Pension Bonjouir

Getting there takes a boat, and Bonjouir is definitely off the beaten path, but the visit was so worth it. I wanted to feel the heart of a tropical island, not stay in a soulless resort behind walls, and this place delivered. The owners are wonderful hosts, and the food is delicious. The property sits where jungle meets ocean, an extraordinary setting. There’s great snorkeling nearby, a lovely little beach to kayak from, and spectacular hiking to a waterfall. Honestly, this is the most relaxing, tropical place I’ve ever been. Say hi to the dogs for me!

The family made me feel like one of their own. I was traveling solo out of my country for the first time, and I’ll never forget it. I landed to roosters crowing, then rode in the back of a chicken truck to the end of the island road. With almost no notice, the owners came by boat to pick me up there. The wife of PB baked me a birthday cake, showed me how to find fruit on the land, and took me hiking. The family also took me by boat past the reef to the surf break and asked if I wanted to get in with my board. I said HELL NO.

There’s plenty of room for the whole gang.

The sunset spot is incredible, but otherwise, we were very disappointed. We had no cell service, and the guesthouse Wi-Fi was supposedly available only from 6 pm, which turned out to be a huge lie. The slogan says “you need to reconnect with nature.” We booked an air-conditioned bungalow, but couldn’t use the AC because, apparently, the solar panels weren’t working. There were ants and bumblebees all over the bungalow. At night there wasn’t even a fan, so you can imagine how hot it got. We also hadn’t been told about the power cuts at 10-11 pm, which apparently depend on the owners’ mood. Read the reviews carefully and avoid this place.