Bonaire Overview Country Overview Bonaire is the second-largest island in the Dutch Antilles and is located 80km (50 miles) north of Venezuela and 48km (30 miles) east of Curaçao. The landscape is flat and rocky but the island has beautiful beaches and safe waters. Bonaire is a place of rest and privacy, ideal for those who want to enjoy a beautiful coastline and the full range of watersports facilities without sophisticated restaurants and nightspots. The Marine Park is centred on a spectacular coral reef, maintained and protected throughout the year by marine experts. The salt flats change colour according to fluctuations in the resident algae population and the beautiful lagoon of Goto Meer is a haven for flocks of flamingoes. In the capital, Kralendijk, among the sites worth visiting are the lively and interesting fruit and vegetable market and Fort Oranje on the waterfront. Restaurants serve Creole cooking, particularly seafood dishes, including pickled conch shell meat, grilled spicy fish and lobster. Nightlife centres mainly around hotels and restaurants. Entertainment includes dancing or listening to reggae or calypso bands. General Information Area: 288 sq km (111 sq miles). Population: 13,284 (2002). Population Density: 46.1 per sq km. Capital: Kralendijk. Population: 1800 (2002). GEOGRAPHY: Bonaire is the second-largest island in the Dutch Antilles and is located 80km (50 miles) north of Venezuela and 48km (30 miles) east of Curaçao. The landscape is flat and rocky and, owing to low annual rainfall, Bonaire has a fairly barren desert climate. The island has small beautiful beaches and safe waters. Government: Part of the Netherlands Antilles; dependency of The Netherlands. Head of State: Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, represented locally by Governor Frits Goldgedrag since 2002. Head of Government: Prime Minister Ethien Eys since 2002. The Netherlands Antilles consist of Curaçao, Bonaire, St Maarten, St Eustatius and Saba. The capital of the island group is Willemstad, Curaçao. Language: Dutch is the official language. Papiamento (a mixture of Portuguese, African, Spanish, Dutch and English) is the commonly used lingua franca. English and Spanish are also widely spoken. Religion: Predominantly Roman Catholic with a Protestant minority. There are many evangelical churches of different denominations. Time: GMT - 4. Electricity: 127 volts AC, 50Hz. Communications:   Telephone IDD is available. Country code: 599. Outgoing international code: 00. It is cheaper to make international calls from phone booths in the Telbo building than from resorts. Mobile telephone Setel NV operates GSM 900 coverage across the whole of the Netherlands Antilles. Mobile telephones can be hired on the island from Cell Rent or Cellularone. The local network provider is Obersi Electronics. Internet ISPs include Bonairelive (website: www.bonairelive.net) which operates an Internet Access Center. There is are three Internet cafes in Kralendijk and a coin-operated Internet kiosk at the Harborside Mall also in Kralendijk. Telegram Facilities are available in the post office in Kralendijk and main hotels. Post Airmail to and from Europe takes four to six days. Surface mail takes up to six weeks. Press The main Dutch-language newspapers are Amigoe, Telegraaf and Algemeen Dagblad; Extra, Nabo, La Prensa, Vigilante and Bala are published in Papiamento. BBC World Service and Voice of America frequencies: From time to time these change. BBC (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice): MHz 15.19 12.10 6.195 5.975 Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov): MHz 13.79 9.455 6.130 5.995 Passport/Visa   Passport Required? Visa Required? Return Ticket Required? British Yes 4 Yes Australian Yes 5 Yes Canadian 3 5 Yes USA 2 4 Yes OtherEU 1 4 Yes Japanese Yes 5 Yes PASSPORTS: Passport valid for at least three months after intended return to home country required by all except the following: (a) 1. nationals of Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and The Netherlands holding national identity cards; (b) 2. nationals of the USA holding voters’ registration cards or birth certificate, and alien residents of the USA with an Alien Registration Card; nationals of the USA born outside the USA with naturalisation certificates of US citizenship; (c) 3. nationals of Canada with birth certificates or proof of citizenship or with Certificate of Naturalization or with Certificate of Proof of Canadian Citizenship; alien residents of Canada still holding their national passport with either Canadian Immigration of Identification Certificates (CIIC) or Canadian Certificate of Identity. Note: Although not officially required, nationals of (a)-(c) are advised to carry their passport as an additional form of identification. VISAS: Required by all except the following: (a) 4. nationals of Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, the UK and the USA for visits of up to 90 days (stay can be extended locally by the same period); nationals of The Netherlands (including Aruba) for an unlimited stay; (b) nationals of Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Hungary, Israel, Jamaica, Korea (Rep), Malawi, Mauritius, Niger, The Philippines, Poland, San Marino, Slovakia, Spain, Swaziland and Togo for visits of up to 90 days (stay can be extended locally by the same period); (c) 5. nationals of countries indicated in the chart above and most other countries for a stay of 14 days (stay can be extended locally by the same period). Note: Nationals of the following countries must apply for a visa before entering the country even for touristic purposes: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China (PR), CIS, Croatia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Korea (Dem Rep)Latvia, Libya, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Vietnam. Types of visa and cost: Single-entry visas: £16 (for one month); £19 (for three months). Multiple-entry visas: £22 (for three months). Transit: £6 (for one to five days). Validity: Up to three months from date of issue. Application requirements: (a) Passport valid for a minimum of three months after intended return to home country. (b) One fully completed application form. (c) One passport sized photo per person endorsed on passport, with daytime phone number and address written clearly on the back. (d) Fee; payable by postal order (to Royal Netherlands Embassy) or cash. Cheques are not accepted. (e) Return or onward ticket. (f) Evidence of sufficient funds covering cost of intended stay, amounting to a minimum of £30 (cash not accepted). Application to: Nearest Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Further information about visa requirements may be obtained from the Royal Netherlands Embassies which formally represent the Netherlands Antilles. Working days required: Applications should be lodged at least three weeks prior to departure. Temporary residence: Enquire at the office of the Lieutenant Governor of the Island Territory of Bonaire, Plaza Reina Wilhelmina 1, Kralendijk, Bonaire. The Dutch Government recently allowed Dutch Europeans to reside in the Netherlands Antilles without having to apply for a residence permit. Money Currency: Netherlands Antilles Guilder or Florin (NAG) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of NAG250, 100, 50, 25, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of NAG5, 2.5, 1, 0.5, 0.25, 0.1, 0.05 and 0.01 cents. The US Dollar is accepted everywhere although change is given in Guilders. Notes in denominations greater than US$20 will only be accepted in banks. Note: The Netherlands Antilles Guilder is tied to the US Dollar. Currency exchange: Most major currencies including US Dollars, Pounds Sterling and Euros are easily exchanged. ATMs are located around the island. Credit & debit cards: MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club and Visa are accepted in larger establishments. Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services which may be available. Travellers cheques: To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers cheques in US Dollars. Currency restrictions: There are no restrictions on the import or export of local or foreign currency. The import of Dutch or Surinam silver coins is forbidden. Exchange rate indicators The following figures are included as a guide to the movement of the Netherlands Antilles Guilder against Sterling and the US Dollar: Date May ’02 Aug ’02 Nov ’02 Feb ’03 £1.00= 2.59 2.71 2.81 2.83 $1.00= 1.78 1.78 1.78 1.78 Banking hours: Mon-Fri 0830-1130 and 1330-1530. Duty Free The following items may be imported into Bonaire by persons aged 15 years or over without incurring customs duty: 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco; 2l of alcoholic beverages; an unlimited quantity of perfume; gifts up to a value of NAG100. Note: If the total value of goods per passenger exceeds NAG500, a declaration should be made on a customs form and cleared at the freight department. Public Holidays Dec 25-26 2002 Christmas. Jan 1 2003 New Year’s Day. Jan 19 Carnival rest day. Apr 18-21 Easter. Apr 30 Queen’s Birthday Celebrations and Rincon’s Day. May 1 Labour Day. May 29 Ascension Day. Sep 6 Bonaire Day. Dec 25-26 Christmas. Jan 1 2004 New Year’s Day. Jan 19 Carnival rest day. Apr 9-12 Easter. Apr 30 Queen’s Birthday Celebrations and Rincon’s Day. May 1 Labour Day. May 20 Ascension Day. Sep 6 Bonaire Day. Dec 25-26 Christmas. Health   Special Precautions Certificate Required Yellow Fever No 1 Cholera No No Typhoid and Polio 2 N/A Malaria No N/A 1: A yellow fever certificate is required from all travellers over six months of age coming from infected areas. 2: Polio and typhoid are not endemic in Bonaire, however, precautions are advised as a few areas of risk exist within the general region of the Caribbean. Food & drink: All mains water on the islands is distilled from seawater, and is thus safe to drink. Bottled mineral water is widely available. Milk is pasteurised and dairy products are safe for consumption. Local meat, poultry, seafood, fruit and vegetables are generally considered safe to eat. Other risks: Hepatitis A is present. Outbreaks of dengue fever occur in the area. Health care: The San Francisco Hospital is equipped to deal with emergencies and has a decompression chamber. Travel - International AIR: The national airline of the Netherlands Antilles is Air ALM (LM). Air ALM offers direct services from Miami to Bonaire’s Flamingo Airport once a week and from Atlanta’s Hartsfield Airport twice a week. DCA flies daily to Curaçao, from where there are international connections. KLM offers direct flights twice a day from Amsterdam to Bonaire, as well as daily flights from Amsterdam to Curaçao and Aruba, with connections to Bonaire. American Eagle has flights once a day between Puerto Rico and Bonaire. Avia Air has flights once a day between Aruba and Bonaire. Air Jamaica operates from Montego Bay on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. American Airlines operates direct flights to Curaçao from many US cities, with connections to Bonaire. Approximate flight times: From Bonaire to London is 11 hours, to Amsterdam is 9 hours 30 minutes, to Los Angeles is 10 hours and to New York is 4 hours. Times vary considerably depending on connections. International airports: Flamingo Airport (BON) is 4km (2.5 miles) from Kralendijk. Taxis are available. Departure tax: US$5.75 to destinations within the Netherlands Antilles and US$20 for international flights. SEA: There are no regular international boat connections to Bonaire, except for a passenger ferry between Bonaire and Curaçao. However, Bonaire is regularly visited by cruise ships operated by P&O, Fred Olsen, Majestic, Windjammer and Holland America during high season (Dec-Apr). Travel - Internal ROAD: A good taxi service exists on the island. Rates are government controlled. There are numerous car hire firms located at hotels, the airport and Kralendijk. Reservations should be made in advance to get the best rates. Car hire tax is US$3.25 per day. Bikes and motorbikes can also be hired without any difficulty. Traffic drives on the right. Roads are reasonably good, although jeeps may be needed for extensive touring of the island. Documentation: A national driving licence is acceptable if held for at least two years although drivers must be at least 21 years of age (minimum age varies according to hire company and type of car). Accommodation HOTELS: There are excellent hotels and resorts on the island with good facilities for the holidaymaker, particularly in the provision of watersports equipment etc. Advance booking is essential. For further information, contact the Bonaire Hotel and Tourism Association (BONHATA), PO Box 358, Kaya Gob Debrot 67, Kralendijk (tel: (717) 5134; fax: (717) 8534; e-mail: info@bonhata.org; website: www.bonhata.org). GUEST-HOUSES: The visitor can opt for accommodation in beach villas, or private apartments. Various property companies can be contacted – details are available from BONHATA (see address above). Note: Rates for accommodation will be approximately 20-40 per cent cheaper in the off-peak season (15 April-15 December). A room tax of around US$5.50-6.50 per person per night is added to the bill. An additional service charge of ten to 15 per cent may also be levied. Introduction Bonaire is a place for privacy and rest. The island is ideal for those who want to enjoy a beautiful coastline and the full range of watersports facilities, but do not demand too much by way of sophisticated restaurants and nightspots. Bonaire’s Marine Park is centred on a spectacular coral reef, which is maintained and protected throughout the year by marine experts. There are frequent slide shows on underwater sports and conservation in the hotels and at watersports centres in Kralendijk. The salt flats change colour according to fluctuations in the resident algae population, from a breathtaking fuchsia to subtle pink. Slave huts nearby were inhabited by the salt workers until the abolition of slavery in 1863. The beautiful lagoon of Goto Meer is a haven for flocks of flamingoes. Bonaire has its own 5463 hectares (13,500 acres) game reserve, the Washington/Slagbaai National Park, including Mount Brandaris, the island’s highest point at 241m (790ft). There are two routes through the park, each enabling the visitor to see the interesting flora and fauna the island has to offer, in particular the birdlife. In Kralendijk itself there are several sites worth visiting, including the lively and interesting fruit and vegetable market. There are some handsome buildings along the waterfront, such as Fort Oranje. Klein Bonaire, situated half a mile off Bonaire’s west coast, is a popular destination for sail charters or for lunch or evening picnics. For more information on activities and sightseeing in Bonaire contact the Tourism Corporation Bonaire (see Contact Addresses section). Sport & Activities Watersports: Kayaking, scuba diving, snorkelling, windsurfing and water-skiing are all available with facilities and tuition as necessary. The waters around the island are clear, safe and teeming with fish of every size and hue. Fishing and sailing charters are popular; half- or full-day cruises can be arranged round the bay or to Klein Bonaire, the island’s tiny uninhabited sister isle. Every October there is a sailing regatta during which there is a carnival atmosphere on the island. The focus of the regatta is the new marina, just a few minutes out of Kralendijk: berthing facilities for various types of vessel, a shipyard, and a drydock make Bonaire a pleasure boater’s retreat. Other: The main hotels and sporting centres on the island have tennis facilities and mountain bikes are available for hire. Birdwatching trips and horseriding are also popular. There are two day spas on the island offering sea salt baths. Social Profile Food & Drink: The restaurants serve predominantly Creole cooking, particularly seafood dishes, including conch shell meat, grilled spicy fish and lobster. Island specialities include iguana soup and kabrito stoba (goat stew). A variety of Chinese, Indonesian, French, Italian and international cooking can also be found. There are several hotels, restaurants and bars in Kralendijk to choose from. Restaurants and bars are usually closed by midnight. Nightlife: This is centred on both the main hotels and restaurants. Having eaten, evening entertainment includes dancing or listening to reggae groups or calypso steel bands. The island has two discos and two casinos. Shopping: The reductions on duty-free imports make the purchase of some perfume, jewellery or alcohol well worthwhile. Shopping hours: Mon-Sat 0800-1200 and 1400-1800. Larger supermarkets are open Mon-Sat 0800-1900, with some open Sun 1000-1400. Special Events: The following is a selection of the major festivals and other special events celebrated in Bonaire in 2003. For a complete list and exact dates consult Tourism Corporation Bonaire (see Contact Addresses section). Jan 1 Maskarada (New Year).Jan 4 Carnival season opens. Jan 9 Eighth Sailing Competition. Feb 15-Mar 4 Various Carnival events. Mar 2 Cycling Tour Dos Pos Cycle Bon. Mar 6 Simadam (harvest) Festival, Rincon. Mar 29-30 International Fishing Tournament. Mar 30 Windsurfing Competition, Lac Bai Cai. Apr 1 Simadon Harvest Festival, Rincon. Apr 20 Annual Easter egg dive and snorkel event, the Dive-Inn. Apr 30 Queen's Birthday Sailing Race. May 17 Seventh Bonaire Mountain Bike Challenge Race. May 18 Cycle Bonaire, 90km Road Race. May 31 Songfestival Jong Bonaire. Jun 14-22 Seventh Bonaire Dive Festival. Jun 22 Seventh Angola Construction Sailing Competition, Kas di Regatta. Jul 6 Eleventh Annual Bonaire Arts Day. Sep 6 Bonaire Day. Sep 7 Bonaire Bikers MC Flag Day Weekend 2003; Local Fishing Tournament. Sep 20 International Coastal Clean-up Day. Oct 5-12 36th Annual International Sailing Regatta. Nov Underwater Cleanup. Dec 10-17 King of the Caribbean Freestyle Pro-Am. Dec 31 End of Year Windsurf Race. Social Conventions: Dutch customs are still prevalent throughout the islands, although they are increasingly subject to an US influence. Dress is casual and lightweight cottons are advised. Bathing suits should be confined to beach and poolside areas only. Nudity is prohibited on beaches except at Sorobon Beach Resort, a privately owned nudist resort. Tipping: There is normally a ten per cent service charge in restaurants and a six per cent tax. Tipping is not widely practised but porters are usually given 50 cents-US$1 per bag; taxi drivers are generally given ten per cent of the fare. Business Profile Economy: During the 1950s, Bonaire began a gradual climb out of chronic economic depression, aided by investment in tourism and the revival of a long-dormant salt industry. The economy gained a further boost in the mid-1970s when the Bonaire Petroleum Corporation (Bopec) set up an oil transfer depot with a deep-water port with facilities for transferring oil from ocean-going to coastal tankers. However, plans to build a refinery in Bonaire have been indefinitely shelved. Other economic activities on Bonaire include rice processing and shipping. There is also some agriculture: Bonaire grows a variety of fruit and vegetables; in particular, it is a major producer and exporter of aloes. Bonaire has benefited from the offshore financial industry which has built up among the island group, although most of the companies engaged in the sector are located on Curaçao and St Maarten. As part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Bonaire is an overseas territory in association with the EU; it also holds observer status at the regional CARICOM trading bloc. Business: General business practices prevail. Office hours: Mon-Fri 0730-1200 and 1330-1630. Commercial Information: The following organisation can offer advice: Bonaire Chamber of Commerce and Industry, PO Box 52, Princess Marie-Straat, Kralendijk (tel: (717) 5595; fax: (717) 8995). Conferences/Conventions: For information regarding conference facilities, contact Tourism Corporation Bonaire (see Contact Addresses section). Climate Hot throughout the year, but tempered by cooling trade winds. The average temperature is 28°C (82°F) and the average rainfall is 50cm (20 inches) per year. Required clothing: Lightweights with warmer top layers for evenings; showerproof clothing is advisable throughout the year. History and Government History: Although ‘discovered’ by the Spanish explorer Amerigo Vespucci in 1499, rock inscriptions in the north of the island indicate a much earlier Amerindian presence. Spanish colonisation, which started in 1527, lasted little more than a century. By 1634, the Dutch had settled and within two years had consolidated their position as colonial rulers by conquering and occupying the neighbouring islands. The Dutch West Indies Company introduced economic development schemes for which they imported hundreds of slave workers. The abolition of slavery and the end of the plantations which depended on slave labour heralded a long period of economic depression, during which the principal source of income for the bulk of the island’s population was the remittances sent home by migrant workers. An indigenous economy began to emerge in the 1950s and Bonaire entered its current phase of comparative prosperity (see Business Profile section). Political divisions in the Antilles are island-based rather than ideological. The issue of constitutional reform, specifically regarding the status of each of the islands within the group and their relations with The Hague, is never far from the surface. At present, there is strong support throughout the group – with the exception of St Maarten where there is a sizeable minority in favour of internal autonomy – for the continuation of the Antilles Federation. At the October 1994 referendum which provided the most recent indication of popular sentiment, 70 per cent of the Bonaire electorate voted in favour of the federation. The two main political parties in Bonaire are the Democratic Party and the Bonaire Patriotic Union (UPB) to the legislative assembly known as The Staten. The two parties attract voters on the basis of linguistic allegiance rather than policies or personalities: Dutch speakers support the Democratic Party while Spanish speakers favour the UPB. At the most recent Staten election in January 2002, the UPB had two members elected while the Democratic Party returned a single representative. Government: Bonaire is a constituent island of the Netherlands Antilles; the others being Curaçao, Saba, St Eustatius and St Maarten. The Netherlands Antilles, Aruba and The Netherlands each have equal status within the Kingdom of The Netherlands as regions autonomous in internal affairs. The monarch is represented locally by a Governor, while the Netherlands Antilles are represented in the Government of the Kingdom by a Minister Plenipotentiary. Foreign policy and defence matters are decided by a Council of Ministers of the Kingdom, including the Plenipotentiary, and executed under the authority of the Governor. The internal affairs of the Netherlands Antilles are administered by the central Government of the Netherlands Antilles, based in Willemstad, Curaçao, which is responsible to the Staten, or legislative assembly. Bonaire may elect, by non-compulsory adult suffrage based on proportional representation, three out of 22 members of the Staten. Routine local affairs on each island group (Bonaire, Curaçao and the Windward Islands) are managed by an elected nine-member Island Council, presided over by a Lieutenant Governor. Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.