Bonaire is one of the six Dutch Caribbean Islands and is part of the “ABC Islands” (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao). Kiteboarding in Bonaire is limited due to regulations so it is important to be aware of the rules. Kiteboarding is done at Atlantis Beach where the wind does blow offshore. Despite the limited access, Bonaire is still one of our favorite destinations to kiteboard.
Love Kiteboarding in Bonaire
The experience. Wake up at 7am, go out to Atlantis Beach for a kite session. On the drive back into town, stop at one of the dive spots and free dive from the shore. Get breakfast and espresso in Kralendijk. Rest by the pool or explore the scenery around Bonaire. Free dive another spot around the island. Stop at one of the food trucks for an amazing tuna burger. Go back to Atlantis Beach for another kite session. Get dinner and gelato in Kralendijk. Do it all over again the next day.
With wind all day, you can kiteboard any time and at your own pace.
Wind Patterns in Bonaire
Bonaire experiences some of the more consistent and stronger trade winds of the Caribbean. At Atlantis Beach, wind blows straight offshore at 15-20 kts from sunrise to 9 am. From 9 am until 4:30 pm winds increase to 20-25 kts and wind becomes side offshore. Around 5 pm the wind switches straight offshore and continues to blow at 20 kts.
Atlantis Beach
Atlantis beach is located about 8 miles to the south of Kralendijk and faces west. Because the wind always comes from the east, wind comes from over land and blows out to sea. Upwind are salt flats so the wind remains consistent, even while launching your kite. The beach is sandy with occasional rocks. By the water is lime rock with a small sandy entry. The water depth is about 3-4 ft deep until about 40 ft from the shore where it drops to 6-10 ft.
There are three kiteboarding schools located at Atlantis Beach. All use boats to teach and keep an eye on everything that happens. The first school gets there between 8:30 and 9 am. They take the boats out of the water around 5 pm. If you’re unsure about your ability to ride in Bonaire, contact us for lessons directed at giving you the confidence to ride here!
List of Schools
Windy Season in Bonaire
The trade winds remain consistent throughout the majority of the year. Winds begin to get lighter in August and tropical depressions or disturbances can suck up the wind. Same pattern continues into September and October, November is when the winds begin to pick up again.
Travel to Bonaire
Our kiteboarding school will take trips to Bonaire during our off-season months. Fill out the form below if you want to be a part of one of our trips to Bonaire in the future. Clinics can be held in Bonaire to help riders progress to the next level. For more information on travel to Bonaire or a clinic in Bonaire, fill out the form below or send us a message.
Places to Eat
There are many fantastic restaurants and food trucks (some of the best foods are at the food trucks). Here are a list of some of the places we recommend but there are many more worth exploring!
Restaurants
- Mona Lisa has some of the best cooked fish, fantastic Wahoo!
- Rumba Cafe for the pizza! Their curry is delicious too.
- Windsock on the beach has delicious burgers.
- Mezze for authentic middle eastern mixed with local Bonaire fishes
Food Trucks
- King Kong Burger.. for burgers! Get the truffle fries too.
- Kite City Food Truck for the freshest fish on the island.
- Boudoir serves a variety of avocado dishes
Other
- Between 2 Buns serves an incredible breakfast and lunch
- La Creperie… is a must go.
- Gelato! Both Luciano’s and Gio’s has incredible gelato
