Bonaire - Adventure Guide to Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao - page 166

Sorobon has a nudist area near the beach resort, but other parts of the
sand are staked out by families, windsurfers, and tourists. The water is
sheltered and calm enough for swimming and snorkeling. Mangroves
along the coast draw birds and juvenile marine animals, and kayaks are
available for guided or independent tours. Windsurfers rent equipment
and catch the onshore breeze for a fast ride across the bay. A couple of
snack shacks and a restaurant offer food and drinks.
Beaches South of Kralendijk
Pink Beach , near the slave huts at Witte Pan, has been mentioned in
Caribbean Travel & Life Magazine as one of the 10 most popular beaches
in the Caribbean. These folks and their readers know beaches, so take
their word for it. Short by most standards, this is the longest stretch of
sand on the island. Bits of red coral cause the pink tinge, especially around
sunset. There's no shade near the water and no facilities.
Playa Mangel or Windsock , at the end of the airport runway, has shade
and a long expanse of sand. It's a favored snorkeling spot.
Bachelor Beach is a narrow strip of sand down a ladder off the main
coast road south of the capital. The close-in reef is excellent for snorkeling.
Eighteen Palms is across from the governor's house, south of Kralendijk,
inside the north entrance to the Plaza Resort, but open to the public. You
can get snacks and drinks from the resort's beach bar.
Beaches North of Kralendijk
Nukove is worth looking for. It's off a dirt road that runs beside the
BOPEC Oil Terminal, near Lake Goto. Look for a sign pointing the way
after the small saltwater pond called Salina Tern. Divers and snorkelers
favor the spot because of the underwater sponges and colorful parrotfish.
Lovers like the seclusion.
Thousand Steps actually has 67 stone steps leading from the main coast
road to the little beach across from the Radio Netherlands transmitter
towers. It offers good snorkeling and shore diving, but watch out for sea
urchins in the rocks. Enter the water at a sandy area or wear water shoes.
Beaches on Klein Bonaire
Klein's western coast is lined with white-sand beaches. Get to the island
by rented kayak or water taxi, and watch out for turtle nests. There's
elkhorn and staghorn coral in shallow water just off the northwest coast.
Fish have been fed by divers, so some may approach people close to shore.
No Name is especially popular with swimmers and sunbathers because
of the palm-shaded sand. There's not much coral, but boat divers and
snorkelers see plenty of fish at depths of 50 to 100 feet.