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Bonaire,
and its small sister island Klien Bonaire, is one of three islands
in the Caribbean making up the Dutch Antilles or ABC islands (Aruba,
Curacao & Bonaire) and is one of the least tourist-developed
and least visited of the islands, yet it is, both on land and under
the sea, one of the Caribbean's most striking. It is located just
North of Venezuela, South of the hurricane belt, and so offering
year a around stable climate.
THE
DIVING
The diving on
Bonaire is a mixture of both boat dives to neighbouring Klien Bonaire
(approx 20 minutes away) and shore diving. The Bonaire Marine Park
has marked about 80 yellow stones around the shore line marking
dive site entry points. All the dive centers offer drive through
filling stations (car hire is a must) giving you complete freedom
to dive the island with your buddy at your own pace - this is what
attracts so many visitors to Bonaire, the freedom to dive where,
when and how you want. Of course guided dives are always available
if you wish.
On our visit
to the island we where quite amazed by the pristine condition of
the reefs and must assume that this is due to the care that the
Bonaire Marine Park pays to its reefs. Clear water provides visibility
of 100 feet (30 meters) year-round, and the islanders and government
are extremely sensitive to the fragility of the environment. The
marine park completely surrounds the island and also encompasses
the waters surrounding Klein Bonaire.
NON-DIVING ACTIVITIES
Approximately
50% of the annual visitors to Bonaire are drawn by the scuba diving
but there are also many attractions of the non-divers. There are
a number of activities, from hiking and sightseeing in the enormous
Washington-Slagbaai National Park, at the northwestern end of the
island, to shopping, snorkelling and birdwatching. Bonaire also
has consistent wind all year around making it an excellent spot
for windsurfing (based on the Northern Lac Bay area) and Kitesurfing
(although this has been restricted recently).
| GENERAL
TRAVEL INFORMATION FOR JORDAN |
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MONEY
U.S.
Dollar, fixed at exchange rate of Naf. 1.78 and Antillean Guilder
(Naf.) are accepted on the island.
Several ATM’s
can be found around the island. A number of banks are located around
the island. Banking hours are from Monday to Friday from 8:00 am
till 3:30 pm.
CLIMATE
Tropical
climate enhanced by north east trade winds. Annual averages: temperature
82º F (28º C), rainfall: 22”, water temperature 80º
F (27º C)
DRINKING
WATER
Distilled and purified seawater that is safe to drink. Bottled water
is also sold in supermarkets.
DRIVING LICENCE
International and foreign driving licenses are accepted. Driving
on right side of the road.
ELECTRICITY
110-130 volts AC (50 cycles).
LANGUAGES
Dutch and Papiamento. English and Spanish are widely spoken.
VACCINATIONS
No vaccinations are required for Bonaire.
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