Bonaire – Travel Guide / Trip Planner
In order to relax and enjoy yourself on vacation, it’s best to know the basics of the island country you’re visiting.
The official language of Bonaire is Dutch, although many people on the island also speak English and/or Spanish. Many locals also speak Papiamentu, which is a Portuguese-based creole language, with Arawak, African, Spanish, Dutch, French and English influences.
The main currency of Bonaire is the US dollar.
For those planning to rent a car, please remember to drive on the right-hand side of the road in Bonaire.
Please note that the Bonaire electrical power system provides 127 volt (50Hz) with both North American (A & B) and European (F = Netherlands, Germany etc…) type power outlets. For North Americans, this means that electronics with universal power supplies will likely work fine on A & B type outlets, while power adapters are required for F type outlets. Power converters are required for more sensitive equipment requiring the NA standard of 110v / 60Hz. Due to potential power surges and brown-outs, surge suppressors are recommended in either case. It’s best to check which power outlets are available with the folks you’re staying with as well as the power requirements of your electronic devices, before finalizing on what adapters and/or converters you’ll need to bring with you.
Bonaire falls in the Atlantic Time Zone, one hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time (for North Americans) and four hours behind Greenwich Mean Time.
When is the best time to travel to Bonaire?
Bonaire offers one of the most dependably warm and sunny climates in the Caribbean. In terms of the weather, there’s really no bad time to visit the island, although you may choose to avoid the October through December time-frame as that can be the wettest time of the year. That said, the monthly rainfall during that period is barely over 4″ (105mm) per month, significantly less than most of the other Caribbean islands. Late summer is usually the hottest on Bonaire, with average temperatures ranging from 79˚ (26˚c) to highs of 89˚ (31˚c) degrees driven by 9 hours of daily sunlight. The coldest months are typically January and February, when the average temperatures can range from 73° to 84° (23°c to 29°c) – OK, that’s hardly cold.
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