Pack smart
The honest list for your Bonaire trip. Small and personal: pack it. Big and bulky: rent it or buy it local. Your checked bag allowance is precious. Don't spend it on a folding chair.
Rule of thumb
Small + personal = pack it. Anything that fits in your toiletry bag and weighs under a pound. Big + bulky = handle it locally. Anything larger than a coffee table book costs more to fly than to rent or buy on Bonaire.
Pack only what's small and essential. The rest waits for you on the island.
Small, light, personal
Fresh, local, perishable
Big, bulky, fly-fee-worthy
Learned after too many sunburned arrivals and too many oversize fees.
No bottled water needed. Bonaire desalinates seawater for drinking and the quality is higher than most US municipal water. Bring a reusable bottle and refill it anywhere. Skip the plastic flotilla.
Midday sun is brutal. Spend the 11-to-3 window under a palm tree, at a café or napping. The beach is morning and late-afternoon territory.
Since 2021, sunscreens containing oxybenzone or octinoxate are officially banned on Bonaire to protect the coral reef. Check your tube before packing. Brands labeled ‘reef-safe’ almost always comply.
Even though Bonaire is part of the Netherlands, the currency is US dollars. Good news for Americans: no exchange. Bring $1 and $5 bills for parking meters, small stalls and tips. Card works everywhere else.
No trash on the beach, no coral or shells in your carry-on (often illegal plus customs hassle), and secure your gear when you step away. Wind and iguanas (locally called yuanas) will both make off with your stuff.
Reef-safe sunscreen only, meaning no oxybenzone or octinoxate. Sunscreens with these chemicals have been officially banned since 2021 to protect the coral reef. Most brands labeled "reef-safe" comply. Check your tube before packing.
Depends on your accommodation. Resorts and hotels usually provide beach towels (ask at check-in). Vacation rentals and Airbnbs often don't. Bring one lightweight microfiber towel per person, or rent one from us.
Only if you're particular about mask fit. Our rental sets are disinfected after each use and include all sizes. For anyone doing one or two snorkel excursions, renting is cheaper and far more travel-friendly than carrying gear.
Most payments accept card. But for parking ($1-2), beach snacks, small bars and tips, plan for $50-100 cash per week per couple. The good news for US travelers: Bonaire uses USD, so no exchange needed. Withdraw at the airport or Maduro & Curiel's Bank in Kralendijk.
Our standard kit includes one beach chair per person, one umbrella with base per family and one cooler per family. Everything is delivered free across Bonaire and picked up at the end of your stay.
We handle the chairs, umbrellas and coolers. You handle what's small, light and personal.
Torn between buying and renting? Read the honest comparison.