Bonaire  Bonaire Shop

Language - English is widely spoken, but you'll hear Dutch, Spanish, and Papiamento, the local dialect, as well.

Weather- Bonaire is known for its warm climate, with temperatures hovering around 82°F (28°C). The water temperature averages 80°F (27°C). It's warmest in August and September, coolest in January and February. The average rainfall is 22 inches, and December to March are the rainiest months. Like all the Dutch ABC (Bonaire, Bonaire, and Curaçao) islands, Bonaire lies outside the hurricane belt, which comes as a relief to many visitors planning to visit the Caribbean during the hurricane season.

Time - Bonaire is on Atlantic Standard Time year-round, 1 hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time (when it's noon on Bonaire, it's 11am in Miami). When daylight saving time is in effect in the United States, clocks in Miami and Bonaire show the same time. Drinking water comes from distilled seawater and is safe.

Tipping - Most hotels and guesthouses add a 10% service charge in lieu of tipping. Restaurants generally add a service charge of 15% to the bill. Taxi drivers expect a 10% tip.

Liquor Laws- Beer, wine, and liquor are sold in all kinds of stores 7 days a week. It's legal to have an open container on the beach.

Currency - Bonaire's coin of the realm is the Netherlands Antillean florin (NAf), sometimes called a guilder. The official rate is 1.77 NAf to US$1 (1 NAf = US56¢). However, U.S. dollars are widely accepted. Unless otherwise specified, rates in this guide are quoted in U.S. dollars.

U.S. and Canadian citizens don't need a passport to enter Bonaire, although an original birth or naturalization certificate or an alien registration card is required, plus a return ticket and photo ID. (We suggest carrying your passport anyway.) British subjects may carry a British Visitor's Passport, obtainable at post offices on Bonaire, although a valid passport issued in the United Kingdom is preferred, especially if you plan to visit other countries in the area.

Emergencies- Call tel. 911 in case of fire or for the police or ambulance.

Hospital - The St. Franciscus Hospital is located at Kaya Soeur Bartola 2 in Kralendijk (tel. 599/717-8900). A plane on standby at the airport takes seriously ill patients to Curaçao for treatment.

Telephone - To call Bonaire from the United States, dial 011 (the international access code), then 599 (the area code for Bonaire), and then 717 (the exchange) and the four-digit local number. Once on Bonaire, to call another number on the island, only the four-digit local number is necessary. You can access AT&T Direct on the island by dialing tel. 001-800/872-2881. It's often difficult to make international calls from Bonaire; phone service here lags far behind that on Bonaire and Curaçao. Once you're connected to your party, the line isn't always crystal clear. Many hotel rooms don't have private phones. If you want to place an important international call, it's better to go to TELBO, the central phone company for the island. It's at Kaya Libertador Simon Bolivar, next to the tourist office.