3 Great Places for photography on Bonaire

Bring home the best souvenirs from your island vacation without breaking the bank. We’re talking photos. I have a lot more than just three ideas on this subject but to keep it simple let’s start with three. Maybe at the end of this post there’ll be a couple of bonus ideas…

Number 1: Bird watching! Start in the National Park and you won’t go wrong: There are only about 1000 Yellow-shouldered Amazon Parrots, locally known as the Lora, left on Bonaire. In contrast, touring Washington Slagbaai National Park makes finding some pretty likely.

As to flamingos, we can almost guarantee some good photo ops in the National Park. With this in mind, try the salt lakes like Salina Slagbaai. Without entering the national park birdwatch for flamingos on the road to Rincon at Salina Goto or on the road to Sorobon in the mangroves. I photographed these flamingos in the mangroves on Kaminda Sorobon with a wide angle lens.

Number 2: Local festivals! If you find yourself on Bonaire in February save lots of film for Carnival! The lively costumes, glittery make-up and creative floats will fill your photo album and memories with the color and vibrancy of Bonaire. Carnival takes place February 15th to February 23rd, 2020 and annually in February around those same dates.

Number 3: Last but NOT least take your camera UNDERWATER! Photography while diving has become a sport unto itself. The vast array of underwater creatures and bright colors of Bonaire create the perfect stage for some amazing photos. In addition, advances in underwater photography equipment and housing mean that this is a sport we all can participate in.

Bonus:

Bonus ideas for photography on Bonaire: I couldn’t leave it at just three. Some other ideas – photograph windsurfers, photograph the colorful market at Wilhemina Park downtown, take pictures at Klein Bonaire, Thousand Steps, the Salt Factory, the Donkey Sanctuary and try to get some iguana close-ups.

Day Trip to Washington Slagbaai National Park on Bonaire

Looking for a fun family outing? A romantic day visiting beaches, immersed in nature? Do you want a fun off-the-beaten path adventure on Bonaire? We HIGHLY recommend a day trip to Washington Slagbaai National Park. This uninhabited, unhurried nature preserve constitutes about one fifth of the entire island.

Visiting Washington Slagbaai National Park

When to go: Get started early in the morning. Plan to go when roads are most likely to be dry. If heavy rain fell the prior day or two you may find the park roads closed. The park, located in the town of Rincon in the northwest corner of the island is a 25 minute drive from downtown Kralendijk. Driving to the entrance of the park is easy. The road to Rincon overlooking the sea at some points, has no traffic and lots of wilderness. Although the park entrance may only be 25 minutes away, the real adventure begins once inside the park. Plan on a full day adventure as the road is long with lots of stops and rough (bumpy) driving conditions. 

First stop: park and pay entrance fee, quick orientation

When you arrive at the park entrance you will be asked to take care of your entrance fee. The fee structure, broken down below based on my understanding. For our purposes this takes into account only non-residents of Bonaire:

• To begin with, everyone using the waters of Bonaire must purchase a square Marine Park Tag for $25 before using the marine park for swimming, snorkeling, windsurfing, kiting, etc. The “marine park” means ALL waters surrounding Bonaire, not just the National Park.
• The marine park tag can be purchased at the entrance to the national park if you haven’t already purchased one.
• Scuba Divers must purchase a $45 round dive tag rather than the $25 square nature tag used for all other water use. They do not need both tags.
• In addition to the Nature Tag fees you then pay an entrance fee of $15 per person per day or $20 per person per calendar year to enter the park. You must have your square nature tag or round dive tag to prove you’ve already paid that fee. If you have a yearly pass you must bring the paper copy with you to re-enter the park on subsequent days.
• In summary – if you haven’t already purchased a square tag you will be charged $25 + $15 for a day in the park. Or you will be charged $25 +$20 for more than one day if you plan to return within the calendar year. If you dive your fee is $45 for the dive tag plus $15 to enter the park for one day.
• You must bring your square or round tag if you have already purchased it prior to your visit to Washington Slagbaai.

Map of the park and itinerary:

At this point the park ranger provides a map for you. They also offer an explanation of what time the park closes and what that means for your itinerary. For example you must be past a certain point before a certain hour to ensure you will be out of the park before the gate closes. A park ranger does a final drive through of the park to ensure that all vehicles that entered the park safely also exit before closing time. On arrival they write down your license plate number for this purpose. 

OK – phew – now you are in, with a map and a schedule, and a back-up plan. 

Second stop: the Museum and Gift Shop

The visitor center at the entrance of the park has memorabilia, artifacts and photos. Here you find a good explanations of the history of Washington Slagbaai and it’s flora and fauna, as well as culture and heritage. A small gift shop sells books, postcards and souvenirs. This is the last stop for quite a while for restrooms.

As per the explanation above, when you purchase your day pass you’ll receive a driving map of the park just like the one pictured above. At this point you have basically two options: You can take the “long route” or the “short route.” The long route takes you along the coast, with stops at some breathtaking beaches. The short route is the way to go if you plan to do a hike of Mt. Brandaris.

Take the short route if you are in a hurry to get to the beach at Boca Slagbaai or Wayaka. Wayaka II is my favorite beach on Bonaire with picturesque white sand and crystal clear water, perfect for a swim and a snorkel. The short and long routes through the National Park are narrow, bumpy one way roads. Don’t expect to get anywhere quickly. You are on island time now. 

The Main Event – stops along the way: The nature and Beaches of Washington Slagbaai National Park

The first stop on the long route, Playa Chikitu, is not a swimming beach due to dangerous currents. We sometimes bring a couple large plastic bags and do some beach clean-up on this beach. Large quantities of plastic bottles, shoes and other debris wash ashore here every day. You don’t find debris like this on other Bonaire beaches or anywhere else in the National Park. However, Playa Chikitu offers spectacular fine white sand and small grassy dunes. We consider it a must see beach. (see the photo below). Kids love it for playing in the sand and adults love it for gorgeous views and salty, windy breezes. At the next exit on the long road, Boca Chikitu, stop to watch the waves crash on the shore.

Continue along the “long” coastal route to explore beach after beach. Stunning panorama after panorama. After Boca Chikitu you come upon Suplado Blow Hole. The photo at the top of this blog post shows some scenery along the road near the blow hole. Spectacular!

The national park is yours to explore. Each exit on the itinerary, however, takes some driving time. It may take a few trips before you actually experience all of them. So in terms of not to miss beaches on Bonaire I will go with Wayaka II. 

My favorite beach is Wayaka II pictured below

Another favorite is the beach near Boca Slagbaai pictured below

Both Boca Slagbaai and Wayaka II are accessible on the short route as well. Try the short route If you ONLY want to visit these two beaches or if you want to do a combination of a hike up Mt. Brandaris and then go to these two beaches. Of course there are other sites to see along both routes. You will be astounded by the flora and fauna. Parrots, flamingos, parakeets, iguanas and many other species of birds and reptiles are found in Bonaire’s Washington Slagbaai. The beaches inside the park are an important nesting ground for all four species of sea turtles found in the Caribbean. 

What to bring:

What to bring to the park for the day? Swimming and snorkel gear, beach towels, beach chairs if you have them, lots of water, picnic lunch. If you plan to hike up Brandaris you should bring a small backpack to carry your water since some of the climb is hand over foot. If you plan to hike wear sneakers with grip or hiking shoes. Flip flops really aren’t appropriate for hiking as there is an abundance of cacti and rough, hilly terrain. We recommend snorkeling with a rash guard rather than slathering on sunscreen. This helps protect the reef. 

And lastly your phone probably won’t get a signal but you will definitely want it for photos! 

Have a wonderful (day)trip in Washington Slagbaai National Park!

The Frans Paradise Windsurf school and shop now open!

Local windsurf superstar brothers Taty and Tonky Frans opened the doors to their own windsurf shop on December 30th 2018. The Frans Paradise offers expert lessons taught by the pros as well as high quality rental equipment for windsurfing and wind foiling. The opening of The Frans Paradise marks Bonaire’s fourth ever windsurf shop.

For windsurfers returning to Bonaire year after year the opening of the Frans Paradise brings big news! Things on Bonaire move on island time so the opening of TWO new windsurf operations in just a couple of years means surprisingly big change for this little island. For about 25 years only two windsurf shops competed for windsurf rentals and lessons. Now with the opening of Dunkerbeck pro center last year and the Frans Paradise right afterwards, sailors can experience a different kind of rental and lesson experience.

A little history of Windsurfing on Bonaire

In 1988, Ernst van Vliet brought his car loaded with windsurf rental gear to a stretch of beach on Lac Bay Bonaire – a little known spot. The island, known only for scuba diving at the time, didn’t know what had hit it. Jibe City, the first windsurf rental shop and school was launched. Within a few years Bonaire Windsurf Place opened it’s doors next door. Not until about 29 years later did a 3rd shop open – this time a small windsurf center at Sorobon Beach Resort, Dunkerbeck Pro Center. And now, 30 years after windsurfing came to Bonaire and 23 years after they began windsurfing, Taty and Tonky’s Frans Paradise opened it’s doors.

The Frans brothers, truly Bonairian legends, now share their talent and knowledge with us mere mortals. The two learned about windsurfing from Elvis Martinus, the founder of Bonaire Windsurf Place starting back in about 1995. They started competing in 1996. By 2001 competing internationally, the boys gained recognition overseas where the talent from our little island surprised everyone. Additionally, Tonky and Taty are in part responsible the sport becoming more dynamic and exciting to watch. Because of them, the sport moved from old school to new school windsurfing with the advent of jumps, spins and sliding moves. Years of dedication and hard work has taken them all over the world to compete and made them and the island of Bonaire famous for windsurfing. Now they are ready to share their hard-won talent, skills and love of the sport with you and me.

Location

Tonky and Taty run The Frans Paradise out of a brightly painted container located near the event site on Lac Bay, Sorobon Beach. To find them drive or walk past Bonaire Windsurf Place and look for their little shop along the beach as you approach the event site, not far from the fishing boats. All four windsurf shops on Bonaire are located on the same stretch of Beach at Sorobon. The four schools include Jibe City, Bonaire Windsurf Place, Dunkerbeck Pro Center and The Frans Paradise.

Why rent from Frans Paradise? Here is what guests are saying:

“First time foiling for my boys at the Frans Paradise last week — got a taste of flying!! Thanks Taty and Tonky!! “

“What a perfect spot to chill and windsurf! And Tonky and Taty are the BEST. All smiles, not intimidating, and full support for all your windsurfing goals!”

“Taty is the best windsurf instructor I know, patient, respectful, super friendly and a very good teacher!”

Rentals

• windsurf rental:  one hour $35, two hours $60 , one day $75, one week $425
• foil rental without sail: one hour $50, Two hours $80, Full day $100, weekly $400
• foil rental with sail: one hour $70, two hours $100, full day $150, weekly $700
• slalom rental: one hour $50, two hours $75, full day $100, weekly $550

Lessons

• Beginner windsurf lesson $50 including equipment; gear rental after your lesson is $30/hour or $45 for two hours
• Intermediate windsurf lesson $75 including equipment
• Foil lesson $125 including equipment
• Private windsurf lesson $110 including equipment

Find them on Facebook or give them a call for reservations at +599 785-0514

Best Local Food: Maiky Snack

As you pass through the gate into the parking lot at Maiky Snack the first thing you notice is a big concrete sign painted with the words “Best Local Food.” The owner, Maiky, after all just wants you to know the truth! Indeed, we concur with Maiky. His snack restaurant has the best local food on the island. We don’t really agree with the word snack, though. What you are about to enjoy is a meal.

When to go

Plan ahead because Maiky Snack only opens Friday, Saturday and Sunday 11:30 – 3:30. Because of the short span of opening hours Maiky Snack fills up quickly with locals on their lunch breaks and tourists in the know. By all means get there on the early side for the best selection. We love the traditional goat stew, or cabritu stoba. If you get there too late you might miss out on trying it!

Location and getting there

To get to the best local food you have to really want it! Located on an out of the way winding dirt road you can expect some searching and maybe some confusion. But all this only adds to the charm, fun and flavor. Tourists seem to take pride in just having found it!

Directions to Maiky Snack: Take Kaminda Sorobon from the traffic circle near Van Den Tweel Supermarket and continue on towards Lac Bay, passing Liangxiang Supermarket on your left. Not far after the supermarket make a soft left onto a wide dirt road marked by a huge billboard for Maiky Snack. Now it becomes tricky so pay close attention. You need to turn left at the blue rocks somewhere down that road. The rocks are small, not marked by any sign, on the ground and usually pretty faded. Once you turn left onto the unmarked road, Maiky is about a quarter mile ahead on your right. You’ll see the big Best Local Food sign. You made it!

Ordering

Order at the counter upon arrival and the staff alert you when it’s ready. Expect a good, island time kind of wait. So what to order? This is THE place to try goat stew, kabritu stoba. The word stoba means stew in Papiamento. It comes with a few sides of your choice. You may find papaya stoba on the menu which sounds vegetarian but it’s actually another version of goat stew, this time mixed with green papaya (not sweet). Snijboonchi stoba, bean stew likewise, is also not vegetarian; it’s a stew of  green beans with goat. Our personal favorite, the traditional kabritu stoba and a mix of the funchi, corn meal similar to polenta, never disappoints.

On Sundays you can choose between funchi and tutu. We go with the tutu every time. Tutu and funchi share similar ingredients but tutu contains black beans and sugar. We LOVE tutu. Aros, white rice and batata, thick cut fried potatoes, are also side options and all dishes come served with a couple of fried plantains and a small lettuce, tomato and cucumber salad. On your table you’ll find a couple types of hot sauce or salsa to add to your meal. Be careful – they can be quite spicy! Like we said earlier, Maiky serves a meal, not a snack. Expect to leave feeling happily full and satisfied.

Drinks

For drinks they serve up your choice of soft drinks, Polar, the local(ish) beer or Heineken in bottles. You can ask for a pitcher of water if you prefer. Tap water on Bonaire is safe to drink and delicious. Your very casual table awaits you in the shade of a rustic, almost camp style dining area. With the breeze and casual atmosphere you couldn’t ask for a more relaxing lunch. Maiky Snack does not offer dessert or coffee. This place is all about the goat. Interestingly and for some, disturbingly, goats (and sometimes cats, chickens and iguanas and donkeys) wander freely around the parking lot and yard while you eat. Farm to table, shall we say? We love it.

Expect to pay about $13 – $16 per person.

Insider tip: get there early as they can and do run out of food by the afternoon.

A real off-the-beaten-path Bonaire experience

The hours of operation, difficulty in finding it, (turn left at the big billboard sign and then left again at the almost impossible to see blue rocks), the menu in Papiamento scribbled on the blackboard all add up to a memorable off-the-beaten-path kind of day. And, add to that the unusual cuisine itself – goat stew, blood sausage, tutu anyone? It all really does add up to the “Best Local Food” on Bonaire. Add Maiky Snack to your Bonaire bucket list.

P.S. It’s really, really local. Most days owner Maiky himself is there taking orders and working the grill.  The goat doesn’t come from very far away either… An island favorite for a reason.

Things to do: The Donkey Sanctuary Bonaire

From the beginning the idea of going to look at some donkeys while on a tropical island never sat right so it took me a while to finally visit The Donkey Sanctuary Bonaire. But after we finally made it there our family “adopted” a donkey and continued to visit often, always searching for our donkey among the crowd.

A couple of hours at the Donkey Sanctuary make for a wonderful, unusual but relaxing excursion in the middle of nature. Take a tour of the donkey sanctuary and you won’t be disappointed. Kids love it! In a peaceful setting which feels a bit like being on safari, the sanctuary provides some sanctuary for us humans too. A great way to spend a peaceful afternoon. To tour the donkey sanctuary follow the only road around the park in your car, stopping to get out anywhere along the way to visit with the animals.

A little History

Donkeys have long been a fixture of the scenery of Bonaire. Just a few short years ago hundreds roamed the streets freely. Many fewer now roam the streets freely thanks to the sanctuary. But as of this writing the island government does not plan to completely eliminate donkeys from the landscape. Consequently many donkeys live at the sanctuary and a few live out and about just roaming the island. The Donkey Sanctuary houses over 400 donkeys. We don’t know the number of donkeys on the streets of the island.

In 1993 Dutch Nationals, Marina Melis and her husband Ed Koopman, established the donkey sanctuary on Bonaire to cure for sick, wounded and orphaned donkeys. The sanctuary was located on land bordering the airport. When the island became part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 2010 the Sanctuary was forced to move and give up some of it’s land because by European law it was too close to the airport runway. Some of the land remained theirs and the entrance area and gift shop moved to a completely new spot. The entrance and gift shop are now located on the road to Sorobon, Kaya Statius Van Eps.

The sanctuary now houses most of the donkey population of Bonaire. Males are castrated to keep the population down. Sick animals are cared for and any animal that enters lives out it’s life in the sanctuary. When a donkey cannot be cured they are put down peacefully. The sanctuary provides an amazing service and for a wonderful cause. It saves the lives of donkeys and also of people because fewer donkeys on the road mean fewer car accidents. Your visit to the sanctuary helps pay for the care of these animals.

Your tour of the Donkey Sanctuary Bonaire would go something like this

1. Arrive
2. pay your entrance fee at the shop
3. Check out the fun products for sale at the shop
4. Buy a bag of carrots or two or three to feed the donkeys
5. Drive in the main gate past the gift shop. First stop visit the young, new, or injured donkeys that are corralled near the entrance to the park. See the photo above. Usually one of the volunteers can tell you their history. You probably stay in this area for anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour, depending on your interest.
6. Get in your car and start the drive.
7. The first stop off is a wooden lookout structure – Climb it! From the top you have a wonderful open view of the park itself and some wonderful island views. There’s even a camera up top where you can deposit a quarter to get an even more panoramic view. This stop could be your first encounter with some donkeys to feed.
8. Feed some donkeys. Using the carrots you bought at the entrance hold the carrots in your hand with your fingers together and palm flat. Do not let the carrots fall to the ground as the donkeys should not eat dirt and they will eat the carrots off the ground if you allow them to fall.
9. Keep circling around the road and encounter more donkeys. And more donkeys. And more donkeys. Feeding stations along the way mark the route. A larger feeding station where the animals get their feed twice a day can be a crazy crowded place. Once or twice I’ve been there with no donkeys anywhere but in the large feeding area. They know when it”s mealtime!
10. Drive back out through the gate and get one more chance to stop at the gift shop.

You contribute just by visiting

You can help the donkey sanctuary continue their important work saving the animals just by visiting, but you can also volunteer your time, or “adopt” a donkey for a year with a larger donation. Easy to get to and very accessible just off the main road to Sorobon, Kaya Statius Van Eps, The Donkey Sanctuary offers a fun half day excursion and your visit contributes to the well-being of the animals.