While Bonaire may not be the island known for long stretches of sandy beaches like Aruba or the countless idyllic bays you might know from Curaçao, Bonaire certainly has a number of stunning beaches that are more than worth visiting. Are you planning a vacation to Bonaire soon? Here you’ll find the top 12 most beautiful beaches on Bonaire that are free to access.
The beaches on Bonaire come in all different shapes and sizes. From rocky little beaches to long narrow strips of sand with pristine white sand. Beaches are regularly scattered with pieces of dead coral. Water shoes are therefore recommended if you want to visit these beaches. In this article, we give you an overview of some beautiful beaches on the island. What one person finds beautiful, another might find a less attractive place to spend a day by the sea. Compare the beaches and choose the best spot for you to enjoy sun, sea, and sand. Top 12 most beautiful beaches on Bonaire:
No Name Beach on Klein Bonaire
Picture a photo of a perfect beach that you might encounter in a travel brochure, and you’ll see No Name Beach on Klein Bonaire before you. This beautiful, pristine white sandy beach is indeed the main attraction of this small, uninhabited island off the coast of Bonaire.
The island can be reached by water taxi, which runs several times a day from Karel’s Beach Bar and Nautico Marina. The distance to Klein Bonaire is only 800 meters as the crow flies, and the crossing takes about 15 to 20 minutes from Karel’s and Nautico Marina.
The water taxi sails as close as possible to the beach - there’s no pier here. This means you’ll need to wade through the water a short distance to reach the beautiful beach. But then you have something special - you’ll feel like you’re in paradise! Keep in mind that there are no facilities on the island, so no restaurants and/or toilets. Bring enough food and drink yourself. Also, there’s virtually no shade on the island, except for two small shelters.
Bachelor’s Beach
In the Belnem neighborhood lies Bachelor’s Beach. Besides being a beautiful spot for (night) diving, it’s also a popular place to watch the sunset. At sunset, many people gather here to enjoy this spectacle. From this beach, you have an unobstructed view of the sunset. The optical phenomenon known as the green flash is regularly observed here.
The beach consists of a coral plateau with several picnic spots with shade. A food truck with hamburgers is regularly stationed on the beach. You reach the small beach via a stairway of several steps and a step down via the rocks. The beach here can be very narrow depending on the tide, so don’t put down items that shouldn’t get wet.
Boka Slagbaai in Washington Slagbaai National Park
The best-known beach in Bonaire’s national park is Boka Slagbaai. To get here, you can choose either the short or long car route through the park. The beach consists of both sand and dead coral. You can also snorkel excellently here. And for real thrill seekers, you can jump into the sea from the cliff.
At the beach, you’ll find a toilet building and a covered area where you can have lunch. There’s no restaurant here, so bring your own food and drink when visiting the park.
You can purchase park tickets in advance online, which saves time at the entrance. Read everything you want to know about a day at Washington Slagbaai Nationaal Park.
Wayaka II in Washington Slagbaai Nationaal Park
Another beautiful beach, or rather small beach, located in Washington Slagbaai National Park is Wayaka II. This beach is also accessible via both the short and long car route through the park and is located just before Boka Slagbaai. The small beach consists of beautiful white sand and rocks.
The beach itself is very small; at high tide, the sand strip is very narrow. But it’s a beautiful place to snorkel or cool off when you’re spending a day in the park. Near the small beach is a small cave that provides some shade. The small beach is accessible by descending stairs and is therefore less suitable for people with mobility issues. The beach offers no facilities such as toilets. Visit Boka Slagbaai beach for that, which is also in the park.
You can purchase park tickets in advance online, which saves time at the entrance. Read everything you want to know about a day at Washington Slagbaai Nationaal Park.
1000 Steps
In the north of the island lies the popular dive site 1000 Steps. The beach, which is scattered with dead coral, can be reached via a stairway of just over 70 steps. However, divers who had to climb these stairs after their dive experienced it as if they had to conquer a stairway with a thousand steps. Hence the name of this dive site and beach.
The beach itself offers little shade. At the bottom of the stairs, some trees and bushes grow where you can sit out of the sun. Due to all the dead coral lying on this beach, wearing water shoes is recommended. Once in the water, you can snorkel beautifully here - sea turtles are regularly spotted.
Donkey Beach
The popular Donkey Beach is located in line with the runway of Bonaire’s airport. If you want to spot planes, this is the place to be! Find out in advance when the large aircraft arrive, and you can beautifully watch the landing from the beach. The beach is also popular with locals, especially on weekends and holidays it can be quite busy. Many (birthday) parties are celebrated here.
The beach consists partly of sand with rocks and dead coral and is quite narrow in some places. Under the trees and bushes on this stretch of beach, you can find plenty of shade. The water is easily accessible from the beach only in a few places. The coral and rocks start right from the waterline here.
Te Amo
Another beach that shouldn’t be missing from our Top 12 most beautiful beaches on Bonaire is Te Amo Beach. In line with Donkey Beach lies the popular Te Amo beach. The big difference from Donkey Beach is that here there’s a spacious sandy beach without coral. The entry to the sea is also much easier. However, there’s virtually no shade to be found on this beach. Usually, food trucks are present on the beach. This beach has a toilet building.
Sorobon and Lac Bay
n the southeast of Bonaire lies the magnificent Lac Bay lagoon. The shallow, crystal-clear water is the perfect place for a day at the beach with children. The lagoon is also blessed with a long, pristine white sandy beach. Several beach bars are located at the bay where you’ll find facilities like beach beds and parasols. But there’s also a large public area on the beach, equipped with a toilet building and shade spots, which you can use free of charge.
The lagoon is also used by windsurfers. Due to its location, there’s almost always perfect wind. Moreover, the bay is shallow, so beginning windsurfers find excellent conditions here to master the basics of surfing.
Atlantis or Kite Beach
Kite enthusiasts, pay attention - this is the place to be for you! If you love kitesurfing or want to learn it, you need to be here. On this beautiful long sandy beach in the south of Bonaire, you have all the space to set up your equipment for an amazing kite session. With the (almost always) constant trade winds that sweep over Bonaire, this is paradise for kiters. No previous kiting experience? No worries - kite schools are present on the beach where you can take lessons.
Swimming and snorkeling in the sea in front of Kite Beach is not recommended. Kiters speed by at high velocity in the light blue (shallow) water. But watching this spectacle never gets boring. On good days, there are dozens of kiters on the water showing off their skills.
Pink Beach
In the south of the island lies Pink Beach. This formerly beautiful sandy beach was unfortunately destroyed by a storm over twenty years ago. Today the beach consists of loose dead coral and patches of sandy beach. Palm trees grow on the beach, providing some shade. Behind the hill where the palms grow, you’re sheltered from the wind.
From the beach, you can easily enter the water in several places. Currents regularly occur here. The beach has no other facilities such as restaurants and/or toilets.
Lac Cai
On the other side of Lac Bay, opposite Sorobon, you’ll find the secluded beach of Lac Cai. You reach the beach by driving past the Mangrove Center and continuing on the road. At the end of the road, you’ll find some buildings, a mooring place for fishing boats, and the enormous shell mountains the place is known for. Behind the buildings, near the toilet building, you can park your car or scooter. Then you walk further until you arrive at the paradisiacal beach. The beach consists of pristine white sand and is surrounded by mangroves. On this side of the lagoon too, the water is calm and fairly shallow.
On Sundays, the bar and restaurant are open. Here you can try local dishes and enjoy music. During weekdays, it’s very quiet on this beach - there’s a good chance you’ll be the only one there.
Chachacha Beach
In the center of Kralendijk, at the southernmost part of the boulevard, lies this city beach. Don’t expect a wide sandy beach here. The beach consists of only a small strip of sand with dead coral. On the boulevard, there are several picnic tables with shade. The water is easily accessible via the pier with steps.
This beach is also very popular among locals. Swimming lessons in the sea are regularly given to the island’s children here. It’s also a popular spot for a (night) dive for many divers because of the easy way to enter and exit the water.
Other Beaches on Bonaire
Of course, this is just a selection from the long list of beaches and small beaches that Bonaire is rich in. We therefore conclude by saying that besides this top 12 most beautiful beaches on Bonaire, many more beautiful beaches can be found on the island. In the area between Punt Vierkant and the slave huts, in the south of the island, there are also nice beaches here and there that you usually have to yourself.
Swimming on the east side of the island (except for Lac Bay) is not recommended. To reach the water, you sometimes have to jump from rocks several meters high. The sea here is very rough, with high waves and strong currents. Not really a safe place to enter the water.
Do You Want to Visit the Top 12 Most Beautiful Beaches on Bonaire Too?
Do you want to come and admire the beaches on Bonaire with your own eyes? You can! Book a complete vacation package to this magnificent island quickly. If you have family or friends living on the island where you can stay, or if you prefer to book accommodation yourself, then a flight ticket to Bonaire.
Nature Fee for Users of the Bonaire Marine Park
The sea around Bonaire is a protected area, the Bonaire National Marine Park. If you want to use the sea in any form, you’re required to pay the ‘nature fee.’ The nature fee is $40 USD per person. Residents of Bonaire, Curaçao, Aruba, Sint Maarten, Sint Eustatius, and Saba don’t need to pay the nature fee.
You can easily pay the ‘nature fee’ on STINAPA’s website. This organization is responsible for nature conservation and maintenance on Bonaire. After paying the ‘nature fee,’ you’ll receive your e-ticket by email. The e-ticket is valid for one calendar year. You can print the e-ticket or save it on your phone. Arrange the ‘nature fee’ before departing for Bonaire. More information about the ‘nature fee’.
Taking Your Dog to the Beach on Bonaire?
Dogs are not allowed on the beaches we mention in the top 12 most beautiful beaches on Bonaire. Some dog owners like to take their dog to the beach to let them run free. These dogs are sometimes kept on a leash but also often run loose. In recent years, more and more people have been walking their dogs on the beach. To prevent nuisance, a ban has been issued for certain beaches. No one may enter these beaches with dogs, not even on a leash.
The ban is also important because it prevents dogs from digging up turtle nests or escaping and entering a nature reserve, such as the Pekelmeer. When many dogs come to a beach, this also creates a hygiene problem because dogs relieve themselves on the beaches.
Signs are posted on the beaches so it’s clear to everyone which beaches the ban applies to. It’s good to know that the ban applies to places like the Sorobon areas, Lac Cai, and the entire area between the salt pier and the Willemstoren, so also on Pink Beach, for example.
It’s still possible to walk a dog on the beaches between Punt Vierkant and the Salt Pier or between the Willemstoren and Sorobon.
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