration: 3-6 hours
Price Range: $85 to $130 per person
Best For: Adventurous travelers who want to explore the island a bit more independently

Off-road tour info: Guided tours in Bonaire

4. Go Landsailing

Gear up and get in your blokart — we’re going sailing! But not on the water like you might expect.. this is sailing on solid ground. That’s right, if you’re not taking to the water during your port day, one of the best things to do in Bonaire on a cruise is landsailing. And yes, the little three-wheeled, sail-topped “vehicles” that you race around a dedicated track are actually called blokarts.

Utilizing the power of the wind, you don’t need any actual racing or sailing experience to take part in landsailing. Plus, this activity is perfect for the whole family as those ages 9 and older can operate their own blokart, and kids 8 and under can ride with a parent. Everything you need is provided in the ticket price including helmets, glasses, and all the instruction and guidance from staff needed to operate the blokarts.

Bonaire Landsailing Adventures is located on the northern side of Bonaire, a 15-minute drive from Kralendijk where the cruise port is.

Tour Duration: 1.5-2 hours (counting driving time)
Price Range: $60 for a single blokart, $70 for a double blokart that can accommodate one adult and one child
Best For: Thrill-seeking individuals and families

Landsailing info: Bonaire Landsailing Adventures

5. Visit Washington Slagbaai National Park

The Washington Slagbaai National Park, located on the northern most end of Bonaire, is comprised of two former plantations and totals close to 14,000 acres of land. It is located about 30-45 minutes away from the cruise piers. This natural preserve is home to an abundance of cacti, birds, and a variety of other flora and fauna. The park offers 2 different driving routes — the shorter (green) takes about 2 hours and the longer (yellow) takes about 4 hours. These trails are dirt roads for which 4×4 vehicles are recommended. On both trails, there are multiple stops along the way for swimming, snorkeling, or viewing of the landscapes and resident flamingos and donkeys.

There is also a hiking trail in the center of the park to the highest hill on Bonaire, which offers fantastic vistas of the island. You can choose to go it alone or book one of the tours that visit this park. Participation in these tours will require your ship to be in port for at least 8 hours.

Price: The entrance fee is $40 per person
Best For: Those who love hiking and nature

National park info: Washington Slagbaai National Park

6. Visit Rincon

Rincon, also located north of Kralendijk, is the island’s oldest settlement and cultural mecca. Rincon was once the home of the Spanish settlers and slaves brought from Africa. Today, it offers historical walking tours to allow visitors to explore the rich history and culture of this city. Be sure to stop by the Mangazina di Rei cultural park and learning center for more insight into this city.

The Cadushy Distillery, founded in 2009, is the only distillery on Bonaire. It is located in the city of Rincon. During your visit to the distillery, you will learn how one of the only liqueurs created from cacti is made. Of course, you will also be able to sample some for yourself as you relax in the tasting garden. What better way to experience Bonaire than to taste the local flavor?

Boca Onima is a natural grotto and cave located nearby Rincon, which was inhabited by the island’s natives. Here, you can see cave drawings and inscriptions in a one of a kind art gallery of the Arawaks. These still undeciphered writings within Boca Onima are definitely worth a slight detour during your visit to Rincon.

Tour Duration: 3-4 hours
Price Range: $75 to $135 per person
Best For: All ages who love history and culture

Sample Tour: Historic Rincon With Local Guide

7. Explore Hidden Caves

Bonaire is a coral island with over 400 natural caves, many of which haven’t even been explored. However, many are accessible to tourists, providing a great opportunity to enjoy the natural beauty of Bonaire while enjoying an active adventure at the same time. Guided excursions take small groups of visitors to multiple caves, providing the opportunity to climb, maneuver, and even snorkel in a unique wet/dry cave. You’ll spot underwater marvels, stalactites and stalagmites, fossilized coral, serene pools, and more during an excursion to Bonaire’s caves.

Tour Duration: 2.5-3.5 hours
Price Range: $95 to $130 per person
Best For: Active visitors who love hiking and/or snorkeling

Sample Tour: Bonaire Guided Cave Adventure

8. Visit Echo’s Conservation Centre For Parrots

Located a 30-minute drive from the cruise port, Echo’s Conservation Centre provides the opportunity to learn about and meet yellow-shouldered Amazon parrots that are being rehabilitated. When visiting, you can take a guided walk through the forest to look for parrots and have the chance to learn about the center’s conservation efforts and habitat restoration projects.

If you take an excursion to Echo’s from the cruise port, your tour may also include a scenic drive around the island and to Goto Lake where you may be able to spot flamingos!

Tour Duration: 1.5-2.5 hours
Best For: All ages interested in nature

Info on the conservation center: Echo’s Conservation Centre

Bonaire Frequently Asked Questions

Where do cruise ships dock in Bonaire?

Cruise ships dock right in the middle of the action in Kralendijk, which is the capital of Bonaire. There are two cruise piers right next to each other — the North Pier and the South Pier.

How long do cruise ships typically stay in Bonaire?

Cruise ships often spend long days in Bonaire — usually 11 to 14 hours! This provides plenty of time for travelers to do at least one major excursion (if not two) with time left over for grabbing a bite to eat or doing some shopping before or after the excursion.

Can I use U.S. dollars in Bonaire?

Yes! The U.S. dollar is the official currency of Bonaire.

What’s the weather like in Bonaire?

Bonaire is one of the southernmost islands in the Caribbean, which means it’s closer to the equator than most other Caribbean destinations. Because of this, the climate is very hot, with an average temperature of around 85 degrees — however, trade winds do help keep it more tolerable. Temperatures do not fluctuate much, with daytime lows averaging in the low 80s in the winter and highs in the high 80s in the summer. The island has low rainfall overall, but you’ll experience more rain in the fall months.

Comments

Have you visited Bonaire on a cruise? If so, what are your favorite things to do on the island? Drop us an anchor below to tell us about your experiences in Bonaire.