Bonaire is internationally recognized as one of the world's top three dive destinations. The reef begins within wading distance of the west coast shoreline — no boat required. Over 80 named dive sites. The coral health on Bonaire's reef is significantly better than most Caribbean reefs due to strict marine park rules (no anchoring, no fishing, no coral touching since 1979). Bonaire Marine Park protects the entire coast. For non-diving kiters: snorkel gear and fins are sufficient to see the reef at most west coast beach access points.

The Pekelmeer salt pans on the south coast of Bonaire are a primary breeding ground for Caribbean flamingos — the bright pink species. Bonaire has one of the largest flamingo populations in the Western Hemisphere. The birds can be viewed from the road without disturbing the breeding colony. The pink color comes from carotenoids in the brine shrimp they eat — young flamingos are grey until they have eaten enough shrimp to color. The sight of 2,000+ flamingos against white salt flats and blue Caribbean water is genuinely remarkable.

A protected wilderness area covering the northwest fifth of Bonaire — formerly two plantations, now a national park with 5,000+ hectares of cactus desert, rare birds (including the Yellow-shouldered Amazon parrot, endemic to Bonaire), goats, iguanas, and undeveloped coastline. Two 4x4 routes through the park: a 24 km and a 40 km loop. The park closes at 5 PM. Entry requires presentation of the Bonaire Nature Fee receipt ($45 USD, required for all Bonaire visitors).

The south coast of Bonaire has Dutch colonial-era salt production infrastructure still visible — the salt pans, the obelisks used to guide sailing ships to the correct salt loading area, and the small stone huts where enslaved Africans were forced to live during the week (they walked 7 km to their community on the northwest on weekends). The huts are small enough to require crouching to enter. A direct physical connection to the island's history of enslavement. Adjacent to the flamingo colony.

Bonaire is one of only two islands where the Yellow-shouldered Amazon parrot (locally: Lora) is found in the wild. The population was critically endangered in the 1980s — fewer than 400 birds remained. Conservation by Echo Bonaire has brought the population to 1,000+. The parrots are visible from the road in Washington Slagbaai and in the cactus scrub areas. Morning sightings are most reliable.

Bonaire's Kunuku (countryside) has surviving examples of the traditional Papiamentu-speaking culture — the language spoken throughout the ABC islands, a creole of Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, and African languages. Several farms in the interior still grow traditional Bonairean crops (sorghum, aloe) and the plantation ruins of the kunuku houses tell the story of the island's pre-tourism agricultural economy.