Drive north out of Kralendijk and Bonaire changes character fast. The waterfront gives way to cactus-studded scrub, and before long you roll into Rincon — founded in 1527 and still the island's oldest settlement. It's a dusty, low-slung frontier town that feels a world away from the dive shops and restaurants along the coast, and it's home to the best edible souvenir on the island: a spiced rum called Rom Rincon.

The rum is made at The Cadushy Distillery, an open-air spot shaded by trees in the middle of town. The family-run operation was founded in 2009, and Rom Rincon is the work of master distiller Eric Gietman. It's pot-distilled from Surinamese molasses, then flavoured with local botanicals — among them yerba di holé and the kadushi cactus that grows all over Bonaire. It skips chill filtering too, which keeps the spice and richness intact. The result is sweet, smooth and very much a product of this rugged island.

You could sip it neat or over ice, and neither would be a mistake. But the smarter move is the simplest one: a Cuba Libre. Rom Rincon, cola, fresh lime — that's it. The local spice character gives the familiar cocktail unexpected depth, and it lands perfectly after the hot drive into the island's northern interior.

The distillery is worth the trip for more than one bottle. It's also where Cadushy of Bonaire, the island's well-known cactus liqueur, is produced, alongside several other small-batch spirits. Between the rum and the liqueurs, it's arguably the best place on the island to find something to take home that you genuinely can't get elsewhere.

Rincon itself rewards a slow wander. As the oldest settlement on Bonaire, it's the counterpoint to Kralendijk's polished waterfront — a chance to see the island's quieter, more historic side rather than just its famous dive sites. Come for the drive, poke around the old town, then settle in under the trees at the distillery and order the Cuba Libre.

If your Bonaire trip is all reefs and flippers, this is the easy half-day escape that adds some flavour — literally — to the itinerary.