Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands, 4/3/2025, National Geographic Orion
Aboard the
National Geographic Orion
Caribbean
We made it to our third country of the trip-Bonaire! Nestled in the southern part of the Caribbean, Bonaire is one of the ‘ABC’ islands, which also includes Aruba and Curacao. Bonaire is a stunning island filled with natural wonders, beautiful Dutch-inspired colorful architecture, and gorgeous, healthy underwater life.
From the kaleidoscopic coral reefs of the tropics to the swaying kelp forests of temperate seas, Rachel Crane is dedicated to exploring and sharing the ocean’s wonders. With expertise as a Marine Ecologist, PADI Master Scuba Instructor, and USCG 100-...
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We enjoyed a day at sea aboard National Geographic Orion. As we transited the south Caribbean Sea, we were treated to a few presentations about Colombia, reef fish, and music of the region, but the real stars of the day were the masked and brown boobies hunting flying fish. There were spectacular displays of hunting from the birds and avoidance by the fish.
Today we had the opportunity to explore Colombia’s oldest town, Santa Marta, founded in 1525 by Rodrigo de Bastidas. This small town is well known for having one of the highest points in the country, is very close the Caribbean Sea, and is one of the most important Natural Parks in Colombia, Tayrona National Park. A mixture of tropical dry forest, stunning coral reefs, and a lush cloud forest loaded with a large diversity of birds made our guests eager to disembark and explore all these wonders. Our guests chose their excursions according to their interests. One group went on a hike in Tayrona National Park. They enjoyed exploring, from the forest to the pristine crystal beaches. Another group of guests mingled among the locals in town, enjoying the flavors of Colombia. They learned about the culture and had a culinary experience, tasting different local recipes. The last group visited a traditional coffee farm in the foothills of Sierra Nevada. Here the owner, Mrs. Claudia Weber, guided them throughout the process, from the planting of the coffee, the harvesting process, drying, roasting, and bagging. They also had enjoyed the flavor of a cup of delicious Colombian coffee. It was another outstanding day of our expedition exploring the Caribbean coast of Colombia.
