You’ll be happy to know that when your Caribbean cruise ship docks in at Kralendijk, Bonaire, shore excursions on this lovely Southern Caribbean island, known as a diver’s paradise, offer much in the way of snorkeling, scuba, sailing, and other sea and sun activities.
If it’s beach time you’re after, book Bonaire shore excursions that take you to one or more of the island’s fabulous white-sand beaches on single or combo tours. From your Bonaire cruise, enjoy a day of pure relaxation at Spice Beach, sinking into a lounge chair and sipping a tropical drink. See the island sights, then chill out at Coco Beach. You can also cool off in the turquoise waters at Lac Cai, a stretch of beach off the beaten path, after an ecological adventure at Lac Bay National Park.
Bonaire’s reputation as a diver’s paradise is well known to Southern Caribbean cruise passengers, and on Bonaire cruise excursions you’ll enjoy the island’s best whether you’re new to the sport or a seasoned snorkeler or diver. You can choose glass-bottom boat rides and snorkeling, yacht cruising with snorkeling and champagne, semi-submarine sailing with snorkel or swim options, and one- or two-tank diving excursions at one or more of the island’s 63 official diving sites.
To explore the island’s rugged interior, its desert-like hills, and dark caverns, hop on an off-road vehicle for spectacular cross-island Bonaire shore excursions. On one expedition, you’ll ride up to the Subi Rincon hill to see an ancient cave that sheltered the Amerindians, the island’s first inhabitants. See the island’s oldest settlement, the village of the Arawak tribe, as well as the island’s highest point where you’ll enjoy spectacular views of land and sea. On another, you’ll see the island’s diverse wildlife, including wild donkeys, colorful iguanas, and pink flamingos, its desert-like terrain with huge cacti, and salt mountains beside the salt flats.
Learn about the island’s history and culture from the earliest Indian inhabitants to the island’s Dutch heritage on guided sightseeing tours that take you along the east coast of the island to see the original slave huts, used as shelters for the workers who harvested salt from the sea. Travel west through a preserved mangrove forest, see gorgeous pink flamingos and other exotic birds, and stop at a shady garden area at Rose Inn for a taste of its famous cadushy, a cactus liqueur.