Netherlands AntillesBonaire used to be part of what was called the Netherlands Antilles. But in 2010 the Netherlands Antilles was dissolved and Bonaire, along with islands St. Eustatius and Saba offically became part of Holland, and are now called the Dutch Caribbean. The Netherlands Antilles was a group of Caribbean islands that used to be part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Netherlands are commonly referred to as a whole as Holland, even though there are many countries that make up the Kingdom. When Bonaire was part of the Netherlands Antilles it shared government with it’s neighbor island Curacao. They are both located in the southern Caribbean, north of Venezuela. Also part of the Netherlands Antilles was St. Eustatius, Saba and St. Maarten, located just southeast of the Virgin Islands. Things change. Aruba, which is located right next to Bonaire & Curacao, is also part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, but for some time was not part of the Netherlands Antilles. It separated and became an independent country of the Kingdom in 1985.
Aruba, Bonaire, & Curacao, are also collectively called the ABC islands. They are also part of the Lesser Antilles chain of Caribbean islands, which is a geographical distinction. And they are also called the Leeward Antilles, because they are further west than the rest of the Caribbean chain of islands to the north, and since the trade winds blow dominantly from the east, the ABC’s are on the leeward side. Makes sense, if you are a sailor.
The Netherlands Antilles also used to be called the Netherlands West Indies, or Dutch Indies. Bonaire in particular is the eastern most island of the ABCs.
Learn about Flights to Bonaire Return from Netherland Antilles to Bonaire Snorkeling
|
