My girlfriend is set on going to see flamingos when we go. I hear that it can take a few hours to go through the Slagbaai National Park to see them. Any other easy place to see them? We will be staying at Buddy. Thanks

Often times you can see them in the salt flats, some times of the year more than others. I have also saw them on the road to Maiky Snack...that was in the spring.

Drive north to Bopec and take the road to Rincon. You will pass several areas where Flamingos are seen regularly. It's a nice drive and we always see Flamingos.

Very early morning by the salt flats you will see them fly in from Venezuela.

The salt pans early in the morning

Very often you can see them very close if you take the route from Kralendijk to Lac bay.
Follow Kaya Nikiboko Zuid and then Kaminda Sorobon
You can combine this with snorkling/surfing at Lac bay or a kayak trip.

Take the coastal road to Bopec and turn right to Rincon.

But I would not skip Slagbaai. Go early, be there at the opening. We often bring our breakfast and lots of drunks in a cooler and stop at the first beach. Nice beaches, blowhole, snorkelling at Wayaka, museum. We often bring a extra cooler with just fresh water to rinse ourselves after swimming. Take it slow and it will be at least a half day trip. Most of the time we stay all day.

Also depends upon what time of year you visit. In Jan & Feb there is a bit more rain & water fills in around the roads. We saw MANY of them last Feb on the road from the airport leading into town. In the summer months, it's a bit dryer, so time of year is important.

we've gone south just before dawn and parked just past red slave and about the same time the sun comes up large groups of flamingos take off almost right over our heads.

Please! Let's put a stop to the myth that the Flamingos make regular trips between Venezuela and Bonaire, especially at sunset and sunrise!!

OK Michael

Early in the morning for sure. One morning at Belmar I looked up, pod of dolphins going by and a flock of flamingos flying (obviously not just in from Venezuela).

Vince is also correct, in the last four trips in Jan they are there from the airport to town in the little patches of water.

We also like to go flamingo tipping at night, the kids love it!

Well
It seems to me that you will always see them sometimes near sometimes far off at Goto Meer
Mick

I agree, Mick and it is such a nice drive too. We take bits of fruit and bread to feed the birds and lizards at the pull in on the road and we have also seen piglets and the water well.

Now Michael has me wondering...because I was told they were flying in from Venezuela. Are they actually flying from Goto Meer to the South??? Just wondering, because when we stayed in the Blue House, at The Lake, I saw them every morning, along w/ the dolphins...???...

We have seen piglets at the water well also, tooo cute!

the flamingos live, breed and nest on bonaire. it has been observed that some of the flamingos fly to the wetlands of morocoy in venezuela ...how many of them, why and the how has not been established .. but it is only a very few. right now it is nesting time and the breeding flamingos will be deep in the sanctuary in the salt pans on the south end of the island. the babies will be making their appearance in mid-spring. the non breeding juveniles are not welcome in the nesting area and you can find them all over the island .. generally to the north. flamingos are very shy birds and the least bit will result in their fleeing the threat. it is very important that when you are looking for flamingos to remain in your vehicle.. the act of getting out of the car and approaching them will make them flee. the large number of shorebirds in the water near the airport occurs only during the rainy season, when the birds like to feed in the very nutritious water caused by the evaporation of the standing water.. that evaporating water is like Ensure for them. bonaire is in a drought right now .. most of the maishi crop has been lost and plowed under.. on the moment the flamingos are far inland and abundant in Washington park .. but even slagbaai is is very dried up.

I saw some in the salt flats near Pink Beach yesterday afternoon, and a few days ago in the standing water near Playa Trading (just east of the traffic circle near Sand Dollar). If there's standing water, there's a chance of flamingoes--just don't expect huge flocks congregating, it's usually just a few.

Because of the high tides they are closer to the road near High Chaperal heading to Lac Bay

On Saturday I saw well over 30 across the street from Tori's Reef. A pair of binoculars would have been great but it was AMAZING!

The drive through Slagbaai is advertised to take 2 1/2 hours (if you take the long route, only 1 1/2 if you take the short.) That drive time is at 25kph and it takes into account that you will stop and see all the little hiking trails and other scenery along the way. If you want to see flamingoes, you can drive straight through to the NW section of the park in not very much time where the lakes are. Sometimes the flamingoes are close, sometimes they aren't. Coin flip.

And the long route through the park, with just very short stops, can be done in just over an hour without speeding too much.

e.