Bonaire has long been the quiet cousin of Aruba and Curacao.

For decades, few in North America knew about the island beyond die-hard scuba divers who flock there to enjoy the enormous, well-protected marine park that frequently tops the lists of best places in the world to shore dive.

What the rest of the world has been missing out on are dozens of near-private "pocket beaches" along the calm eastern shore as well as rugged scenic beauty on the wild west coast of the island and in the national park on the northern tip.

Crystal clear water, quiet beaches and scenery may be reasons enough to visit, but recent years have seen continued improvements to infrastructure that make it even more attractive.

There's No Hurricane Damage

Situated in the deep Southern Caribbean, outside the hurricane belt, Bonaire suffered none of the devastating effects from 2017's storm season. That means the reef is as beautiful as ever and accommodations are fully operational. Of course, that also means that there may be more people visiting than ever before, but Bonaire has plenty of room to spread out.

More Ways to Get There

Expect even more cruise lines to add Bonaire to their southern routes. One regularly sees ships from Royal Caribbean, Costa and Celebrity. This week's schedule includes stops by Princess and Holland America.

The biggest transportation news is the addition of weekly flights between Miami and Bonaire beginning in June. That makes Miami the fifth North American city providing non-stop flights (along with Houston, Newark, Atlanta and Toronto).

A quick check of flight prices on American's website for the new route showed round-trip economy prices in the $600 range, which is a bit higher than United's $400-450 price for the same dates from either Houston or Newark, but well below Delta's $900 flights from Atlanta. Even if you don't fly American, the competition could eventually have a positive impact on the prices of both airlines currently flying the route.

Water Sports are Easier than Ever

Expanded dive shop operations at Bonaire's new resorts and hotels means more places to get certified to dive and more gear for all water activities available to rent or purchase on the island. We had no difficulty finding cameras to rent or buy, including GoPro accessories. We also found a good selection of wetsuits, water shoes and even the full-face snorkels that are all the rage.

Kitesurfing and windsurfing lessons are easily arranged if playing on top of the water is more to your liking, as are speed boat rentals from Bonaire Boat Rentals.

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