Tucked away on the rugged northwest coast of Bonaire lies Washington Slagbaai National Park—a 14,000-acre adventure playground for nature lovers. Established in 1969 as the first nature sanctuary in the former Netherlands Antilles, this vast reserve covers nearly a fifth of the island and is a must-visit for anyone craving an off-the-beaten-path experience. From towering cacti and dramatic coastlines to hidden beaches and panoramic viewpoints, the park offers a raw, unfiltered look at Bonaire’s wild side…

For decades, Bonaire has been celebrated as a shining example of marine conservation done right. Since the 1970s, the island has taken coral protection seriously, establishing one of the first marine parks in the Caribbean and introducing strict rules to protect its underwater treasures. Anchoring is a no-go, spearfishing is off-limits, and touching corals is about as welcome as sunscreen in your dive mask. These bold moves have paid off: Bonaire’s reefs have remained some of the healthiest and most biodiverse in the entire region…

You’d think that as SCUBA diving professionals, we’d want nothing more than to spend our weekends dry and horizontal. Nico, especially, is basically a part-time fish at this point—he dives so much, we’re convinced he’s growing gills. But even after a long week of guiding, teaching, and tank-hauling, we both still choose to dive on our days off. Why? Read to find out…

Welcome to the Bonaire Reefs to Trees Tours blog—where your adventure begins, and ours continues! We're Nico and Daria, and we're the founders, guides, and storytellers behind the tours. This is where we’ll share local tips, fun facts, wild tales, and insights from our life on this Caribbean gem—but first, let’s kick things off with a little about who we are and how this incredible journey began…