Bonaire

The diving here is among the best in the Caribbean, with pristine reefs and wonderful visibility as there is no run-off to muddy the waters and it is out of the hurricane belt. The climate is dry and the vegetation little more than scrub, slow-growing hardwood trees and cactus but it is prized by birdwatchers. Once important as a salt producer, this Dutch island now makes its living out of tourism. Bonaire is the least densely populated of the ABC islands and the inhabitants are mostly of mixed native South American, European and African descent. They are a very friendly and hospitable people. The island is clean, quiet, peaceful and very safe. As in Curaçao and Aruba, Dutch is the language of the government, but Papiamentu, the colloquial tongue, and English are also official languages. Spanish is widely spoken too.