Does an american need any shots of any type before
coming to bonaire?

There is no risk for Malaria in the Caribbean except on Hispanola (Dominican Republic & Haiti).

But don’t take my work on it, the Center For Disease Control (CDC) has a good section on travel and what you need to watch out for pretty much anywhere in the world. Here’s link to the Caribbean section.

CDC Caribbean Page

I’ll admit I got a couple of bug bites while I was there, but nothing different than I get in my yard almost every evening.

No shots are required but someone did indicate on a post a long time ago that to avoid the "American in too much hurry" disease one should take one or two Amstel's on arrival and as necessary during the trip. It sure works for me. All joking aside, there are no particular problems and the water is very safe to drink.

no shots required...as for me a xanax and a shot of vodka..does the trick but thats just to board the plane! Steve was running one morning on the island (one of our first trips to Bonaire) and happened to take a turn down one of the side streets off the main road...he was approched by a few free roaming dogs that knocked him down and took a nice bite out of his leg....We were told that the island has no rabies....so no shot was necessary....so....I would doubt anything other than a good case of rubbing on some fire coral would be your "worst encounter"...Bonaire is a very relaxing...easy island....you will have a wonderful time....