Bonaire Travel Insurance

Kralendijk is the capital city and main port of the island of Bonaire in the Caribbean Netherlands. The language spoken here is Papiamentu, but Dutch and English are also widely used.

Kralendijk means ‘coral dike’, but locals call it “playa” meaning “beach.” However, there is no longer a ‘beach’ since the main street (Kaya Grandi) shore is now lined with a concrete walkway beside the water. Kralendijk is a tiny town, and the entire area can easily be covered on foot. The town is also filled with colourful shops, art galleries, cafés, arcades, restaurants, bars and public squares. While other attractions include the tiny yellow Fort Oranje and the Terramar Museum.

The south of the island of Bonaire is host to the famous Salt Flats and Mountains. The pink salt pans (pink from tiny brine shrimp) and the surrounding manmade white mountains made of salt on the southeastern coast create one of the most unique of Bonaire’s tourist attractions.

The island’s colonial history was tightly tied to salt production. It was a treasured commodity for curing meat and fish before refrigeration throughout the Caribbean and Europe. Today, Bonaire continues to be a leading salt exporter and is home to Cargill’s modern facilities.

Washington Slagbaai National Park is a national park and ecological reserve on the north-western part of the island of Bonaire. The park is about 56 km² and covers approximately 1/5 of the island of Bonaire.

The park offers epic sightseeing, and beautiful landscapes decorated with cacti, and surrounded with black craggy volcanic cliffs and wild crashing waves. Here you can also visit Boca Slagbaai, an old plantation site within the park. If you want to admire the spectacular bay full of tropical fish and sea turtles, make sure to bring your swimming suit and snorkel.