Recently, the State Secretary for Infrastructure and Water Management has signed an agreement in which Saba, Sint Eustatius and Bonaire agree to ban the use of disposable plastics. By 2021 at the latest, the three islands want to stop using so-called single-use plastic, such as cups and straws. These products can sometimes take up to 500 years to decay. Moreover, it often ends up in the sea where it damages our beloved marine life (we all know the horrible pictures of turtles entangled in plastic).

As fanatic divers and lovers of the underwater world, we can only support this decision. WAY TO GO, BONAIRE! Do you want to make a contribution towards keeping the island clean and preventing the expansion of the plastic soup before 2021? Then read these tips for reducing your plastic use on Bonaire.

Tip 1. Drink tap water
For centuries, the inhabitants of Bonaire only used rain and well water for their daily consumption. Due to the growing population, a scarcity of well water arose in the 1960s. Since then, drinking water on the island has been extracted from seawater. The sustainable technology with which the water is filtered produces extremely pure (and delicious!) Water. So do not buy bottles of water, but drink it directly from the tap. Are you going out? Then fill a thermo-water bottle and it will stay cold too. Very handy with these tropical temperatures.

Tip 2. Use a reusable shopping bag 
A plastic bag is only used for an average of 12 minutes. Then the bag is thrown away, after which it takes hundreds of years to decay. That can be done differently, right? Certainly! More and more people are bringing a reusable shopping bag. Nowadays you have them in all colors, materials and shapes. Place one in your rental car from AB Car Rental during your vacation, so you always have one at hand. After all, you never know when it will come in handy.

Tip 3. Be aware in hotels and restaurants
Nothing beats a sunset cocktail on Bonaire (also read our 5 tips for the best hotspots on Bonaire to enjoy a sunset cocktail). Most cocktails are beautifully decorated with umbrellas and fresh fruit, but is that straw really necessary? For sure not! Order your cocktail without a straw and enjoy both your drink and your contribution to reducing the use of plastic at the bar. Another tip: at different beach bars you get a cup of ice with a can of drink. Ask for a glass or, if impossible, to omit the cup.

Tip 4. Involve your fellow travelers
The more people are aware of their plastic use and the possibilities for reducing it, the better! Involve your fellow travelers in your goals. Bonaire and its nature are grateful!

Did you know that AB-Dive and AB Car Rental also contribute to the sustainability of Bonaire? Both companies went completely off grid and they generate their electricity with 440 solar panels. This way your dive tanks will be filled 100% sustainably and in addition to that your rental car will be cleaned with recycled rainwater and maintained on solar power. Yet another sustainable choice during your vacation!
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When discovering Bonaire by car there are two tours that are a must do: "Tour North" and "Tour South". Well-known terms on Bonaire and absolutely indispensable during your vacation. While the hilly North area is characterized by cactus landscapes, caves and panoramic viewpoints, the flat South area is a true candy shop of colors, salt crystals, pink flamingos and azure blue views.

Jump in your rental car and stop at the following places of interest during your “Tour South”.

Salt extraction
The salt pans are spread over the southern part of Bonaire. The bright pink plains and the white salt mountains form a surrealistic image. When the sun shines on the basins, the salt crystals turn into true fields of diamonds. Definitely worth a stop! Tip: although it may not look attractive at first sight, the salt pier is one of the most beautiful dive sites on the island! Snorkelers can also enjoy themselves here. Stay close to the shore especially in the shallow water. The large amount of sea grass attract turtles for their lunch. A great start to your "Tour South"!

White Slave
Continue your way along Pink Beach towards White Slave. Undoubtedly a familiar image: the white slave huts against the backdrop of the azure blue sea. A beautiful image, with a dark past. The huts date from 1850 and were built as accommodation for the slaves who worked on the salt plains. Nowadays the tiny houses belong to the historical heritage of Bonaire.

Kite beach
The road is getting narrower and the landscape is changing. Birds fly over the road and mangroves appear at the scene. Two old school buses appear in sight: the kite schools of Atlantis Beach. The buses are parked here because it is the only place on island where kite boarders are allowed to enter the sea. The relaxed atmosphere at the buses is nothing like the spectacle that takes place on the water! Take a seat on the beach and feast your eyes.

Red Slave
Just past Kite Beach you'll reach Red Slave; the red slave huts. The name refers to the obelisk that stands next to the houses. If you’ve paid attention, you have already seen several obelisks along the way. There are four in total: a blue, white, red and orange one. The obelisks used to work as a means of communication. Each color referred to its own salt pan. Next to the red obelisk there used to be a large flagpole with a flag hoisted in one of the colors, so the skippers knew exactly towards which pan they had to sail to collect the salt.

Light house “Willems tower”
Just past Red Slave the road turns left and you arrive at the east coast of the island. You'll notice the difference immediately: the bright blue, flat sea gives way to high waves against a rough coastline. In the past, ships wrecked frequently on this side of the island, so that’s why the first lighthouse of Bonaire was built here in 1838. The “Willems tower”  is named after King Willem 1, the first king of the Netherlands. Next to the tower you’ll see the ruin of the lighthouse keepers’ house. Nowadays the lighthouse is remotely controlled, causing this historic building to deteriorate. Fun fact: the lights of the lighthouse nowadays work entirely on solar energy, just like our dive shop and car rental!

Rough east coast
A completely different area of Bonaire: the rough east coast! The waves hit the moon-like landscape and the sea brings driftwood, flip flops and all kinds of waste to the island. Artworks of stacked stones and waste are scattered along the coastline. Make a stop at the colored obelisk and watch the waves break in front of you. On days with strong winds it is advised to have a towel in your car :-). If you are lucky you can also see a few dare devils in the water waiting for the right wave to surf.

Flamingo breeding area
Maybe you have already spotted them? On the other side of the road there is a protected bird sanctuary where large groups of flamingos can be seen! The Pekelmeer, as it is called, is one of the four areas in the world where flamingos breed. It is not allowed to enter the area, but the flamingos are clearly visible from a distance. Did you know that the Caribbean flamingo is the pinkest flamingo in the world? This is due to the small pink shrimp in the salty waters of the salt pans and the abundance of red carotenes in their local diet.

Lac Bay
After just a few more miles you reach a junction where you turn right towards Lac Bay. This shallow bay is protected by a coral dam, making this lagoon one of the most tropical you have ever seen. Lac Bay is also the playground for some of the best windsurfers in the world. It is great to see their tricks while enjoying a drink OR to go and try it for yourself. Walk in at one of the surf schools for a lesson or rent equipment. Please note: once you’ve tried wind surfing here, you’re probably spoiled for life!

“Tour South” runs over a paved road for approximately 20 miles. Because of the heat and the treacherous wind, it is advised to go with a rental car instead of a bike or scooter. Haven’t book your car yet? Check the availability of our rental cars.
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It is obvious that we have to thank Mother Nature for creating our beautiful island. The pristine reefs, the raw plains filled with cacti and the turquoise blue sea are some of the key reasons for tourists to return to our “dushi” island year after year. But that we are treated at the end of each day with an astonishing color pallet of orange, red and purple, is clearly a gift from heaven. Nothing beats the Caribbean Sunsets! And these sunsets are best enjoyed while sipping on a tropical cocktail. A reason for us to list the best hotspots on Bonaire to enjoy your sunset cocktail.

Ocean Oasis Beach Club
This newest addition to our island was built with a lot of attention to detail, and it shows! A sturdy appearance with a high quality service. Choose your cabana, a sun lounger or lounge sofa and enjoy the view over the pristine beach. A number of special names show on the cocktail menu, but if you prefer a classic cocktail, the bartender will be more than happy to mix it for you. Lounge music is played here on Friday and Sunday providing the perfect pairing with a mojito. Or two.

Delfins
At Delfins resort you will find the beach bar of Jonnie and Thérèse Boer, owners of the famous Dutch Michelin star restaurant Librije. Needless to say they know everything about wine and dining, but you may not have known that Jonnie made it a personal mission to create the perfect Gin Tonic. The passionate staff at the beach bar will prepare the best Gin & Jonnie for you. In combination with the lounge sofas on the beach and your feet in the sand makes it all "picture perfect".

Windsock The Beach
If you are someone who does not want to end the evening after just one cocktail, we have the perfect suggestion for you! Windsock The Beach offers a daily "high cocktail". You get three cocktails of your choice and a plate of bites and tapas with each drink. The only challenge of the evening is to agree with your table guests on which tropical refreshment you choose from the list of more than 30 well-known and less well-known cocktails. First World Problems, we believe. When making your reservation, please mention you want a table on the deck. Best sunset view guaranteed!

Karels Beach Bar
You will find Karels Beach Bar in the center of Kralendijk. Although not as "beachy" as the name suggests, this bar has one of the island's most unique locations: a pier in the Caribbean Sea. Walk from the boulevard all the way to the end of the pier and take a seat at an oceanfront table. Snorkeling is not necessary here to watch the fish swim in the crystal clear water. Karels has a daily happy hour from 5PM to 7PM. Perfect timing for the sunset cocktail. What do you think of a “Bonaire me Crazy”, for example?

Coco
Do you prefer more excitement? Then go to Coco Beach happy hour on Friday afternoon. After 5Pm the beach gets filled with tourists and locals who enjoy the start of the weekend with a drink. Every week a different DJ performs summer tunes and the volume increases as the evening progresses. So it's the perfect atmosphere to linger around after the sun has set into the Caribbean Sea. On Friday, Coco serves a cocktail of the day at a discounted rate.
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We can be very brief about this: always! After all, the island is not called "Divers Paradise" for nothing. There is not a single "bad" diving period on Bonaire. And that has two simple reasons: the constant weather and the lack of mass tourism. There are roughly two (diving) seasons.

High season (November - April)
The high season on Bonaire runs from November to April. Due to the cold weather in the Netherlands and the north of America, many tourists come to visit the Caribbean sun during this period. It is of course busier in high season than in the other months. Yet you have little trouble with this. Mass tourism has not yet found Bonaire and a large part of the visitors are under water for half the day. And there we still have to spot the first traffic jam ;) The island has so many dive sites that you are often the only one at "your" chosen spot even in high season. And do you already see a car on the side of the road? Then you just grab the next dive site! The ultimate freedom of shore diving!

You are also good in terms of temperatures during this period. The so-called rainy season runs from mid-October to January. We say "so-called", because the rainy season should not have a big name with an average of 25 cm rainfall per year. When it rains, it is often a heavy shower in the morning after which it clears up immediately. The big advantage is that it is also a bit cooler due to the showers. Temperatures of 29 degrees during the day and 25 degrees in the evening make this a wonderful time to visit Bonaire.

Low season (May - October)
The low season is a great time to visit the island for completely different reasons. The hurricane season starts from June. Don't worry, Bonaire is outside the hurricane belt. This means that we only indirectly experience the effects of a hurricane. For example, storms in the region ensure that the wind is pulled away. On these windless days it is possible to dive on the normally rough east coast. Normally there is no diving on this side of the island because the waves hit the shore. On windless days, the sea is so calm that you can easily walk in and out of the water. The east coast offers some spectacular dive sites with untouched coral, large fish (such as nurse sharks and mantas) and huge flocks of turtles. A must for every diver with some experience.

So, in conclusion, we can say that you can plan your dive trip to Bonaire all year round with confidence. It is rare for a dive day to be canceled due to external factors. So check your calendar when it is convenient and discover why Bonaire deserves the name "Divers Paradise” for yourself!

photo credits: Andy (AB Dive instructor)
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Following the recent Covid-19 pandemic we have implemented the following health & safety protocol

• Our staff welcomes you with great enthusiasm but without handshake
• If you do not feel well, please stay at your accommodation. You may cancel your booking free of charge and if necessary with a refund
• In case of our staff having health concerns of our guests, they may report so to the Dive Operations Manager who may have to amend any booked activity
• We will maintain an appropriate safe distance between all
• Our staff has their own free choice to wear Personal Protective Equipment
• All our staff have taken the Airborne Pathogen Workplace Training
• Hand sanitizer is available on the platform at the poles and in the diveshop; we will regularly clean the dispensers
• Rental gear will be rinsed in the disinfectant tank first, our staff is available for assistance
• Rental gear will be marked with a number, this number is designated to our guest’s rental gear to avoid potential “cross contamination”
• All regulators will be separately disinfected prior to and at return of the rental period
• For the time being all theory for dive trainings have to be taken by the online PADI Elearning system
• Due to restrictions we cannot accept Rescue course bookings for the time being
• For the time being our staff will drive to the dive sites separately; please make sure you take your full dive gear and tanks with you.

Stay safe and stay healthy!

Team AB-Dive
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The Corona virus is still spreading around the world and more and more people have the virus or have had the disease. Now that diving tourism to Bonaire is slowly getting back on track, it is important to know the effect of Covid-19 on diving. It is a fact that Covid-19 is a lung disease and due to the relatively short history with the virus, there is currently not enough data to determine the exact impact of the disease on diving and little is known about what the effect is on persons healed from a Corona infection.

PADI, the world leader in diving education, has adapted the medical student questionnaire to include a question about Covid. If you have been infected with the Covid-19 virus, you must see a diving doctor for a dive medical examination. You can take this test before you go on your diving vacation, but this medical examination is also available on Bonaire and costs USD 75. Your lung function will then be extensively examined at and the result is decisive for participating in a dive course.

At AB-Dive, however, we advise all divers (not just students!) To have a medical examination after a Covid infection before you go diving again. This is best for your own safety, but also that of your dive buddy or instructor.

Would you like to make an appointment now for your dive inspection? Please contact:

Dive Fit Bonaire
Dive Physician Drs. Ricard Nicholson
Blv. Gobernador N. Debrot 74
Kralendijk
Tel +599 796 2227
info@divefitbonaire.com
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