Bonaire is a quiet little island filled with friendly people, gorgeous landscapes and a tranquil atmosphere that is conducive to learning. Bonaire's beautiful sunsets and charming inhabitants of nature including iguanas, goats, and parrots will leave you breathless.
The island of Bonaire lies 30 miles from the nearest island, Curacao, and 50 miles north of Venezuela. Bonaire is 24 miles long and 3-7 miles wide (112 square miles). The capital of Bonaire is Kralendijk which is the largest city, with the second largest city being Rincon.
Visitors of Bonaire enjoy a fairly temperate climate. The average yearly temperature is 82°F (27.8°C), however Bonaire boasts high humidity levels year round which keeps the average temperature consistently elevated.
There are four languages spoken in Bonaire today. Almost everyone you meet speaks English and Spanish, although Dutch is the official language in government and legal transactions. For everyday exchanges, Bonaireans use the local Creole language, Papiamento.
The currency of the island is the Netherlands Antilles Guilder (NAFl.), which is fixed at the exchange rate of about 1.77 to the dollar for cash and 1.78 for traveler's checks. Most stores and businesses exchange it at 1.75. You can spend dollars everywhere, but will likely receive your change in guilders. Traveler's checks and credit cards are also widely accepted.
Bonaire has earned a reputation for being one of the most environmentally conscious islands in the Caribbean. Bonaire is known for its pioneering role in the preservation of nature, in particular the preservation of the marine environment. Having one of the clearest bodies of water in the world, Bonaire is well renowned for its scuba diving, snorkeling, and windsurfing among other things. Visitors also enjoy the unique experiences such as kayaking in the mangroves, visiting the gentle bay or you can venture out into the open ocean for a real challenge. You can also admire the nature of Bonaire by land cycling or mountain biking.
There are a number of reasons people visit Bonaire. First-timers generally have heard about the climate, the water, the sun and what there is to do. When asked, repeat visitors generally add that they did not have enough time to do all they wanted to on their first visit. On subsequent trips, the answer is basically the same but with this addition "It is the warmth and friendliness of the people" that keeps visitors returning year after year.
Bonaire has the reputation of being laid back, slower paced and very tranquil. The good news is that while this is all quite true, the island also offers a lively nightlife, fun places to visit, and excellent restaurants where you can enjoy foods from the different ethnicities of the world. When you first come to the island you are a visitor, but when you leave, you are a friend and the friendly nature of the local people on the island makes the island of Bonaire a very delightful place to not only enjoy yourself, but a place that we believe is a perfect setting to operate a medical school.
At Xavier University School of Medicine, Bonaire we believe that Bonaire’s environment promotes not only academic growth but the dedication, discipline and direction that are fundamental in the development of a skilled physician.
