Klein Bonaire
Klein Bonaire
4.5
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Surrounded by reefs, it's a popular picnic spot and jumping off point for dives.
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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- Mark MHouston, Texas147 contributionsWonderful snorkel area.Booked the water taxi to Klein Bonaire through Celebrity cruise shore excursions. This is the way to go in my opinion, for many reasons. 1. Boat picked us up at the cruise pier. 2. They offered to rent mask & snorkel for $5 (we brought our own) 3. Barely got our feet wet geting off at the beach due to the nice ramp at the bow of the pontoon boat. 4. They had staff unload at the beach and they stayed with us until the boat returned a few hours later. 5. They set up under one of the two tiny "huts" at the beach and provided a "Rum Punch" after our swim. 6. Returned us to the cruise pier. We had taken our fins but they're probably not really needed unless you want to swim against the mild current. Best to walk up the beach, enter the water at the yellow post that marks a break in the reef and then just drift back to the drop off area. Some of the clearest water I've ever seen. Good amount of fish and even watched a sea turtle for a while. Warning!! The walk up the beach is very painful if you don't have water shoes. I should have worn mine and just tied them on after putting on my fins! My neoprene boots didn't cut it.Visited September 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten October 6, 2023
- Donna GJohnstown, Pennsylvania62 contributionsA good day on Klein BonaireWe took a water taxi over to the island and spent the full day there. We got there on the nine am taxi. And luckily found a spot to relax for the day, under the shade of a small tree. We walked up to the yellow pole, taking the nice Sandy path. We snorkeled down along the reef , letting the current carry us. Easiest snorkeling on the island of Bonaire. Not a lot of abuse on your feet. I’ve learned to attach my Keen walking shoes via their strings onto a swim vest I wear. And travel over coral rough isn’t too bad anymore. The coral is decent at Klein Bonaire. There are decent amounts of fish to see. Just note their are no bathrooms or refreshments available on Klein BonaireVisited February 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten February 11, 2024
- jeanne i3 contributionsLoved the crew & adventure!Sailed on an official Junk boat with a young happy & experienced crew with rum punch and great historical speech of the journey to Bonair!! Road a dingy to the Klein Bonair to settle and/or begin the snorkel adventure. Laid back and it’s what you make of it. Participate or watch yr friends & family explore. The water was salty but clear and vibrant colors. Recommend a backpack due to climbing on & off the boat to & from the dingy. They provide floatation & snorkel gear. Assisted well & let you enjoy yr adventure. Would do again!Visited March 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten March 9, 2024
- Brooke BLatham, New York2 contributionsAll Time Favorite BeachI've been to 14 Carribean islands and this is my favorite beach. The water taxi is a fun 15 minute ride where we saw dolphins. The snorkel is beautiful and easy, the current pushes you all the way back so you barley have to swim but there is no current at the beach. You need to bring your own food and water however there is noting there as it's a national park.Visited February 2024Traveled with familyWritten March 10, 2024
- lithlith918 contributionsBeautiful Water and SnorkelingWe visited Klein Bonaire as part of a cruise ship snorkeling excursion. The blue water in Bonaire is like nothing else you'll find in the Caribbean. There is crystal clear water perfect for snorkeling. Hands down Bonaire has the best snorkeling in the Caribbean. Keep in mind there is no dock at Klein Bonaire, so you will have to get into the water and wade/swim if you want to go ashore. We went ashore, walked about 10 minutes down the beach to a snorkel entrance point and then drifted with the current back to our excursion boat. Only about 10 of us out of the 40 on the tour did this and I do think the other missed out big time! There is some bleaching of the coral and there were a ton of small non stinging jelly fish when we first got in the water at the snorkel point, but things did improve along the drift. We loved every minute of it!Visited April 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten May 5, 2024
- Rochelle FRandolph, New Jersey1,140 contributionsBeautiful white sandy beach and good snorkeling from shoreBeautiful white sand beach. We took Caribe ferry from Karen’s bar which runs hourly. They drop you off and you can spend the day on the beach. Best not to go on Wednesdays when the cruise ship is in. Too busy in am but they leave and then the beach is nice and quiet. And room under the 2 structures with benches to put your chairs You can walk to the yellow pipe, cross thru the break in the coral and do a wonderful drift snorkel back to where the boats land. Lots of nice fish and the current just carries you along. It was glorious. You can also snorkel right from beach- in spite of people, boats etc there were actually quite a lot of fish. It was a wonderful dayVisited May 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten June 2, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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Christine M
4 contributions
Apr 2022 • Family
We took the Caribe water taxi from Karel Beach Bar at 10:15 to Klein Bonaire for snorkeling. The Water taxi was a great value at $20 per person (round trip). We were offered the option for a drift snorkel from the taxi. I believe this isn’t offered at all departure times, so call to check if you are considering. Beautiful sand beach and lots of fish make for a really nice time. Bring what you need because there’s isn’t anything on Klein except for two small sun shelters for shade. Taxi returned two hours later and was just the right amount of time for our family.
Written April 22, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stewart M
Melbourne, Australia121 contributions
Feb 2020
What a wonderful spot just 10 minutes from the port in Kralendijk. A totally unspoilt little island, the water was crystal clear and the marine life abundant. We did a drift from the point along the rock wall/drop off finishing where the water taxis arrive, about an hour all up. We only had snorkeling gear, which was perfect for what we did, but if you have scuba, so many other options open up as the water does drop off to qute a bit. There is very liitle shade on the island, but if you get there first up, might be able to snag one of the little shelter stands that have been erected. No toilet facilities, water, food or other facilities are avaliable, so make sure you take everything you need.
Written February 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DCJC
Edwardsville, IL24 contributions
Jun 2022
We went here while on a cruise. This is a remote island with no facilities so we took a water taxi. You can walk to get to the water taxis from the port. The island itself is beautiful and the snorkeling is amazing. We saw colorful coral, thousands of fish, sea turtles and a stingray. There is a current, so we would walk down the beach and then drift snorkel back to our bags. Bring water and, if a snack, bring it enclosed due to the iguanas and birds. Water shoes are a must due to some rocky areas near the best snorkeling. We have snorkeled a lot of places and this is probably our new #1.
Written June 12, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Katie M
Mosinee, WI60 contributions
Dec 2022
We took a morning water taxi to the island and spent the day! What a great adventure snorkeling and people watching. Our taxi dropped us off, we were able to put our towels,lunch and clothes down. He then took us around the island and dropped us so we could float snorkel back to the beach! It was about an hour trip. Make sure you are an average swimmer,we did see someone struggle because the water is deep. Pack a lunch! Ther is nothing on the island to purchase, just sun, sand ans snorkeling. It was worth a visit while on the island.
Written January 8, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thrivingonchaos
Battle Creek, MI4 contributions
Feb 2020
Sure, there is no amenities on the island, but the snorkling was great. We were on a cruise ship but did not take an excursion. We took the water taxi from shore which first took us to Eden Beach to quickly transfer to a catameran then we headed to Klein Bonaire. Some people got off at the shore, but we opted to stay on the boat which took several of us down the shoreline to a spot we could jump off with our snorkel gear and let the tide carry us along the reef back to the beach. I highly recommend doing this if you wish to snorkel. Takes about 40-45 minutes to swim or coast back to the beach (maybe more or less depending on your swimming pace). Beach is beautiful and we found a little shade. Stayed and swam for a while and then took water taxi to Eden Beach Resort and relaxed by their pool. Would do this trip again.
Written March 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
valuevacati0ner
Michigan92 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
Best beach in Bonaire by far. Beautiful white sand next to bright blue waters. The snorkeling is great too as long as you pick a non-cruise day. Go snorkeling along the coral reef earlier in the day to avoid bumping into others. Tremendous sights. Tip: you don’t need to take an expensive catamaran. Just take the $20 round trip water taxis.
Written March 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lithlith
Michigan918 contributions
Apr 2024 • Couples
We visited Klein Bonaire as part of a cruise ship snorkeling excursion. The blue water in Bonaire is like nothing else you'll find in the Caribbean. There is crystal clear water perfect for snorkeling. Hands down Bonaire has the best snorkeling in the Caribbean. Keep in mind there is no dock at Klein Bonaire, so you will have to get into the water and wade/swim if you want to go ashore. We went ashore, walked about 10 minutes down the beach to a snorkel entrance point and then drifted with the current back to our excursion boat. Only about 10 of us out of the 40 on the tour did this and I do think the other missed out big time! There is some bleaching of the coral and there were a ton of small non stinging jelly fish when we first got in the water at the snorkel point, but things did improve along the drift. We loved every minute of it!
Written May 5, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mark M
Houston, TX147 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
Booked the water taxi to Klein Bonaire through Celebrity cruise shore excursions. This is the way to go in my opinion, for many reasons.
1. Boat picked us up at the cruise pier.
2. They offered to rent mask & snorkel for $5 (we brought our own)
3. Barely got our feet wet geting off at the beach due to the nice ramp at the bow of the pontoon boat.
4. They had staff unload at the beach and they stayed with us until the boat returned a few hours later.
5. They set up under one of the two tiny "huts" at the beach and provided a "Rum Punch" after our swim.
6. Returned us to the cruise pier.
We had taken our fins but they're probably not really needed unless you want to swim against the mild current. Best to walk up the beach, enter the water at the yellow post that marks a break in the reef and then just drift back to the drop off area. Some of the clearest water I've ever seen. Good amount of fish and even watched a sea turtle for a while.
Warning!! The walk up the beach is very painful if you don't have water shoes. I should have worn mine and just tied them on after putting on my fins! My neoprene boots didn't cut it.
1. Boat picked us up at the cruise pier.
2. They offered to rent mask & snorkel for $5 (we brought our own)
3. Barely got our feet wet geting off at the beach due to the nice ramp at the bow of the pontoon boat.
4. They had staff unload at the beach and they stayed with us until the boat returned a few hours later.
5. They set up under one of the two tiny "huts" at the beach and provided a "Rum Punch" after our swim.
6. Returned us to the cruise pier.
We had taken our fins but they're probably not really needed unless you want to swim against the mild current. Best to walk up the beach, enter the water at the yellow post that marks a break in the reef and then just drift back to the drop off area. Some of the clearest water I've ever seen. Good amount of fish and even watched a sea turtle for a while.
Warning!! The walk up the beach is very painful if you don't have water shoes. I should have worn mine and just tied them on after putting on my fins! My neoprene boots didn't cut it.
Written October 6, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Leonard B
1 contribution
Apr 2022 • Couples
Listen up! Just turn your phone off, leave it at home, walk with your refreshments and enjoy the best the Caribbean is offering. This place is heaven, literally. Enjoy the sun, enjoy the sunset, enjoy the fresh air and be temporarily disconnected from the entire world and every problem.
Written May 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BijouBuffalo
Buffalo70 contributions
Jan 2020
Bonaire is such a low-key island with little pressure to do anything but relax that we could have easily missed out on going on a water taxi to spend part of the day on Klein Bonaire, a little island off the coast near Kralendijk. It was a wonderful experience and the beach is absolutely gorgeous. Be sure to wear sunblock, but there are little trees near the shore that provide some shade. You can snorkel and swim, very lovely!
Written January 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
buongiorno, com'è lo snorkeling a Bonaire ? ne vale la pena ?
grazie per le info
Fabrizio
Written April 11, 2021
Hello. As far as snorkeling equipment/float, is bringing your own a must or can you rent it from one of the taxis? Thanks
Written February 1, 2020
Is there anywhere once on the beach to rent snorkel gear?
Written December 18, 2019
No sir, not on the beach as there are no facilities etc. on it - however many water taxi do rent out equipment or you can do it where from where you acquire the tickets for the taxi ride - check my review under Caribe Watersports here i think you will find answers for many of your questions that you also may have on top of this one
Written December 18, 2019
Hello! looking forward to this trip! One question though, when you say "not for the faint of heart," what are you referring to? thanks!
Written October 15, 2019
É uma praia recomendada para ir com crianças pequenas?
Written July 14, 2019
Het hangt ervan af hoe jong de kinderen zijn. Mijn kinderen konden snorkelen toen ze 4 jaar oud waren. Als de kinderen niet kunnen snorkelen, zul je ze geen plezier doen om ze mee te nemen naar Klein Bonaire Geen schaduw, geen faciliteiten.
Ik zou het alleen overwegen als je zelf met een boot vaart en weer weg kunt als je wilt of als je kind moe is
Written August 21, 2019
We aren't very mobile but would love to snorkel for a while (with our own kit). I see the taxis have easy steps so that would be OK but we're on a cruise and there are two ships in that day. Do all the taxis go to the same place? We can't walk far and are worried we'll end up being on a totally packed bit of beach. Also, will we be able to get into the sea easily enough with beach shoes? My husband can't handle rocky ground. TIA
Written February 18, 2019
Hi, the Water Taxi just drops you off on the beach with a gangway type ramp and pulls up beside jetty where you leave and return to. We simply booked on the day and it wasn't that popular with the cruise ships. I think we were in port with about two others, and we were on Celebrity with has about 2,500 guests.
We didn't book in advance, just on the day as we don't do Ship Tours, just our own stuff.
To snorkel you simply walk up the beach to a marker, walk in off the beach and swim back to where you started. Effectively about 20 meters off shore is a drop off and you snorkel parallel to beach along the drop off. By drop off, probably no more than 3-4 meters.
Heading back you simply grab the next water taxi back with your return ticket.
Written February 19, 2019
Are you able to get a water taxi without prior booking?
Written January 6, 2019
Yes you can. Just go to the pick up place and buy a ticket. You have 2 companies at the boulevard in town and one at Eden beach.
Written January 23, 2019
can you rent snorkel equiptment or should we bring our own
Written November 15, 2018
There are water taxis that you can rent from, but we brought our own. Using mouth pieces that other people may have just used didn’t appeal to us 😝
Written November 16, 2018
Which beach is the nicest on the island? Want white sand and turquoise waters.
Thanks.
Written November 13, 2018
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