Attractions
Kralendijk
In Kralendijk itself you should see the architecturally interesting fish market and the colorful fruit and vegetable market.
Shopping
Overview
The tax benefits of duty-free imports make perfume, jewelery and spirits inexpensive souvenirs. Shop opening hours: Mon-Sat 08.00-12.00 and 14.00-18.00. Larger supermarkets are open Mon-Sat 8 a.m. – 8 p.m., some also Sun 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Nightlife
Introduction
The evening entertainment takes place mainly in the hotels and restaurants and consists mostly of dance, reggae or calypso music. There are also discotheques and two casinos on the island.
Culinary
Overview
Restaurants mainly offer Creole dishes. Various seafood, pickled conch shell meat, grilled and seasoned fish and lobster are common on the menu. A good selection of Chinese and Indonesian dishes is also available. Many hotels, restaurants and bars in Kralendijk close around midnight, prices are high.
Accommodation
Hotels
On Bonaire there are large hotels of international standard that offer good holiday and leisure facilities as well as rental equipment. Advance booking is recommended. Information from the Bonaire Hotel and Tourism Association (BONHATA), PO Box 358, Kaya Soeur Bartola 15B, Kralendijk, Netherlands Antilles. (Tel: (0717) 51 34. Internet: www.bonhata.org) and the Bonaire Tourist Office (see addresses).
Culture
Religion
Predominantly Roman Catholic with Protestant and Jewish minorities.
Social Rules of Conduct
Manners: Dutch influence can be felt throughout the island, but American manners and customs are on the rise. Dress code: Dress code is casual, light cotton clothing is recommended. Swimwear belongs on the beach. In the evening, many visitors dress more elegantly. Tipping: Hotels add 5-10% government tax and 10% service charge to the bill. Extra tip is not necessary in this case. Some restaurants charge 10-15% service charge. Otherwise, a tip of 10-15% is expected in the restaurant. Taxi drivers get 10% and dive shops also tip 10%.
Climate
Best travel time
Very warm all year round with trade winds. Main rainy season from October to December. Annual average temperature: 28 °C. The water temperature is 24 °C.
Country data
Phone prefix
+599
Area (sq km)
290
Population
20.104
Population density (per square km)
60
Population statistics year
2020
Main emergency number
114
