The Essential Guide to Renting A Car in Bonaire

With a car, a great exploration of Bonaire awaits! After a month on foot, I couldn't wait to get a car. I expected to have my full trip on foot since all the main car rental agencies in Bonaire rent cars to those only 25 and older. As a 20 year old, I wasn't sure if I could find a car. Below I'll discuss where to find cars, what prices to expect, and what type of car best suits your needs. 

Where to Find Rental Cars

Several options are available to you looking for cars. The first is mainstream rental companies such as AB, Alamo, and Avis. There's also Bonaire Rent a Car. We'll talk prices below but these are usually the most expensive. Most people rent pick up trucks which are available as manual or automatic. Manual is the most popular choice on Bonaire due to availability and price. 
Another option is through someone you know which is how I found my car. I'll provide you with the car company and phone number below. 
Perhaps the best option if you're looking to rent or even buy a car for cheap and locally is Facebook groups/marketplace. Bonaire is HUGE on Facebook. If you're not on FB before Bonaire, you will be! Dive buddies, cars, homes, and more are all found on Facebook!

Rental Car Prices

Unless you're renting for a year or have a connection with a friend, rental car prices will be charged by the day. Also, most rentals will require you to put down a deposit value on the car, which you get back at the end when you return the car. Proper rentals should include insurance in the daily price! 

Rental Prices

Here, I'll discuss general rental car prices. I'll mention the price of my car but please see the section on my car below for more details! I really do feel I got a great price and an even better car! 
AB, Avis, and other mainstream rentals are going to charge around $35-40 per day. They offer smaller cars for cheaper which are not suitable for divers. As Bonaire is a diving location, you'll most likely want to rent a pickup truck or other car suitable for diving. For a pickup truck from AB you're looking at $39.50 per day! A pickup from Alamo is going to cost you around $50/day and I ran those numbers for the off season! Both are manual transmission! You don't have to rent a pickup but make sure you check with the company for which cars you're allowed to take diving. You'll also want to check if you can take the car to the National Park if you're wanting to do that. 
Facebook will almost certainly be cheaper than the mainstream rental companies. This is obviously because its a riskier rental with a more fragile contract. Be sure to get insurance! 

There are several smaller rental car agencies in Bonaire that you'll find from word of mouth or Facebook ads in groups. That's how I found my car. I paid a monthly price of 800 per month which came out to be around $26/day! Insane! AND I got an automatic! More on this below.

My Rental Lexus 

I got absolutely blessed with this rental car. I was set up to rent a manual transmission pickup truck from a small rental company. I didn't know how to drive manual transmission but I was set to learn on the day of...

When I went to pick up the car, the company owner offered me a Lexus automatic instead - for the same price! My bullet car (it was truly an amazing car) could go diving, fit tanks in the back (up to 6 tanks plus gear in the trunk alone!), and was allowed in the national park! I took the offer, drove out with the cutest Lexus and was free to explore! I LOVED this car! 

Price: $800/month
Deposit: $500.00 - paid via debit card (5% uncharge to pay with credit card - no uncharge to pay with debit card or cash) and paid back via wire (they said wire was the only thing they could do - very sketchy not going to lie but I did get my money back)
Car: Lexus automatic 
Company: The Boat Yard Bonaire
WhatsApp name and number: Mark, +599 787 0063