Let the staff on the Melisa Sailing spoil you.

The Melisa Sailing is a stunning sailboat with friendly staff and exquisite cuisine. Recently, I joined the Melisa Sailing for a luxury sunset dinner at sea. Since my mom was in town, I wanted her to experience luxury fine dining and see Bonaire from a different perspective.

All aboard!

Upon arrival at the Harbor Marina, we were greeted by the friendly staff, who immediately offered us a little bubbly and showed us our seats. Melisa Sailing has beautiful décor with comfortable cushions and pillows. Each section consists of two persons per section with space between each section. This truly makes you feel like you are in your own little world.

Soon after everyone was on board, we set sail, heading south for the sunset. Even before we left the marina, the luxury dinner began with Chef Marcos offering us a delightful amuse. It was a crispy bite with sea salt, topped with wahoo and basil watermelon. It was delicious!

The first course.

As we took in the changing scenery and enjoyed the wind in our hair, Lieke, one of the main servers on the Melisa Sailing, appeared with our first course. The night’s first course was fresh citrus-marinated tuna with antiboise, basil mayonnaise, cream of avocado, pickled watermelon, and a crisp. We both thoroughly enjoyed the first course as it was flavorful and fresh.

First course of the Luxury sunset dinner

After the first course, our dishes were cleared and our glasses were filled. The Melisa Sailing staff have eyes for detail. Throughout the entire night, I never once had an empty glass. There was always someone walking by and checking on our drinks.

The second course.

Soon after our first course was finished, our second course arrived. My mom and I love cauliflower, and this course did not disappoint! It was a delicious cauliflower soup with feta cheese and truffle oil. We both agreed that the cauliflower soup was the best we have ever had!

The third course.

At this point in the evening, it was clear that each course would be amazing. The third course was a portion of creamy noodles with a beurre blanc of mango sauce topped with the fresh catch of the day, wahoo. The wahoo was tender, and the mango sauce complemented it well.

As the staff came around to collect our dishes and refill our drinks, we chatted about life in general and watched as the sun dipped below the horizon. As the sailboat turned and started heading north, we relaxed on the comfortable cushions and enjoyed the calming sway of the sailboat.

The fourth course.

The fourth course took a little longer to come out than the first few courses. The Melisa Sailing crew plans it this way so you can take a break and enjoy the sunset’s colors. After we watched the sky turn to darkness, our fourth course arrived: Sgroppino. lt was a tangy and refreshing lime sorbet with vodka and prosecco and meant to clean your palate so you can taste the beef better.

The fifth course.

Our fifth course arrived as we enjoyed the beautiful lights on the Melisa and the scenic view of Bonaire from the sea. It was a savory tenderloin cooked to perfection with cream of celeriac and a white chocolate and red wine sauce. The ingredients and spices melded together perfectly for a tasty dish.

As we continued to sail north, Melisa Sailing dimmed the lights so we could take in the beauty of the bright stars in the sky. It was a stunning night on Bonaire as we tried to identify the stars and planets in the sky.

The sixth course.

As the night’s end approached, we turned the sailboat one more time to head back south to the marina. Of course, there was still one more course to go. It was a scrumptious dessert called a rhum baba. Rhum baba is a cake saturated in rum. Of course, The Cadushy Distillery’s Rom Rincon was the rum of choice for the dessert. Complementing the cake was a banana compote, vanilla ice cream, and plantain chips.

Overall Experience of the Luxury Sunset Dinner.

Melisa Sailing is truly a luxury sunset dinner at sea. From the moment you step onboard, you are treated like royalty by the friendliest staff. Chef Marcos is an exquisite chef who takes pride in his delicious culinary creations.

It goes without saying that this was the highlight of the week with my mom. She loved it so much that she even asked if she could sleep on the sailboat! Unfortunately for her, that was not possible. The Luxury Sunset Dinner at Sea on the Melisa Sailing is now on my mom’s “to-do” list for every Bonaire vacation, and I couldn’t agree more! Book your reservations in advance on WhatsApp.

(Source: Bonaire Insider)