Think Caribbean and you're most likely to think British, Spanish or maybe even French. Having already enjoyed the cultures of these islands, I was looking for something a bit different. My choice became pretty obvious when I married a Dutchman and all of a sudden I became a bit biased. For us, it is the Netherlands or a tiny speck of Holland transplanted into the Caribbean. So Dutch, it turned out to be for this family. Again.

When considering our options, the pluses were overwhelming: Bonaire being outside the hurricane belt, Dutch spoken on the island, cars are driven on the right, we love Dutch architecture, and Amstel and gouda are the sustenance of choice in this Dutch outpost. What more could we ask? How about iguanas eating from our hands? That clinched it. The small, arid, mostly flat, boomerang-shaped island was irresistible to me and my Dutchman.

Adding to its appeal: Bonaire has been named "The Fish Capital of the Caribbean." More than 350 species of colorful tropical fish and over 120 types of coral make Bonaire waters their home. With 250-feet underwater visibility in reliably calm waters, Bonaire became even more alluring.

Bonaire makes up the "B" in the ABC islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao. Together with two-and-a-half tiny islands east of Puerto Rico, Sint Maarten, Saba and St. Eustatius (excluding Aruba), they comprise the self-governing Netherlands Antilles. The closest we can get to the Netherlands and to paradise from D.C.

More low-key than its big sisters Aruba and Curaçao, Bonaire (Bon Naj) meaning low land in Arawak is the least populated and least developed of the ABC islands. Having gone through great lengths to preserve their island's natural resources, residents of Bonaire haven't struggled as noisily as their Aruban compatriots for independence from the Netherlands. It is only in recent years that they have started cashing in on Bonaire's diving fame and allowing more development.

The oldest known map of the Caribbean (1513) designates Bonaire as the "island of the Brasil tree." It was in retaliation for losing St. Martin to the Spanish that the Dutch took Bonaire in 1633. The island became a granary for the Dutch West India Company until 1791, when the Dutch government took over the island. Other than the African slaves brought in by the company to harvest corn, salt and lumber, most immigrants to the island for the next 200 years were white overseers.

The abolition of slavery in 1864 sent the economy into a slump, and the Dutch Queen later made Bonaire a Dutch protectorate in 1954, keeping the island on a long leash from Den Haag. Later searching for new economic vigor (and something sexier than salt farming), the island didn't find it until flippered folks discovered the island. Although salt has been the island's economic mainstay for centuries, the capital's name (Dutch for coral reef) reveals that it's the capital of diving. Reefs are to Bonaire what windmills are to Holland.

Swept by constant trade winds and just a mere fifty miles north of Venezuela, this spit of sand at the southern extreme of the Caribbean Sea measures 24 miles from north to south, about 3-7 miles wide and is becoming a popular port of call on Caribbean cruises. For ship passengers docking in Kralendijk, the capital and main town, the Dutch touch is evident with a mélange of architecture, food and cultures that merit more than just a cruise stop.

There's no doubt that Bonaire is distinctive because of its Dutch heritage, which it shares with neighbors Curaçao and Aruba. Narrow buildings reflect the Dutch colonial style: mustard yellow or orange in color, baked in the tropical sun and topped by curved and gabled bell-shaped roofs. Spanish arches and shutters are impressively integrated in the design, and the result of the two styles is visually appealing.

Bonaire's human population is almost as diverse as its undersea life, with a wonderful mix of world cultures blending the rugged beauty above the waterline with the breathtaking color and life below. The Bonairean culture is reflected in the faces of its people whose origins are as varied as the ethnic roots of the 15,000-plus residents. Their culture stems from traditions that go back many generations and is based on strong family ties. They have a general respect for nature and an understanding of an environment that was initially foreign to the first settlers and the slaves who were forced to work the inhospitable, arid land. Those early days of slavery conditioned the people to be strong and to maintain a spirit that marks Bonaire today. The island's residents are extremely friendly and ready to smile when approached.

Strolling the uncrowded streets of Kralendijk, you'll hear a cacophony of languages: Dutch, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, and Papiamentu, the bewildering local creolized language. It's a smorgasbord based on Portuguese but much influenced by Spanish, Dutch, Arawak and West African. The multinational Bonairean culture is evident in its polyglot citizens who switch from one tongue to another, then to a third. Like most Dutch, they too are fluent in at least four languages. According to one estimate, about 3,000 of the island's residents are from Holland.

Spoken here and on neighboring Aruba and Curaçao, Papiamentu is indigenous to the Netherlands Antilles. Although the official language of the residents is Dutch and they are schooled in Dutch, most of them speak Papiamentu, particularly in Curaçao where it is considered the national language. Papiamentu is used occasionally on Sint Maarten, Saba, and St. Eustatius.

It's quite an evocative language, and if you remember a few phrases in Papiamentu, you're likely to delight your hosts. Bon bini means welcome, bon dia is good day, and masha danki is thank you very much. Con ta bai? (How are you?) originates from Portuguese, while the word for street clearly comes from the Spanish calle, as does awa from agua, meaning water.

In Bonaire you dive

This island's main attraction is diving, and Bonaire ranks among the top five dive locations in the world and is number one in the Caribbean (followed only by Grand Cayman and Cozumel). With underwater visibility ranging from 80 to 125 feet, you're assured of excellent diving year-round. The clear waters and abundant marine life mark this Dutch territory as a world-famous diving Mecca. Read the license plate on your rental if you're still skeptical: "Bonaire: Diver's Paradise."

Bonaire's aquatic treasures are unsurpassed in the Caribbean. Surrounding the island are coral reefs harboring over a thousand different species of marine creatures. Here Self Contained Under Water Breathing Apparatus, or "scuba," has become extremely popular in the last two decades, due in part to the ease of diving that the island offers and the effort Bonaireans have taken to preserve the underwater world by establishing one of the first marine parks in the Caribbean.

With over 120 "walk in" or boat dive sites, many within a few meters of shore, divers and snorkelers can find dozens of good spots, including groves of elk horn and staghorn coral in the waters of Boca Slagbaai in Washington-Slagbaai National Park. Those who want to dive without getting in a boat can simply rent diving equipment from any of the dive shops, rent a jeep and drive along the island road until they see a yellow-painted stone on the road's shoulder indicating a dive site. It won't take long, since there are more than 100 of the small yellow markers. The sites are located throughout the leeward side of the island, and divers can walk from shore straight into the ocean and immediately discover amazing underwater seascapes.

If you prefer boat diving, there are at least 20 Bonaire Marine Park-protected dive sites further from shore and off nearby Klein Bonaire. On your first diving morning, the local scuba police require that even experienced divers attend a one-hour scuba refresher class, available at every dive shop. The class includes a review of the Bonaire Marine Park regulations - the usual "don't touch or pick anything up" lecture. Upon completion of the class, divers must purchase a Marine Park entry tag that is good for six months, and fees go for the upkeep and preservation of the island's dive sites.

Along the west side of the island there are numerous dive sites of varying depths. The most popular sites include: Red Slave, Karpata, Tori's Reef, Pink Beach, Salt City and the Town Pier. The bay and most of the island are protected by a barrier reef, creating the ideal destination for underwater sports enthusiasts. There is also the wreck of the Hilma Hooker that lies in 100 feet of water off Salt Pier. The ship's cargo of marijuana bales was its ticket to the deep—customs officers confiscated the load and sank the boat.

Bonaire is an island that takes seriously its responsibility to the environment. With about 600 dives a day, conservation is essential. Since 1979 the island has been declared a protected marine park, calculated from the high-tide mark to 200 feet underwater. All the waters off the island's coast have also been designated a marine park, which led to the enviable position of being ranked as one of the finest scuba diving and snorkeling destinations in the world.

Stringent laws passed in 1971 ban spear fishing and the removal of any marine life from Bonaire's waters. It is a serious offense to disturb the natural life of the coral reefs, and the local diving schools have set up permanent anchors and buoys in their dive spots to avoid doing any unwarranted damage. For over twenty years, Bonaire has led the Caribbean as a leader in the movement for preservation of underwater resources. Bonaire's fringing reef system protects the sea around Bonaire and Klein Bonaire.

There is an array of fun little creatures to make you smile, like frogfish which grow up to 4-5 inches long and come in an assortment of colors including bright yellow, red, green, white, black, and even pink. These little guys usually rest on sponges, move around by hopping along on finned feet. Ask your dive master where to look for one. There are also turtles, peacock flounders, stingrays and sea horses off Pink Beach on the southwestern coast, and you can find spots where angel fish slalom among the coral-encrusted pilings.

Advanced buoyancy courses are available free of charge and are highly recommended for divers to train to keep horizontal along the reef to limit fin damage to coral. No diving is allowed along Playa Frans north to Boka Slogbaai and west of Karpata, and in Lac Bay protected areas because of its mangroves and seagrass beds. The Bonaire Marine Park's general mission is to study and preserve the marine environment for generations to come. The park has become a favorite location for researchers and scientists who come to study the wonders of the coral reef, from coral spawning to bleaching events to the preservation of the conch. Proceeds from the US $10 fee levied on your first dive go towards conserving the reef.

Slave to snorkeling

The hidden beauty and visual treats of Bonaire lie below the surface landscape. For most of the island's visitors, it's what's under the surrounding water that beckons, whether above the water's surface or below. Snorkelers, scuba divers, windsurfers and sailors spend hours plumbing its depths or skimming its surface.

Worldwide, snorkelers are too often considered second-class citizens, but here on some dive charter boats snorkelers outnumber divers by a wide margin. The fact that less than 50 percent of Bonaire's visitors are scuba divers is also a statistic that proves you don't have to go under the water to enjoy the beautiful marine park. If you can float, you can snorkel. Put on a mask and start enjoying the wonderful sea creatures and coral formations. Floating effortlessly while observing the feeding and courtship rituals of the reefs is a pastime of many residents. Wanting to explore Bonaire's underwater treasures, we snorkeled daily, which was wondrous in the warm, clear water. Our bedroom faced perhaps the best snorkeling spot on the island, and as soon as we woke up on our first day in Bonaire we headed for a dip in the Harbor Village's private beach.

Night Snorkeling is another experience that shouldn't be missed, as the waters are transformed when the stars come out. All that is needed is a flashlight and some protection for exposed arms and legs. Night snorkeling can be done in any snorkeling area you are familiar with (snorkel it during daytime first). Enjoy the wonders of the ever-changing ocean at night while some fish are sleeping and other critters are just starting their day.

There's something fishy about Bonaire

Bonaire's best-kept secret is not the beautiful reef but the naturalist who can show you all the wonders around Bonaire. Recreational divers and snorkelers interested in expanding their fish identification skills can participate in the Introduction to Fish Watching 101, a popular in-depth certificate course taught by underwater naturalist and biologist Jerry Ligon who worked in the Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. Graduates like us are able to identify and notice behavior of at least 75 commonly seen reef fish and learn how to keep an accurate life list of fish seen during a diving career. After this course we noticed fish we might otherwise have missed. This guided snorkel or diveprogram offers training and marine education with an experienced guide.

During the course we saw huge phosphorescent parrot fish swim close to our mask, their bodies aglow with crisscross patterns of pink and green and blue. With Jerry, we met Larry, Moe and Curly, Bonaire's own three Stooges. The three cute squids eyeballed us as we snorkeled past them on Bari beach and patiently waited for our return. Another creature looked like a crepe with bulging eyes on top. The same color as the sandy ocean bottom, it was draped on a rock like a Degas clock and nearly invisible with its perfect camouflage. Schools of deep-purple fish with glowing edges moved right past us.

Bonaire's reef is not only teeming with incredible numbers of fish but also has the honor of having been chosen as the "Fish Capital of the Caribbean," according to the Key Largo organization REEF, which has initiated a large number of fish census projects in the Caribbean. According to them, Bonaire is home to more species of fish than any other destination in the Caribbean. While in Bonaire you, too, can take part in the census project.

Jerry not only is great with fish but also with botany and ornithology. He developed the bird data, nesting and population list of the island and has produced a checklist of Bonaire's birds. He is the bird contact person for Bonaire and leads the guided snorkel and dive with a naturalist program as well as the mangrove kayaking tours.

The waters around Bonaire and Klein Bonaire (small Bonaire)

Do the words "deserted island" intrigue you? Bonaire's territory includes a tiny, adjacent 1500-acre island off the western coast. Klein Bonaire is an uninhabited island that offers an off-the-beaten-track sanctuary. A short sail from Kralendijk, the little isle with its small white sandy beaches, sparkling waters, fish, crustaceans and surrounding reefs is a popular jumping off point for dives.

Due to its popularity with seabirds and nesting turtles, Klein Bonaire is one of two local areas covered by the Convention on Wetlands of international importance. Untouched except by four species of sea turtles that are occasionally sighted in these waters: Hawksbill, Loggerhead, Green and Leatherback turtles. When visiting Klein Bonaire don't walk through the dunes or areas which may be marked off, as turtle nests can easily be damaged by the weight of a human walking. If you see one, report the sighting to the Bonaire Sea Turtle Club using one of the forms available at all dive shops, as the club collects data on their populations this way.

Sailing Bonaire, anyone?

Constant trade winds make Bonaire a super sailing destination. Bonaire has been known for centuries as an island that produces some of the world's finest sailors. Even their flag incorporates a sailor's compass as part of its design, demonstrating the navigation prowess early Bonairean seafarers possessed. As a nation of sailors, Bonaire is still recognized for its contribution to the allied effort during World War II. No anchoring allowed within the Marine Park has led to special dive moorings installed to provide easy access to the reef without further damaging this fragile system. Additional moorings for visiting yachts are available on a first-come basis around the island, one right by Kralendijk in the island's poshest hotel, Harbour Village.

During the last 30 years, Bonaire has continued to celebrate its sailing tradition by hosting the International Sailing Regatta held each fall. Sailors in all classes come to the island to race each other in various venues with even a category for 5 to 10 year old sailors. The weeklong October International Sailing Regatta brings a fleet of racers to the bay off Kralendijk. The entire island takes on a festive atmosphere, and visitors from all over the world participate as crew or spectators.

There are a number of charter companies on the island: Woodwind, Seawitch, Samur, and a clutch of small sailboats. With trade winds that blow at a steady 12 to 15 knots and gentle breezes, day sailing is a great way to relax and enjoy Bonaire from a different point of view. We sailed with the lively Dutch and German crew of Woodwind, a 37-foot trimaran, to secluded No Name beach off Klein Bonaire for the most unforgettable snorkel we can remember.

It is hard to forget Renée, the owner, and Jan, one of Bonaire's most celebrated underwater photographers who shot a video for us of our group snorkeling at Klein Bonaire and feeding inquisitive juvenile trunk fish. From No Name, trade winds carried us to Andrea I beach where we swam with blue and yellow queen angels and orange trumpet fish in turquoise waters. We also found a big octopus hiding in the sand, several species of fat parrotfish and the most incredibly large school of blue tangs. It was an incredible snorkel and a gorgeous reef. Best of all we have it all on video!

Need a break from diving?

If you're a diver, you'll eventually have to leave the water and all those amazing fish. There are plenty of sites to visit and activities to keep you busy as this small desert island is awash in attractions. Rent a four-wheel-drive vehicle (not a car) with air-conditioning and go around the island. A number of outfitters offer "safaris" and nature tours through the "kunuku" or outback, but we suggest touring the island independently.

Guidebooks say that you can tour the island in half a day, but we spent three hours daily exploring delightfully mystifying interior roads. I'd allow three half-days for a good sampling of Bonaire's charms. Sites particularly noteworthy include: a climb up Seroe Largoe and a pause at the spot overlooking the coastal expanse and the dominating Mount Brandaris on the western end of the island; a quiet walk along Pos'i Mangel; and a drive up the northwestern shore enjoying the beaches of Boca Slagbaai, Funchi and Playa Benge.

As we drove around the island, we discovered that Bonaire is hilly in the north, flat in the south and dry all over. Over 600 unlicensed wild donkeys appear in the road, as well as herds of goats. Most of your four-legged friends on Bonaire are going to be goats and donkeys, and there is even a Donkey Sanctuary, the only one of its kind in the region. Goats, which were imported during the gold-mining operations, graze the scrub, mostly running wild and eating everything in sight except the cacti. They run, brown and black, through the scrubby vegetation and rocks. The little ones look almost like puppies. The island's only native mammal is the bat.

A trip to this arid, rumpled landscape will present visitors with beautiful vistas filled with varieties of spindly divi divi trees that grow sideways like puffs of smoke, Karpata, long-armed cacti, castor oil, spears of aloe vera that rise from rocky soil. Yatu cactus (Lemaireocereus) is so abundant that householders build most of their fences with it. Stick a cutoff piece of Yatu into the ground and it starts growing again. You'll also find mesquite (Prosopis juliflora), an important source of charcoal and an increasingly-favored wood for grilling food.

On the island's southwestern tip at Lac Bay and Sorobon Beach there's decent windsurfing, in addition to both ocean and sea kayaking among the mangroves. The island is becoming well known for steady trade winds and protected areas with onshore winds and a pin-drop quiet southeastern coast, though folks heading this way are likely to drop their jocks at Sorobon's naturist resort. Since Bonaire holds promise for rest, relaxation, and pure enjoyment of nature and those around you, there's no place better for naturists than this island. Bonaire is not a prudish place.

The 1835 Willemstoren near the tip of the island makes a fine stop with an inspiring vista. You could already see the pink of the flamingos from a distance. The coast is littered with coral deposited on the road during the last hurricane. These beaches bear the scars of Bonaire's darker history in the form of cubby-house-sized white and yellow stone huts in which slaves harvesting the saltpans slept on bare stone. They were called Katibu di Rei, meaning "Slaves of the King," and they toiled all day in the saltpans under the broiling sun. Saline ponds, pink with bacteria, dominate the island's south end. Near the ponds rise great white mountains of salt, Bonaire's leading export product.

The Washington-Slagbaai National and Marine Parks were created out of the grounds of two former plantations on the northwestern knob of the island and contain 13,500 acres of scrub-covered hills, lakes, hiking trails and over 190 avian species, a rich variety of lizards, coral, plants, fish and animals indigenous to the region. Playa Slagbaai on the western coast is full of parrotfish and coral. This hilly northern extremity culminates in the not quite towering 784-foot Mount Brandaris, the highest point on the island.

Take your jeep to this sanctuary only a few miles from the city's center, being sure to pack fresh water and a few snacks since there is nothing else in the way of drinks or food. Don't forget to take both your binoculars and camera. There are dozens of Kodak moments. A long telephoto lens will be helpful too if you are trying to photograph the Lora.

Birders flock to Bonaire

Long famed for the 15,000 flamingos that call the island home, Bonaire also boasts more than 190 species of birds that flap and flutter around Bonaire during their annual migration. Whether you are a bird watcher or not, you won't want to miss this opportunity!

You can spot the elegant flamingos in the salt flats in the south of the island in the national park and in the northeast. Bird watching can be a rewarding pastime here, and more and more visitors are enjoying the thrill of catching glimpses of birds and lime-green parrots (Lora) swoop and flutter by the sea.

The Flamingo Sanctuary

The old saltpans of Pekelmeer, needed by the salt company, posed an ecological problem: Bonaire has one of the only four surviving breeding colonies in the world for Southern Flamingos, and these birds build their conical mud nests in the salt pans. It was then that pleas from wildlife conservationists convinced the company that it should set aside an area of 56 hectares for a flamingo sanctuary, with access strictly prohibited. The birds, initially rather startled by the sudden activity, have settled into a peaceful coexistence, so peaceful in fact that they have actually doubled their reproduction and are now laying two eggs a year instead of one.

There are two sanctuaries, one at the vast saltpans at Pekelmeer and the other at Lake Goto Meer, where we stopped and watched a number of the island's 50,000 pink wonders strut their stuff and plunge their long necks into shallow ponds feeding on algae and shrimp, which give them their striking rose-pink color. These long-legged beauties dip their heads in the saltpans for the umpteenth time. Goto offers good flamingo viewing most of the time. However, don't approach too closely or they will walk away. It is an impressive sight. Nearby Witte Pan (Pink Beach) on the southwestern coast also hosts vast tracts of feathery pink, but you're not allowed to get too close.

There are dozens of native bird species, and many more pass by while migrating to South America. An annual Birdwatching Olympics is held in the fall, with prizes for those who spot the greatest number of species. You can spot frigatebirds, pelicans, red-necked pigeons and five different species of heron. Enormous cacti provide perching places for the Lora (yellow-winged parrots) found nowhere else in the world. Parakeets can be seen in the park and at Onima Point. As we wandered here we saw a small flock of green parrots in the trees. What a sight! This is the place to see some of the island's rarest birds, but to do so you must sit quietly for a long period of time. If you're feeling too restless, pass up this spot out of consideration for the serious birders who will go from ecstatic to murderous if you noisily blunder into their sanctuary.

Reptiles

On Bonaire, polka dot aqua blue lizards of all shapes and sizes dart everywhere—including splattered all over the road. On stubby legs they flopped toward us in vast hungry numbers to lick everything with their long tongues. We enjoyed watching and feeding them. The harmless blue lizard, Bonaire's Whiptail (Cnemidophorus murinus ruthveni), is endemic to Bonaire, thus the addition of the subspecies name, not found anywhere else. Curacao has a similar lizard, as does mainland Venezuela. In the U.S. we have the genus Cnemidophorus, a different species.

The lizards are quite tame at this spot, well acquainted with bread crumbs, and they will eat out of your hand if you're quiet enough. Females and juveniles are brown, while the brightly colored male has a blue head and greenish-blue hind feet and tail-root.

There are lots of semi-tame green iguanas and lizards at Pos'i Mangel (Sweet Well) as it is one of the few places in the park where fresh water is always available. We stopped and spotted gigantic prehistoric looking critters sunning. We fed them apples and they loved us! We counted 13 six-foot-long iguanas, much larger than most of the iguanas kept as pets. These strict vegetarians came with no hesitation to eat from our hands, devouring bread, anything in sight including leftover cherries from tropical drinks. But apples were truly their favorite. As we left they followed us enthusiastically, surely on a sugar high. Early and late, it's possible to spot iguanas sunbathing where they can escape quickly by diving into the sea.

After leaving Washington-Slagbaai Park you can unleash your inner paleoanthropologist and enjoy inspecting the ancient petroglyph inscriptions made by the Caiquetios Indians, still visible on Boca Onima. They were the first known inhabitants of the island, members of the Arawak family that came from Venezuela about 1000 AD. Within 20 years of their first contact with Europeans in 1499, most of the Caiquetios had succumbed to disease or had been pressed into slavery on Hispaniola. Remains of their settlements have been found near the capital and at Lac Bay, and their petroglyphs are visible in caves.

Going Dutch?

The cuisine choices on Bonaire are numerous, ranging from Bonairean to Dutch to Indonesian. The native food is a delight, reflecting cultural traditions from Europe and the island's many ethnic groups. There's even a café specializing in food from Surinam. With such a wide gastronomic variety, the charming capital city reflects a bit of the island's Dutch heritage, harboring dozens of superb restaurants. For an island that raises no food products to speak of, it is no small feat that Bonaire's 50-plus restaurants have taken high honors at international culinary competitions two years in a row. The team of chefs, representing a number of Bonaire's top restaurants, has brought home many medals and honors to the island.

Our dining ran the full gamut, including the posh Rendez-Vous restaurant where the Dutch queen had lunch (we know this as our guide Rolando drove her there.) They have been serving Bonaire for 15 years with the renown seafood specialties of Chef Martin Bouwmeester. Desserts were lovely, raised to new heights by the quality of the ingredients and unique preparation. Among the delectable offerings were Quesillo, Caribbean style caramel custard and Café "Rendez-Vous" Coffee with Grand Marnier, Kahlua and Whipped Cream. We savored both.

The Old Inn restaurant is a casual affair featuring a tempting Indonesian variety dinner rijsttafel or rice table. This Dutch colonial rice-based banquet has more than a dozen side dishes from the East Indies. What began as an Indonesian dish has, thanks to history, become a national Dutch dish. We had fantastic tempting desserts and wonderfully attentive service from Tineke, the Dutch owner, whom my husband asked in Dutch how she got there. Her immediate reply was: with KLM!

Along Kaya Craane, the town's beachfront boulevard, we had lunch at Zeezicht (Seaside) restaurant, a fisherman's hangout for years. This open-sided restaurant features a terrific view of the coast and nearby Klein Bonaire. Innocently I ordered the soup du jour. When it arrived, there were dry morsels of tiny legs with tight little muscles floating in it - like some sort of mutant swimming in a greenish soup. They wriggled repeatedly off my spoon, giving the impression that they were still alive, and then down my throat, helped along by generous swigs of coke. When taking that memorable first spoonful, little did I know I was eating the exotic Sòpi di Yuwana.

If you're truly a daring gourmet, dip your spoon into this exotic homemade iguana soup. Sorry Mildred! For us, after having spent all day playing, petting and feeding iguanas and becoming pals with Mildred, the hotel's own iguana, we had to send the soup back. "The soup will do us both good," the owner's 12-year-old son told us. "My friends and I pick them up and sell them to my father and local restaurants to make a few dollars." I had never ordered something like this before, and had I understood its translation I would have stuck with the kesho yena.

With that wifely injunction in mind, I immediately offered Rob my iguanas. Even the owner's son said it tastes like regular chicken vegetable soup. True. After one spoonful we can sadly say the same. But surely we would have finished the platter had we not known they had cooked one of Mildred's close cousins in that pot. We did reorder the second local choice: kesho yena, a traditional local specialty dish of spicy chicken with raisin filling layered with a thick round of Gouda cheese, then baked to perfection. Time allowing, visit the seafront market where schooners from Venezuela tie up to sell their cargo - delightful fruits, vegetables and wonderfully fresh seafood. Nothing grows in Bonaire so everything must be imported.

It Rains Fishes, also on the same boulevard, is an excellent choice for seafood, invigorating drinks and creative menu descriptions like shrimp drowning in garlic. The seafood pasta was so fresh and light that the fish almost floated off the plate. As the evening winds down, you can walk back to your villa via the beachfront boulevard enjoying the millions of fish that come to shore.

If you want to rub elbows with locals and taste authentic Bonairean fare, try Maiky Snack, a true omen for those seeking hearty food. It's an out-in-the-country spot where you can get homemade local food like goat, chicken and beef stew. On the patio of the restaurant, the stew arrives in big brown chunks slathered in dark gravy. We enjoyed their local Amstel Beer. "You don't have to pay for it if it tastes salty," Rolando joked. It's the only beer in the world brewed from top quality ingredients and desalinated seawater, which is the source of the entire island's water supply. It gave this Curaçao beer, packaged in cute eight-ounce cans, a marvelously fresh taste. Proost!

A mere decade ago, Bonaire was known exclusively by scuba diehards, a destination discussed only in clandestine conversations with other serious fish and sea lovers. Now that the secret is out, travelers are learning that nature thrives both above and below the water here. As we soon discovered, Bonaire's true charms aren't obvious at first glance. This is a destination for visitors who want to enjoy a country that is still relatively unknown but has plenty of amenities to insure a relaxed and peaceful environment.

It will take you an extra flight or change of planes to get here, but you'll agree it is worth every bit of the additional time it takes. Time flies here, and our stay was over in no time, and so was our vacation. Leaving, we said not good-bye, but "ayo" to our hard not to miss Rolando and Jerry. Bonaire was the best island choice we could have made, and not because of our personal Dutch bias but because we loved Bonaire's wildlife. We are already itching to get back to Klein Bonaire!

Photographs: Rob Kambach
Art: Janice Huckaby

Before you go
Tourism Corporation Bonaire in the U.S.:
10 Rockefeller Plaza, Suite 900, NYC 10020
800-BONAIRE / Fax: (212) 956-5913
The Official Travel Guide to Bonaire and Bonaire's Official Site
e-mail: tcb@tourismbonaire.com
Visas and passports aren't required of US and Canadian citizens, just ID and a return ticket or onward ticket. All other travelers need a passport check with one of the Bonaire Tourist Offices for entry requirements.

When to go
The average daily high stays around 82°F all year so the best time to go is the low season of May to mid-December when rates come down. Bonaire is out of the hurricane belt so you don't have to figure the big blow into your schedule.

What to Pack
Bring adequate sunscreen the unforgiving Bonaire sun is strong. Light cotton clothing, shorts, sandals and T-shirts are standard daytime wear. Nights are almost equally warm. · Health risks here: Sunburn, fire coral, sea urchins, jellyfish and dehydration.

Getting There
A number of air carriers operate into Bonaire's Flamingo International Airport from gateway cities such as Amsterdam, New York, Miami, Caracas, and easy connections from North American gateways. Bonaire is about 2½ hours by jet south of Miami · American Airlines flies from LA, DC and MIA to Curacao, where you catch a connecting flight · ALM Antillean Airlines. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, ALM flies directly from Miami to Bonaire. The Curacao to Bonaire segment takes less than 15 minutes, but the layover in Curacao may last an hour or more). There is a US$20 airport departure tax and a US$6 for puddle-jumpers to Curuçao and St Maarten. There's no regular ferry service to the island. Bonaire's Flamingo Airport is 5km (3mi) south of the capital.

Getting Around
Renting a Suzuki Samurai jeep from Island Rentals, and drive along the island-encircling road is the best option since Bonaire has no public bus service. There are plenty of car rental agencies. Drivers licenses from the US, Canada and Europe are valid. Drive on the right and look out for unlicensed donkeys and goats wandering on the road. Bicycles can also be rented in Kralendijk.

Staying there
Bonaire features a number of vacation options. We stayed at the Harbour Village Beach Resort, e-mail: reservations@harbourvillage.com, (800-424-0004), (305) 567-9509 or fax 305-567-9659. The only luxury resort on Bonaire, a haven of comfort, hidden away from the rest of the world, surrounded by lush tropical gardens and a white sand beach. This intimate village ambiance is complemented by a 60-slip marina, a full range of onsite water sports, a spa and fitness center, tennis center and a variety of casual dining experiences. Quietly removed from the mainstream of tourism. Accommodations are in a Garden Junior Suite and are on the ground floor with terrace and courtyard garden. There is also the resort's on-site PADI and NAUI certified dive center, one of Bonaire's premier dive operators. Harbour Village located on its own pristine beach a short distance from Kralendijk.

Dropping your jocks