Lovers of Sunwing’s service and pricing have another great winter getaway option.

The first-ever Sunwing flight to Bonaire flew to the Dutch Caribbean island from Toronto on Monday, touching down to a warm welcome and a water cannon salute.

The weekly Sunwing Flight Service to Bonaire provides Canadians with the only direction connection to this relatively undiscovered tropical island, located just north of South America and only a few kilometers east of Curacao. It’s a popular spot for divers and wind/kite surfers, or for folks looking for a quiet alternative to busier Caribbean islands.

Sunwing officials said Bonaire “is recognized for its commitment to sustainable tourism practices and coral preservation.” They said the island is “consistently rated as one of the top diving destinations in the world,” with 86 dive sites that are home to 57 types of corals and more than 350 marine species. Land adventures include an exploration of the capital town of Kralendijk , renting a motor scooter or climbing 241-meter-high Mt. Brandaris, which is rated a medium-difficult climb that usually takes 45 minutes or so.

Bonaire has an area of 294 kilometers – about half the size of the city of Toronto - and has a population of less than 17,000, according to the last census.

Sunwing flights to Bonaire are on Sundays from Toronto until April 15, 2018.

Sunwing offers value-added accommodation packages at a variety of the island’s leading resorts. Visitors who want to be close to town but still enjoy a relaxing environment can try the Divi Flamingo Resort and Casino, while both divers and non-divers can opt for the inclusive Plaza Beach Resort, which also has great snorkelling nearby. The Buddy Dive Resort is wonderful for divers, while the newly-built Delfins Beach Resort caters to groups with one or two-bedroom studios.

All Sunwing packages include return flights on Sunwing Airlines, where passengers enjoy award-winning flight service with sparkling wine and a selection of light meals and snacks inspired by Food Network Canada Celebrity Chef Lynn Crawford.

Passengers also get a generous, complimentary 23 kg checked luggage allowance.