Christmas on a tropical island: palm trees with fairy lights, Christmas dinner with your feet in the sand and fireworks reflecting over the bay. December is one of the most festive times to be on Bonaire, and also one of the busiest. Here’s what to expect, what’s closed and how to get around easily.
The Key Dates at a Glance
| Date | What’s happening |
|---|---|
| Saturday 5 December | Sinterklaas gift evening (Sanikolas), mostly a family celebration |
| Tuesday 15 December | Kingdom Day: some businesses and most government offices closed |
| Mid-December | Christmas Shopping Night in Kralendijk (about 5 days before Christmas) |
| December | Bari Festival at Wilhelmina Park |
| Friday 25 December | Christmas Day: official holiday |
| Saturday 26 December | Boxing Day: official holiday. Also Nos Zjilea cultural market at Mangazina di Rei, Rincon (10:00 AM – 3:00 PM) |
| Thursday 31 December | New Year’s Eve: fireworks over the bay |
| Friday 1 January | New Year’s Day: official holiday + Maskarada (expected) |
Christmas on Bonaire
Christmas here is warm in every sense. From mid-December Kralendijk lights up, and on December weekends there are small Christmas markets in Rincon.
The Christmas Shopping Night usually takes place in Kralendijk about five days before Christmas. Shops stay open late, there’s music and food, and the boulevard is buzzing.
The Bari Festival is one of the most authentic things you can experience in December. At Wilhelmina Park, local singers improvise songs in Papiamentu about the past year, accompanied by the bari drum. They’re often funny and sometimes sharp. In previous years it was held on a Friday evening just before Christmas. Even if you don’t understand every word, the atmosphere is great.
Christmas dinner
Many restaurants offer a special Christmas menu, usually $35 to $80 per person. Book at least two weeks in advance. The popular places fill up fast in December. Need inspiration? See our list of the best restaurants on Bonaire or go local with the best food trucks.
What’s Closed Over the Holidays?
On 25 December, 26 December and 1 January almost everything is closed: banks, government offices and most shops. On Christmas Day and New Year’s Day most supermarkets are closed too.
Washington Slagbaai National Park is closed on public holidays as well, including 25 December and 1 January.
Our tip: do your big grocery run on 23 or 24 December and again on 30 December, and expect it to be busy. Here’s where to shop: Supermarkets on Bonaire.
New Year’s Eve on Bonaire
At midnight the sky above Kralendijk explodes with fireworks over the bay. The boulevard is the place to be: locals and visitors gather along the water to see in the new year together.
Locals also set off plenty of their own fireworks, including the famous pagara: long strings of firecrackers that are rolled out on the street and can crackle for minutes.
Fireworks rules (good to know):
- Consumer fireworks are only allowed from 31 December 6:00 PM to 1 January 6:00 AM.
- No fireworks within 250 metres of the hospital (Fundashon Mariadal), petrol stations and the airport.
- Fines range from $100 to $500.
Maskarada on 1 January
On New Year’s Day there’s a unique Bonairean tradition: Maskarada. Masked, silent performers in colourful costumes travel through the neighbourhoods with music, ending with the big unmasking at the end of the day. It’s organised by Fundashon Nawati and free for everyone.
Maskarada is expected on Friday 1 January 2027, but in some years it takes place on the first Sunday after New Year. Check locally or ask us when you pick up your car.
Driving Tips for the Holidays
The holidays are wonderful, but also the busiest weeks on the island. A few tips from us:
- Fill up in time. Don’t leave it until the last moment on 24 or 31 December. Read how refuelling works here: Refueling on Bonaire.
- Park early on New Year’s Eve. The streets around the boulevard fill up quickly. Park a bit further away and walk the last part.
- Don’t park right next to fireworks. Pagara and rockets leave plenty of debris. Choose a spot away from where people are setting them off.
- Never drink and drive. Bonaire has plenty of taxis. Arrange your ride home in advance.
- Watch out for animals. Goats and donkeys get scared by the noise and can suddenly cross the road, especially on the night of 31 December.
- Diving over New Year? The Nature Fee runs per calendar year, so you need a new one for January. Read our Nature Fee 2027 guide.
Planning to explore the island between the festivities? Take a look at our car rental Bonaire options. Over Christmas and New Year’s Eve our cars are often fully booked weeks in advance.
Book Your Holiday Car Early
December and January are high season on Bonaire, and every year cars sell out. Book early. At 123 Car Rental you can cancel for free, so you don’t take any risk. And as always: 100% coverage, no deposit, no deductible and we’ll pick you up at the airport.
👉 Reserve your car for the holidays
Bon Pasku i Felis Aña Nobo! (Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in Papiamentu)