Clean Cruising

Cruises visiting Kralendijk & all Kralendijk cruises for 2013 - 2014

Kralendijk is a picturesque harbour situated on the west coast of the island of Bonaire in the Netherlands Antilles in the southern Caribbean. Due to the island's diligent stewardship of its marine resources all of the waters off Bonaire's coast have been legally protected since 1979, so that Bonaire is world renowned for its excellent scuba diving and snorkelling. The east side of the island has large waves and wind gusts, and here wind surfers are found in great numbers. Visitors wishing to improve their sailing skills ideally require shallow water in a windy setting, hence find Lac Bay in the SE to be an excellent venue. Off the coast of Kralendijk lies the uninhabited island of Klein Bonaire, a diving and snorkelling paradise that can be reached by water taxi, or - for divers - by practically all of the local dive operators. If one simply wishes to relax the Public Beach, also known as Windsock, it is located 1.5 km south of downtown, and another public beach is at the site of the Bonaire Sunset Beach Hotel about 2km north of downtown.

On the other hand Bonaire’s fascinating history can be really appreciated while following the ‘Historical Walking Tour’. There are 25 sites in the downtown area, including: the Boneriano Museum that contains different artefacts from the island’s past; and Fort Oranje that was first built in 1639, later used as an internment camp during World War II, and has recently been converted into an hotel. Then there’s also the Roman-style pavilion used by merchants from nearby Venezuela, to sell fresh fish, fruit and vegetables. While the main language is Papiamentu, English is widely understood. Bicycle and scooter rentals provide a practical way to explore the town.

Although best known for its water-based activities, one should appreciate the serene beauty of the island’s semi-desert landscape. It is also home to an outlandish assortment of wildlife. Iguanas meditatively toast themselves atop the desert rock formations of Washington Slagbaai, Bonaire's land-based natural park, which is also home to vast orange-pink clouds of flamingos drifting across bone-white salt flats. Divi-divi trees bend into surreal sculptures of the wind itself, and towering cacti stand as reminders of the Caribbean's diverse ecology. All in all, with a low rise commercial centre, narrow streets, and pastel painted buildings, this tiny capital city of Kralendijk is a most relaxing and enjoyable port to visit.