The ABC Islands, Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao, sit outside the main hurricane belt at the southern edge of the Caribbean, and their year-round reliability makes them one of the most practical family charter destinations in the region. Children old enough to snorkel will find Bonaire’s fringing reef exceptional, with visibility regularly exceeding 25 metres and sea life visible in water shallow enough to stand in. Aruba’s calm western beaches provide easy swimming, and Curacao’s Spanish Water Lagoon is a natural paddling ground for kayaks and paddleboards.
Family charter yachts based in the ABC Islands range from catamarans with twin hulls and wide deck space suited to younger children to full-displacement motor yachts carrying twelve guests in five or six cabins. Crew of four to six manage all operations and adapt the daily programme to whatever mix of ages is on board. Snorkelling gear, paddleboards, kayaks, and small water toys are standard.
Weekly rates for family charters in the ABC Islands generally run from 35,000 to 250,000 euros depending on vessel size and specification. The advance provisioning allowance of roughly 30 percent covers meals, drinks, fuel, park fees, and marina costs. Bonaire’s marine park levy applies to snorkellers and divers from the age of 12.
A family itinerary through the ABC Islands naturally divides the week between beach days in Aruba, town visits in Willemstad, and reef time in Bonaire. Eagle Beach in Aruba, consistently rated among the Caribbean’s finest, is reachable by dinghy from the anchorage. In Curacao, the Hato Caves and the Willemstad waterfront offer shore excursions suited to children. Bonaire’s Klein Bonaire islet is a 10-minute dinghy ride from Kralendijk and surrounded by a reef that functions as a natural aquarium. The Hilma Hooker wreck, lying in 30 metres, is suitable for older children with open-water diving certification.
