Bonaire

Regarded as one of the world's premier sites for shore diving, the tiny boomerang-shaped island of BONAIRE , located 80km north of Venezuela, has much to offer those seeking an active tropical holiday. Beneath the clear blue waters, divers and snorkellers are treated to a stunning spectacle: schools of fish of every imaginable shape, size and colour swim with sea turtles and other marine creatures in and around the delicate coral and sponge gardens. All this and more can be found in the waters of the Bonaire Marine Park , which surrounds the entire island and its neighbouring offshore cay, the uninhabited Klein Bonaire .

As rugged and barren as the land may seem, the island has a different character to it depending on where you are. In the hilly north, the cactus-strewn landscape of Washington-Slagbaai National Park preserves remnants of the island's history along with a host of local flora and fauna. To the south, the land opens up and becomes flatter, and vast multicoloured saltpans attract the largest colony of pink flamingos in the Caribbean. If you're after more adventure, there's windsurfing at Lac Cai , on the island's east coast, and kayaking in the nearby mangrove swamps.

Outside of its natural attractions, Bonaire's appeal is low-key. In the evening you can enjoy the sunset while dining in one of the many restaurants found in Kralendijk , the island's tidy capital, also home to a few cultural attractions and numerous shops.