🇧🇶Bonaire · Places to discover
What to see in Rincon?
19 places selected by the community - landmarks, nature, hidden restaurants and activities.
Landmarks & heritage
4 places
1Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0Landmark
Rincon Village
Bonaire's oldest settlement, founded by the Spanish in the 16th century inland as a refuge from pirates. Colourful houses, a whitewashed church dating back a century, and an unspoilt ambiance largely untouched by tourism.
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Landmark
Landmark
Rincon Cemetery
A historic cemetery in Rincon with colourful tombs decorated with photographs and personal objects in Caribbean tradition. A living memorial bearing witness to the island's founding families.
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Landmark
Landmark
Landhuis Karpata
Restored former colonial plantation on the north-west coast, now a premier diving and snorkelling destination. The ruins of the master's house overlook a cliff face dropping directly onto an intact coral reef.
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Landmark
Landmark
Fontein Cave
Limestone cave harbouring Arawak petroglyphs and impressive stalactites, used by indigenous peoples as a freshwater source. The mysterious atmosphere and lush vegetation surrounding the entrance make this a singular destination.
Religious sites
1 place
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Religious site
Religious site
Protestant Church of Rincon (Kerk van Rincon)
A small white 19th-century church at the heart of Bonaire's oldest village. Its adjoining cemetery holds epitaphs in Papiamento bearing witness to the island's founding families.
Nature
3 places
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Nature
Nature
Awa di Oloshi – Fresh Water Spring
One of Bonaire's rare natural freshwater springs, in use since pre-Columbian times. This history-steeped spot is surrounded by lush vegetation, a surprisingly verdant sanctuary in the otherwise arid landscape.
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Nature
Nature
Salinja Mathijs
Abandoned salt pan in the north of the island, now colonised by vegetation and wading birds. An overlooked birdwatching spot where you can observe herons, sandpipers and terns without encountering another soul.
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Nature
Nature
Boca Onima
Wild rocky cove on the wave-battered north-east coast, featuring caves adorned with Arawak petroglyphs several centuries old. A geological and archaeological site wholly removed from the beaten track.
Viewpoints
2 places
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Viewpoint
Viewpoint
Ceru Grandi
Bonaire's highest point at 241 metres, accessible on foot from Washington Slagbaai. The 360° panorama across the island, Klein Bonaire and, on clear days, the Venezuelan coast is a rare reward.
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Viewpoint
Viewpoint
Goto Meer
Inland salt lake surrounded by towering cacti and mangroves, the island's second flamingo sanctuary. Sunset here, with pink silhouettes reflected on still water, ranks among Bonaire's most beautiful.
Activities
3 places
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Activity
Activity
Karpata Ecological Centre
A former marine research centre converted into a gateway to one of the island's finest diving sites. The seabed drops away sharply here with exceptional visibility and remarkably dense marine life.
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Activity
Activity
Mangazina di Rei
A cultural centre in Rincon dedicated to preserving Bonaire's Afro-Caribbean heritage through music, dance, crafts and stories of slavery recounted by local residents. An authentic immersion in Papiamentu culture.
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Activity
Activity
Cadushy Distillery
The island's sole distillery produces an artisanal liqueur from the endemic cadushi cactus unique to Bonaire. Guided tours conducted amidst towering cacti conclude with a tasting of products unavailable elsewhere.
Beaches
5 places
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Beach
Beach
Boca Olivia
Small cove on the north-west coast, reached via an unmarked dirt track. The seabed here ranks among the island's most pristine, with century-old brain corals and an impressive density of parrotfish.
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Beach
Beach
Playa Benge
A small beach of black and white pebbles within Washington Slagbaai, accessible by track. Almost deserted, it offers quality snorkelling with crystalline-clear water and healthy coral.
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Beach
Beach
Nukove Beach
Discreet dive and snorkelling site in the north of the island, reached via an earth track. The coral reef is in excellent condition and footfall remains minimal even during peak season.
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Beach
Beach
Boca Catalina
Small rocky cove north of Kralendijk, virtually deserted on weekdays. Locals come here to snorkel at sunset to observe the sea turtles that frequent the shallow reef.
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Beach
Beach
1000 Steps Beach
Pebble beach at the foot of a limestone cliff, reached by stone steps carved into the rock (67 steps, not 1000). A legendary dive site with a coral wall dropping to 30 metres, popular with locals at weekends.
More to discover
1 place
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Place
Place
Dos Pos
A tiny inland village clustered around a historic well, surrounded by gardens and fruit trees that create a verdant contrast to the island's arid landscape. A pocket of greenery well known to residents of Rincon but often missed by outsiders.
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