Bonaire Weather and Climate

General & Geography

According to abbreviationfinder, Bonaire is an island that belongs to the so-called ABC Islands (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao). The archipelago is about 180 kilometers away from the mainland of Venezuela.

Geographically, Bonaire is part of the Lesser Antilles in the eastern Caribbean and is home to around 18,500 inhabitants on a manageable 288 square kilometers. The island capital is Kralendijk.

The island can be divided into four regions: The entire north-west consists of the Washington Slagbaai National Park with the highest mountain Brandaris (241m). Another fifth is characterized by large salt pans, factories and a protected area for flamingos. In the middle between these areas lies the capital Kralendijk with a few building areas in the vicinity. The uninhabited neighboring island of Klein-Bonaire is regarded as the fourth region.

The official languages ​​are Dutch and the Creole Papiamentu, which is spoken by around 75 percent of the population. Bonaire was first taken over by the Netherlands in 1633, taken over by England during the French Revolution and finally assigned to the Netherlands in 1816.

Today Bonaire (like the islands of Sint Eustatius and Saba) has the status of a so-called “Special Municipality” as an overseas territory of the Netherlands.

Climate on Bonaire

Bonaire has a tropical arid, i.e. dry, climate. During the year, the number of hours of sunshine is between 7 and 10 hours, the rather cool northeast trade winds pass the island for the most part, which is why the climate is very tropical and dry. Throughout the year the average rainfall of 550 ml is very low, and there is no classic rainy season on Bonaire. Most of the precipitation falls between October and January.

There are no seasons or major temperature fluctuations. The average daytime temperature is 29 to 33 ° C and only cools slightly at night to 23 to 26 ° C. So nothing stands in the way of long evenings on the beach. The water temperatures are also warm all year round with values ​​between 26 and 29 degrees.

Particularly pleasant: Bonaire and the ABC Islands are outside the so-called hurricane belt. Statistically, Bonaire is only streaked by a tropical cyclone every 30 years; thanks to this exceptional location, the island is practically rain-free and very sunny even in the summer months.

When is the best time to visit Bonaire?

As you can see from the climate data, the island is actually ideal for a holiday all year round. If we had to commit ourselves to the ultimate best travel time for Bonaire, we would particularly recommend the months February to May. A few showers can be expected from October to January, and even at this time nothing stands in the way of a Bonaire vacation.

There are mosquitoes on Bonaire especially in the wetter months, a suitable spray (for tropical areas) from the pharmacy is recommended. The best travel time for divers is between February and September. Great: Over 50 diving spots on Bonaire can be reached from the shore without a boat – that offers unlimited diving freedom!

Temperatures, precipitation in Kralendijk (Bonaire)

	Jan	Feb	March	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Daytime temperature	30 ° C	30 ° C	31 ° C	31 ° C	32 ° C	32 ° C	32 ° C	33 ° C	33 ° C	33 ° C	32 ° C	31 ° C
Night temperature	25 ° C	24 ° C	25 ° C	26 ° C	26 ° C	26 ° C	27 ° C	26 ° C	26 ° C	27 ° C	25 ° C	25 ° C
Water temperature	27 ° C	26 ° C	26 ° C	27 ° C	27 ° C	28 ° C	28 ° C	28 ° C	29 ° C	29 ° C	28 ° C	27 ° C
Precipitation in mm	54	14	10	13	20	3	28	24	18	62	51	53
Rainy days	10	6	2	2	2	2	4	3	3	4	8	7
Sunrise	6:55	6:55	6:40	6:20	6:10	6:10	6:15	6:20	6:20	6:25	6:30	6:45
Sunset	18:25	18:40	18:45	18:45	18:50	19:00	19:00	18:55	18:35	18:15	18:05	18:10

Temperatures

The annual average temperature in Kralendijk is 28.7 ° C. For comparison: Munich reaches an average of 8.6 ° C, in Berlin it is 9.6 ° C. The warmest month is October (30 ° C), coldest month of February with average values of 27 ° C. The maximum water temperature in Kralendijk is 29 ° C. Comfortable bathing is possible at these temperatures. All months have a water temperature of at least 21 ° C and are therefore suitable for a beach holiday.

Precipitation

The annual precipitation is 350 mm on 53 days with precipitation. For comparison: In Munich, 967 mm, in Berlin 570 mm, precipitation is measured annually. There is no rainy season, i.e. months with more than 175 mm of precipitation. You cannot expect snow in any month in Kralendijk.

Sights and attractions

Bonaire is a great island to go on vacation, it offers many sights and attractions. In the northwest is the Washington Slagbaai National Park, in which many different hiking trails invite you to take long walks and hikes in nature. With the Gotomeer, a brackish lake in the middle of the national park, tourists can watch a breeding ground for Caribbean flamingos. In addition to nature lovers, the island is a paradise for divers. In addition to the great water temperatures all year round, there are sea turtles and beautiful reefs to marvel at. Since there are no high mountains on the island where clouds rain down and the view in the water is polluted by aquatic animals from rivers, the water view is incredibly clear with up to 30 m.

Bonaire weather in March, April and May

Daily temperatures averaging 31 to 32 ° C are to be expected over the next three months. The temperatures hardly fluctuate during this time.

Do you want to go on a beach holiday? The water temperatures are in March, April and May 26-27 ° C. This is great weather for a great time on the beach and in the water.

In March, at about 2 days to be expected precipitation in April at about 2 days in May at about 2 days.