Many people consider tropical Caribbean islands with a warm climate all year round as the best vacation destinations. Calm weather, turquoise ocean, fascinating beaches, and unique local nature, typical of the Caribbean islands, are what every travel enthusiast loves. Consisting of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba islands, the Caribbean Netherlands holds a special place among tropical holiday destinations. As little information is known about these islands, we will mention some basic facts about them. Where is Sint Eustatius island? The Caribbean Dutch islands are located close to Venezuela, in the Caribbean Sea. What colors and symbols are there on the Sint Eustatius flag? Although it is a municipality of the Netherlands, Sint Eustatius has its flag. Sint Eustatius flag features white, blue, and red colors with a golden star and a green island's silhouette. As seen from its flag, tourism has a symbolic value for the island as the most important natural recreational resource. How can we find the cheapest and the most convenient Sint Eustatius flights? Well, you can arrange the most affordable and time-saving Sint Eustatius flights via European airlines, flying directly from Paris and Amsterdam. As the islands have special municipality status, it would be better to consult visa issues with the Dutch embassy in your country. The Dutch Islands are the perfect destination for adventure travel with a plethora of things to do. In this blog post, we'll talk about the most enjoyable tourist attractions and awesome travel things to do in the Caribbean Netherlands.
Visit enchanting marine parks
Turquoise and crystal clear water of Caribbean Sea around the Dutch Islands is rich with astonishingly colorful flora and fauna. If you look at the Bonaire Sint Eustatius and Saba map, you can see many marine marks. The Dutch government has created and preserved beautiful marine parks, open for tourists, where you can explore the islands' aquatic wildlife. Bonaire National Marine Park is among the most famous tourist attractions in the Caribbean Netherlands. Reefs, lagoons, seagrass beds, and fascinating mangroves will grab your attention from the very beginning of the marine park tour. You may see some stranger things that are not familiar to you. However, the marine park tour guides will explain everything about the tropical sea landscape. During your mini-boat trip around the Klein Bonaire islet, the diversity of fish species, that are visible due to pure water clarity, will admire you. Queen angelfish, royal gramma, Atlantic blue tang, and smooth trunkfish look amazing, thanks to their colors and extraordinary body shape. Saba National Marine Park is another natural reserve that exhibits the fascinating marine life of Sint Eustatius and Saba islands. This marine park is famous for the underwater lava tunnels and hot springs due to its volcanic origin and island activities. Coral reefs and sponges are also typical of Saba Marine Park. Stingrays, blue striped grunt, banded butterflyfish, and sea turtles are the most colorful aquatic life members. Some marine parks have diving centers and scuba diving schools open for tourists. Scuba diving is the best way to explore the underwater wildlife in marine parks. It is very important to get proper instructions and clothing before diving in marine parks. There are strict safety rules in marine parks, such as not hurting flora and fauna to preserve aquatic life.
Dive into exciting beach water sports
You will see many beaches in the islands if you glance through Bonaire Sint Eustatius and Saba map. Diving in Caribbean beaches and enjoying water sports are probably the most fun things to do during your Dutch Islands vacation. Zeelandia, Oranje Bay, and Lynch Bay are top-notch beaches favorite for all the visitors. The beaches of the Caribbean Netherlands feature crystal clean water, coral reef shores, pristine white sand, and calm weather all year round. While walking on the beach shores, stranger things such as tropical snails, reef sands, and endemic insects may surprise you. The water of Caribbean beaches is warm almost the whole day, allowing you to swim during the evenings and nights. Some Sint Eustatius hotels have beaches with special premium services such as free beverages and alcoholic drinks. Water sports are the most exciting tourist attractions on the beaches in the Dutch Islands. Diving into the turquoise waters of the Caribbean is what visitors prefer the most. Many Sint Eustatius hotels offer short-term courses that will quickly teach the basics of scuba diving. Golden Rock and Scubaqua Dive Centers offer the best diving facilities and marine parks. During your marine park trips, you can also have a great diving experience. While diving, you will have a chance to explore the Dutch Caribbean's unique underwater aquatic life.
Windsurfing is also a famous watersport typical of eastern Bonaire that is known for steady tropical winds. The calm Caribbean water is very safe for surfing on the shores of Bonaire island. Windsurfing is a refreshing evening activity after a tiring day on the beach. Lac Bay of Bonaire is exceptionally perfect for windsurfing. Stand up paddleboarding is another exciting sport that tourists enjoy on windy and shallow Lac Bay shores.
Moreover, kayaking and canoeing are the activities you will love the most during your adventure travel. You can join guided canoe trips and kayaking tours if you are a beginner. Mangrove kayak tours will be an excellent chance for admiring the scenic views of Sin Eustatius and Saba nature. While kayaking through wild lakes, the lobsters, tropical mangrove forests, conch, and juvenile reef fish will astound you with their unique living conditions. Caribbean waters are perfect for both beginner and professional water sports enthusiasts. For those who love long sea journeys, rowing is an excellent sport near the Dutch Islands. Rowing is famous among male tourists who spend several hours on the boat. Many Sint Eustatius hotels feature great facilities for water polo and waterskiing.
Caribbean-Dutch culture tour
The local people's culture in the Caribbean Netherlands features a unique mixture of the Caribbean and European lifestyles, religion, cuisine, and architecture. You can find both protestant and catholic churches in Saba and Sint Eustatius. Local people practice their religion in their churches peacefully. The churches' weekly prayers are open for observers and tourists who want to learn more about the Dutch islands' local Caribbean culture. Furthermore, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba islands are home to a unique cuisine that features delicious meals from indigenous and Dutch cultures. Chickpeas, culantro, cassava, soused herring, European plaice, asparagus, Belgian endive, and Brussels sprouts are delicious meals from Caribbean-Dutch culture. Tasting local island meals are one of the most interesting travel things to do during a tropical vacation. You can taste Caribbean-Dutch meals also during Sint Eustatius flights. Some hotels in the Caribbean Netherlands allow the chefs to cook with the guests. In Caribbean hotels, tourists can learn to cook delicious local meals and prepare salads.
Exploring the country's culture and wandering around the cities are among the best travel things to do. If you look at the buildings, streets, and architecture of Catholic churches in Saba and Sint Eustatius, you can observe the mixture of European and Caribbean cultures. The European colonialists built the cities of Sint Eustatius and Saba in the 18th century. Historians say some stranger things about how the European empires used slavery to construct the streets and roads. Wilhelmina Park, Fort Oranje, Julianaplein, and Pasangrahan are the most significant architectural works built by the Dutch and British people in the colonial era. Thanks to its delicate ornaments on the building exterior, St. Bernardus Church holds a special place among the catholic churches in Saba and Sint Eustatius built in the 1840s. Stunning cities of the Caribbean Netherlands, such as Kralendijk, the capital of Bonaire, are home to modern government buildings, plazas, restaurants, and shopping malls. If you look at the Bonaire Sint Eustatius and Saba map, you can find many parks and cozy streets around the bay, perfect for walking and shopping. Local people of the Caribbean Netherlands live their daily lives with urban standards and culture. Urban architecture, modern public transportation, and active work life are significant elements of culture in the Caribbean Netherlands.
A quick recap
In this blog, we've talked about the most enjoyable things to do to have a perfect tropical vacation and adventure travel in the Caribbean Netherlands. We have also answered questions such as where is Sint Eustatius. As you can see on the Sint Eustatius flag, tourism is very important for the Dutch Islands. Therefore, local Caribbean people are very kind and welcoming towards foreigners. Every year thousands of people travel to the Dutch Islands thanks to its historical architecture, delicious cuisine, stunning beaches, and colorful marine parks. It may parksound difficult to get a visa to travel to the Caribbean, learn where is Sint Eustatius, and arrange flights there. However, you can conveniently organize a perfect tropical holiday in the Dutch Islands by spending some time and money. Your vacation in the Caribbean will be unforgettable for a lifetime.