Hey kids, it’s time for the B in our ABC Islands cruise on Carnival Horizon. In this walk around I take you from the ship through the little port shopping area, past the taxi stand and tour sellers, into Fort Oranje, the local vendor market and the main shopping street in Kralendijk. Then we’ll stroll the waterfront to the floating dock and finish at the little beach right next to the ship.
Bonaire Cruise Port and Downtown Walk Around
Bonaire cruise port and downtown Kralendijk walk with the port shops, taxi stand, Fort Oranje, local market, waterfront bars and the beach by the ship.
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Key Takeaways
- Bonaire only has one cruise berth, so you’ll only ever have one ship in town and the streets don’t get overwhelmed.
- The shopping area at the port is small: some jewelry stores, a gift shop and duty free. The taxi stand is right outside the terminal.
- Hang a left out of the port and you’ll find restrooms, restaurants and a bunch of guys selling tours if you didn’t book an excursion. One spot had two glasses of mimosa, merlot or moscato for 13 bucks for Carnival passengers.
- Fort Oranje is right across the street. It’s not a whole lot, but you get to walk up and see the cannons and check a historical spot off your list.
- The local vendor market and the main shopping street are a short walk away, with craft beer, the Kadushi Distillery and colorful buildings that give you that Curaçao vibe.
- The waterfront has tiki bars and restaurants right on that crystal clear water, plus benches under the trees and a free floating dock that locals and tourists both use.
- The floating dock has a ramp right into the water, so it’s a nice accessible spot if you have mobility needs.
- Hang a right out of the port and it’s a very short walk past an ATM and the Frosty Flamingo to a small beach area right at the ship where you can snorkel.
Good to Know
Bonaire is one of the easiest ports to do on foot. Everything in this video is walkable from the ship, and the streets weren’t crowded at all when I was there a little after 1:00. Once you go past the main shopping street you’re into the neighborhoods where people live and work, so there’s not much to see beyond that.
The water is the star here. Bonaire is known for snorkeling and diving, and that crystal clear water along the waterfront is absolutely beautiful. Grabbing lunch at one of the waterfront spots doesn’t get much better.
Don’t expect a real beach day at the spot next to the ship. There are no chairs to rent and no sand to put your towel on, just a little pier, a shallow spot and some steps. Getting into the water there isn’t accessible either. It’s more of an I want to cool off spot, because it is hot here, and you’ll see crew come out on their break.
The walk from the ship to the floating dock took me about 20 minutes, so if you want the accessible swim spot, plan for that walk.