Bonaire Itineraries: Day Charters and Multi-Day Routes

Kralendijk, Klein Bonaire and No Name Beach

Board your yacht at Harbour Village Marina or a Kralendijk mooring by mid-morning. After a welcome briefing and champagne toast on the flybridge, cruise five minutes to Klein Bonaire for a morning of world-class snorkelling. No Name Beach offers pristine sand for a crew-prepared picnic, and the surrounding reef is alive with sea turtles, eagle rays and colourful reef fish. Return to a mooring off Kralendijk in the late afternoon and tender ashore for dinner at At Sea – the island’s finest restaurant, with a chef’s surprise tasting menu and wine pairings that showcase Bonaire’s emerging culinary scene.

Hilma Hooker, Salt Pier and the Flamingo Coast

Depart early and cruise south to the Hilma Hooker wreck for a morning dive or snorkel on one of the Caribbean’s most celebrated artificial reefs. Continue to the Salt Pier for a second dive among the coral-encrusted pilings, then cruise past the pink salt pans – scanning for flamingos wading in the shallow brine – to Pink Beach on the south-west coast. Your crew anchors (where permitted at the designated spot) and sets up a late lunch on the aft deck. Spend the afternoon swimming and snorkelling in calm, clear water with the surreal pink landscape of the salt works stretching behind you. Return to Kralendijk for a sunset drink at La Balandra.

1000 Steps, Northern Reefs and Farewell

Rise early for a final snorkel at Klein Bonaire, then cruise north to 1000 Steps for a mid-morning dive among the star coral towers and resident sea turtles. Continue along the northern coast, stopping at one or two quieter mooring sites where the reef is particularly pristine and uncrowded. Your chef prepares a farewell lunch on the aft deck as the yacht cruises south, with Washington Slagbaai’s rugged coastline visible to the north. Return to Harbour Village Marina by mid-afternoon – time for a final stroll through Kralendijk’s waterfront or a visit to the Donkey Sanctuary (home to 700 rescued donkeys) before disembarking.

Bonaire to Curaçao – Spanish Water

Depart Kralendijk mid-morning and set course west for Curaçao – approximately 40 nautical miles, around 2.5 hours at cruising speed. Your crew serves lunch on the aft deck as the open Caribbean rolls past. Arrive at Spanish Water on Curaçao’s south-east coast by early afternoon – one of the best-protected natural harbours in the Caribbean, with flat-calm water and excellent holding in 5–7 metres over mud. Spend the afternoon paddleboarding, swimming or exploring the mangrove-lined shoreline by tender. Dinner aboard beneath the stars.

Willemstad, Handelskade and the West Coast

Cruise west to Willemstad and enter the historic St Anna Bay. Take in the UNESCO-listed Handelskade waterfront – pastel-coloured Dutch colonial buildings reflected in the harbour – and walk the Queen Emma pontoon bridge between Punda and Otrobanda. Visit the Floating Market for fresh tropical produce, tour Landhuis Chobolobo (where the famous Blue Curaçao liqueur has been made since 1896), and explore Fort Amsterdam, the island’s oldest building dating from 1635. After lunch, cruise west along the coast to Playa Lagun or Cas Abao for a late-afternoon snorkel among sea turtles and reef fish. Dinner ashore at Fort Nassau – a hilltop restaurant overlooking the twinkling lights of Willemstad.

Grote Knip, Mushroom Forest and the Blue Room

Spend the morning at Grote Knip (Kenepa Grandi), Curaçao’s most photographed beach – a small lagoon between high limestone cliffs with crystal-clear water that feels like a natural swimming pool. After a swim and snorkel, cruise west to the Mushroom Forest dive site off the north-west coast – hard corals eroded at their bases into mushroom shapes, surrounded by moray eels, lobsters and colourful reef fish in 12–18 metres. Nearby, the Blue Room – a partially submerged cave where beams of sunlight create an ethereal blue glow – is one of the most magical snorkelling experiences in the Caribbean. Your chef serves lunch at anchor, and the afternoon is free for more exploring or a quiet swim. Overnight at anchor off one of the west-coast beaches.

Klein Curaçao and Return to Bonaire

Depart early and cruise south-east to Klein Curaçao – an uninhabited 1.7 km² island with pristine reefs, a pink lighthouse and the rusted remains of a shipwreck on the beach. Snorkel the dramatic drop-offs and vibrant coral, keeping an eye out for nesting sea turtles. After lunch on the aft deck, set course east for Bonaire – roughly 45 nautical miles from Klein Curaçao, arriving at Kralendijk by early evening. A farewell dinner ashore at Capriccio – a family-run Italian restaurant near the cruise pier that has been a Bonaire institution for over 30 years.

Guests looking for a longer voyage can combine the 3-day Bonaire reef route with the 4-day Bonaire–Curaçao crossing for a comprehensive 7-day charter covering two islands, world-class diving, UNESCO heritage and a range of experiences – from pristine uninhabited islands to the colourful streets of Willemstad – without repeating a single stop.