Bonaire - Adventure Guide to Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao - page 206

Island Facts & Contacts

717-5600.
AREA CODE: 599 (for all of the Netherlands Antilles); 7 is
the island code for Bonaire.
ATMs: Available at locations throughout the island, includ-
ing the airport (Maduro & Curiel's Bank), Cultimara Super-
market in Kralendijk (MCB), large resorts, Harborside Mall, and banks in
Kralendijk and Rincón.
BANKS: Most banks are in Kralendijk, but you will find branch offices in
the villages of Hato (near the beach resorts) and Rincón. The main offices
are open from 8:30 am until 3:30 pm, Monday through Friday. Branch
offices close from noon until 1:15 pm. The airport bank (MCB) is open Mon-
day, Wednesday, and Thursday, 8:30 am-noon and 1:15-3:30 pm; Tuesday
and Friday, 8:30 am-noon and 1:15-5 pm; Saturday, 10 am-3 pm (

AIRPORT: Flamingo International Airport,

715-

5520).
CAPITAL: Kralendijk.
DEPARTURE TAX: $20 for international flights (sometimes added to the
cost of your airline ticket), and $5.75 for flights to other ABC islands.
DRIVING: Traffic travels on the right side of the road, as in the US, Can-
ada, and most of Europe.
ELECTRICITY: The electrical voltage is 127/120 AC (50 cycles), and the
outlets accept the same plugs used in North America. The voltage is higher
than in North America and the cycles are lower, so some appliances over-
heat quickly. Most resorts provide hair dryers in the rooms. Both resorts
and dive shops have charging converters for electronic equipment.
EMERGENCY: Police and fire, 114.

GAS STATIONS: Don't run out of gas on Sunday or late at night. The four
stations (located in Kralendijk, and the village of Rincón) operate Monday-
Saturday, 7 am-9 pm... usually.
GOVERNMENT: Bonaire is part of the Netherlands Antilles, which
includes Curaçao, St. Maarten, St. Eustatius, and Saba. Curaçao is the
capitol of the Netherlands Antilles, which is autonomous from the King-
dom of the Netherlands. However, the governor of the NA and the lieuten-
ant governor of each island is appointed by the ruling monarch of the
Kingdom. Each island's parliament is elected by popular vote, and citizens
may vote at the age of 21.
HOSPITAL:

191. Ambulance and hospital,

San Francisco Hospital , Kaya Soeur Bartola #2,

Kralendijk, 717-8900. A decompression chamber for divers is located

next door, but you must go to the hospital first to be seen by an admitting
doctor.