Rugged nature and pristine beaches
Washington Slagbaai National Park is a beautiful, rugged nature reserve that stretches across the northwest side of Bonaire. The hilly terrain is covered with cactus forests and aloe fields and rich in large and small salt lakes full of flamingos, saliñas, of which Saliña Goto is the most impressive. Thanks to several freshwater springs, the park is not only teeming with lizards and iguanas but you will also find goats, donkeys, colorful parrots, parakeets and many other bird species. Pos Mangel and Put Bronswinkel offer fantastic birding spots here. With a 15-mile coastline, Washington Slagbaai also has beautiful white powder beaches that alternate with limestone cliffs. These are important nesting sites for sea turtles.
Dirtroads
There are several hiking trails and also two dirtroads to explore the nature reserve by 4x4 or mountain bike; the yellow long route and the green short route. The yellow route leads along the rugged northeast coast, past Saliña Matijs, up through the rough turquoise surf at Playa chikitu to the deep inlet of Boka Kokolishi and the northernmost lighthouse, Seru Bentana. Then the route follows along the west coast, passing Saliña Bartol and diver's paradise Boka Bartol, the calm Playa funchi, the paradisiacal Wayaka and finally the rocky Boka Slagbaai where daredevils can plunge from the cliffs into the deep.
Brandaris
The short route goes through the interior of the park, straight to Slagbaai beach, a beautiful and historic spot where you can dive amidst coral formations and manta rays on ancient cannons. This route leads past Mount Brandaris, a rock massif that at 241 meters is the highest point on the island, from where the magisterial view of the island on exceptionally clear days reaches as far as Santa Ana Hill in Venezuela's Paraguaná Peninsula.
