OVERVIEW

Drive your own electric mini-car around Bonaire with stops along the way to experience local life and to behold the island’s stunning natural beauty. After a briefing to ensure that you are comfortable driving a Fiat Topolino, you will follow the guide in a convoy of these tiny, zero-emission vehicles. The views will be spectacular as you travel up the coast to Goto Lake, a favorite gathering place for pink-plumed flamingos. In the nearby village of Rincon – which the Spanish founded in 1499 – you will drop by Cadushy distillery for an enlightening behind-the-scenes tour and to sample its unique cactus liqueur. You will also visit Gruta di Lourdes, an outdoor church built into the rock that has become a Catholic pilgrimage site as it resembles the famed grotto in Lourdes, France, that is said to have healing powers. You will enjoy yet another perspective of Bonaire from atop Seru Largu, the island’s highest accessible point.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Drive throughout Bonaire in your own Fiat Topolino, a tiny electric vehicle.
• See some of the island’s most beautiful coastal areas and perhaps flamingos at Goto Lake.
• Enjoy an insider’s look at Cadushy distillery and taste its bright-green cactus liqueur.
• Pause at a cave with a statue of the Virgin Mary that has become a pilgrimage site.
• Gaze out over Bonaire from the Seru Largu lookout point.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes is mandatory, no flip flops or crocs.

OVERVIEW

Discover the cultural heritage in Bonaire’s northern half through immersive experiences that natural attractions beautifully complement. The farther north you travel from Kralendijk, the more hilly and the terrain. The guide may point out desert foliage such as candelabra cacti and drought-resistant mesquite trees that can reach as high as 30 feet. Consequently, you may be surprised by the sight of Goto Lake, a sprawling saltwater lagoon that attracts pink-plumed flamingos in large numbers. The local culture will take center stage in the Rincon Valley, once home to the Arawak Indians. In the Mangazina di Rei culture park, you can browse exhibits that showcase the island’s early history and learn to play a handcrafted musical instrument in an entertaining workshop. You may also see how cacti are used as fences. For the ultimate view of Bonaire, you will drive up Seru Largu, a mountain in the interior of the island.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Visit a culture park that highlights Bonaire’s early history and indigenous people.
• Join a hands-on workshop and learn to play a traditional musical instrument.
• Look for flamingos feeding in the shallows of Goto Lake.
• Take in the sweeping views from atop Seru Largu in the island’s interior.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Enjoy an introductory look at the capital Kralendijk from several perspectives and unwind at a private beach club with breathtaking views in every direction. While driving through the city, you will hear how it developed around Fort Oranje, a still-standing fortification that the Dutch built in the 17th century. As you ascend Seru Largu mountain in the island’s interior, you will be treated to a more sweeping panorama that takes in your cruise ship and Klein Bonaire, the large island directly off Kralendijk. On the descent, you may spot Bonaire’s iconic flamingos dining on brine shrimp in the shallows of the brackish lagoons. You will find the turquoise waters off the Eden Beach Club wonderfully inviting during free time there. While you are welcome to spend your entire stay luxuriating on the beach and swimming in the sea, you might also dine on your own at the club’s waterfront restaurant.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Settle in for a panoramic drive through Kralendijk, Bonaire’s Dutch-influenced capital.
• Take in the sweeping views from atop Seru Largu in the island’s interior.
• Look for flamingos wading in the shallows of the coastal lagoons.
• Spend hours relaxing however you please at a private beach club.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Bring a swimsuit, hat, towel and sunscreen.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.