Places to Visit in Kralendijk, Netherlands Antilles, America

Places to Visit in Kralendijk, Netherlands Antilles, America

Kralendijk is the capital city of Bonaire, an island as well as a special municipality of the Netherlands. It is home to the main port of the island and is famous for its marvelous beaches, different entertainment options and numerous historical monuments. Kralendijk is geographically placed between 12.1507° N latitude and 68.2767° W longitude.

History of Kralendijk:

Kralendijk houses many colonial buildings dating back to the 17^th and 18^th centuries, Fort Oranje is the major one which was initially constructed in 1639 to protect major harbor of Bonaire. There were English settlements established next to fort with name Playa in 1810 and it was conquered by the Dutch who renamed as Kralendijk in 1840. The Divi Bonaire Hotel is one of the historical identities of Kralendijk.

Connectivity to Kralendijk:

Kralendijk has its own airport, Flamingo International Airport served by many prominent airlines namely the United Airlines, Tiara Air, Insel Air, Delta Air Lines, Arkefly and Divi Divi Air with direct flights to Curaçao, Miami, Amsterdam, Houston, Aruba, Las Piedras, Newark and Houston.

There is no public bus service in Kralendijk but car and taxis are serving the requirement of transportation.

Tourists can hire taxi almost everywhere on the island including airport and city center. Bicycle and scooter are other modes of transportation. Water taxi services are available from the Kralendijk port in neighboring beautiful Klein Bonaire Island.

Food and Shopping in Kralendijk:

Kaya Grandi is the main shopping street of Kralendijk housing many 19^th and 20^th century shops with a variety of products including handicrafts, perfumes and cotton clothes. Kralendijk also houses many bookstores and departmental stores.

The prominent food corners in Kralendijk are listed here below:

Gio’s Gelateria & Caffe
Between 2 buns
Pasa Bon Pizza
Wil’s Tropical Grill
Donna & Giorgio

Things to do in Kralendijk:

Snorkeling
Diving
Visiting historical sites
Shopping

Places of interest in Kralendijk:

World War II Monument:

The World War II Monument was constructed to commemorate Bonaireans who died during the Second World War. Construction is unique and a must watch.

Wilhelmina Park:

Wilhelmina Park is located in the pleasant environment offering different activities including recreation options for children. It was named in the honor of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands.

Protestant Church:

Protestant Church was built in 1847 for Dutch people who lived in Bonaire and in 1868 church tower was added.

Van Walbeeck Monument:

The Van Walbeeck Monument commemorates the 300th anniversary of the first governor of the Netherlands Antilles, Johannes van Walbeeck. It was built in 1934.

Museo Boneriano:

The Museo Boneriano exhibits the different artifacts, mainly related to the history and culture of Bonaire.

Other places of interest near Kralendijk are:

Eleanor Roosevelt Monument
Welcome Seat
Customs Building
Fort Oranje
Government Office Building
Betico Croes Monument
Bernardus Church
Plaza Fraternan di Tilburg
Former St. Franciscus Covent
Public Beach
Cultural Park Mangazina di Rei
Bari Reef
Bonaire Kiteschool
Rooi Lamoenchi
Coral Casino Bonaire
Instituto Folklore Bonaire

Best time to visit Kralendijk:

The months of October and November will be best time to enjoy different water sport activities in Kralendijk.

Accommodation options in Kralendijk:

Kralendijk is home to several prominent accommodation centers, Plaza Resort Bonaire is the major one located at J A Abraham Boulevard offering different water sport activities such as snorkeling and windsurfing at on-site PADI dive center and charges US$190-300 per night. A list of the major hotels and resorts in Kralendijk is as follows: