Can we see it all with a Scooter Rental

[lhauge31]

We have a group of 8 adults (all 40-55 in age) that are interested in sight seeing on the island as well as some beach time.  We were talking about renting scooters for the day, but we have some specific things we want to see and do.  In looking at a map, I'm curious if we can do it all.  We would like to go to the Slave Huts, Salt Flats, and Flamingo Sanctuary which are south but would also like to do the Cadushy Distillery which appears to be North.  We would prefer not to do a tour and just go at our own pace.  We are in port from 8am - 8pm, but will have to have the scooters back from 5pm.  Do we have time to do all of this, or do we need to just pick one direction and go with it?

 

 

[BadLabMom]

Did you go?  We are also renting scooters.... it doesn't seem to be far, but would love to know if you did it and what you found out ?

 

[Katefromupstate]

Hi,

You've probably already cruised, but for anyone who is interested in this topic, yes, you can do it all in one day.   You literally make a loop around the island.  When my husband and I have houseguests (we live on Bonaire) we begin by driving north on the main road up the coast and stopping for photo ops at dive sites such as Thousand Steps.  You'll see lots of inland terrain to your right also, cliffs with caves in the distance, cacti, etc. 

 

You will come to a T in the road and can either turn right (short route to Rincon) or left.  Turn left to pass Gotomeer Lake, which always has flamingos in the water and on shore.  There is a scenic pull off on the right for pictures.  Then the road takes you down around the lake shore for lots of photo ops.  Continue on the road, and you will arrive in Rincon, Bonaire's oldest city.  If  it is a day Cadushy Distillery is open, sample some cactus liquors and learn about how they make the liquor.   Continuing through Rincon and then back down the other side of the island,  you will see where our hardware stores, government and medical offices, supermarkets, etc. are located.  Passing through roundabouts, you'll see signs to Sorobon Beach Resort/Lac Bay.   Follow these and you will come to a breaktakingly beautiful shallow blue bay, perfect for swimming. 

 

For an upscale lunch, pull in at Foodie's just before Sorobon (signs are marked)  and enjoy lunch while seeing the windsurfers in the distance.   Or, follow the Sorobon/Lac Bay signs down to the end of the parking lot, where Wind and Surf Beach Bar and Jibe City are located.   You can eat with your toes in the sand and enjoy a swim.    Don't take the road that points back to town (Kralendijk, where your your ship is located) unless  you're ready to head back.  Otherwise, go straight and follow the shore road around the southern tip of the island, where you will see cairns made by locals, windmills, a lighthouse, and the slave huts.   Coming around, you'll see more beautiful beaches on your left, and the salt mountains will appear in the distance on the right.  As you near the salt mountains, look at the pink evaporating pools to your right, you may see a flamingo, or puffs of salt foam blowing towards you. 

 

Continuing on, you will pass the airport.  You are just a few minutes from your starting point now, and if you have time, pull into Te Amo Beach (directly across from the airport) where Kite City food truck may be parked.  The beach is a wonderful sand beach with easy entry,  and there are coral and fish just offshore if you want to snorkel.   The food truck has wonderful food.  We particularly love the fish quesadillas.  

 

Without stopping for lunch, swimming or snorkeling, we've done the entire drive around the island in a little over two hours, so you should have plenty of time to enjoy some of the stops.

 

Enjoy!

Kate

 

[jpezz333]

Wow this is an old post. I may have to search for a newer one. We have a group of 18 visiting Bonaire for the day on a cruise ship. We want to snorkel from shore and are looking at 1000 steps and Karpata. I know the road turns to 1 way and we have to go through Rincon to get back to the ship. It doesn't look like a like a long way back to the port via Rincon. Any thoughts on doing this trip on a scooter? We would be stopping to snorkel but doing any other sight seeing.

[Katefromupstate]

1,000 steps is a good plan for snorkeling.  The entry is much easier than Karpata.  The road does not turn into a one way until after Karpata, so you don’t have to go back through Rincon unless you want to.  Just turn around and go back the way you came, but be careful, the road is narrow and there are a lot of you.  

 

enjoy your trip!
kate