SMS Trips & Travels: Bonaire for the 9th time

Saturday, January 3, 2026

Bonaire for the 9th time | Christmas 2025

I've written about Bonaire many times — the great food, the snorkeling, mornings at Jibe City, afternoons by the pool, and those unreal views that never quite look the same twice. And all of that still holds true…and it’s exactly why we keep going back.

And this time marked our ninth stay on the island — which feels a little crazy to say out loud, but also makes perfect sense. Because once you experience Bonaire, you get it. It’s not flashy. It’s not overdone. It’s just good — in that easy, effortless way that keeps pulling you back.

Spending Christmas in Bonaire has quietly become one of my favorite traditions. Instead of the usual holiday chaos — the shopping, the wrapping, the “did we get enough?” feeling — everything just slows down. There’s no pressure, no rushing around, no overthinking.

Just time.

Time to be together.

Steve and I kept our days simple — snorkeling in that crystal-clear water, long stretches at the pool, and of course, mornings at Jibe City with a bucket of beer, watching the windsurfers glide across the water while we slowly eased into the day. We drove the Moke all over the island, sun on our faces, no real agenda. Stopping when we felt like it, chasing a good view, pulling over simply because something looked worth it, or just to say hi to the donkeys, of course!

And even after nine trips, it still doesn’t get old.

There’s something about Bonaire that resets you. Maybe it’s the color of the water, maybe it’s the pace of life, or maybe it’s just the simplicity of it all — but every time we’re there, we settle in faster, breathe a little deeper, and remember what it feels like to truly relax.

And of course…the food. Always the food. Fresh, simple, and somehow even better after a full day in the sun. Evenings that start with one drink, turn into long, lingering dinners, watching the sky fade from soft pinks to deep blues.