Aruba VacationsAruba, the smallest of the Dutch Islands, it is one of the most popular vacation destinations in all the Caribbean. The ABC Islands are made up of three islands in the Netherland Antilles section of the Caribbean. Bonaire and Curacao make up the B and C part of the island trio. Weather in The Netherland Antilles is always near 82 degrees. It may vary a few degrees in the winter (and I do mean 3 or 4 degrees) so it is always summer. This week, while we were there, the temperatures were in the high 80's and low 90's. Warm, but perfect for a beach vacation. The water was so refreshing! Read all about my Aruba Vacation! I feel like I'm an Aruba trip advisor, I learned so much during my wonderful, relaxing stay on this ABC Island and I can't wait to share it with you. Find out, like I did, about Aruba
The trade winds that blow from the east over the island offers a nice relief from the heat and is consistent throughout the year, creating a great atmosphere for windsports including windsurfing. You can count on Aruba's weather to let you enjoy scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming and sunbathing the whole year round. You can count on the beaches of Aruba for a wonderful, relaxing day. Now that is a great place to vacation. The ABC Islands are below the hurricane belt so there is no need to worry about the hurricane months that plague the rest of the Caribbean. Aruba is only 15 miles from the coastline of Venezuela and is slightly over 19 miles long. The widest part of the island is about 6 miles wide, so you can tour the entire island easily. To travel on the wild side of the island a Jeep is recommended. The roads are non-existant. They are more like rocky paths than roads and a car might not make it. I know, I tried to tour there in my rental vehicle, but couldn't go as far as I wanted. Find out all about Aruba, including the most important thing... what to do in Aruba. OranjestadThe capitol city is Oranjestad and what a lovely sight it is to see. Find out restaurants in Aruba. because, after all, you have to eat while you are on vacation. The buildings are painted in bright, colorful pastels, just a preview of the colorful and fun vacation that awaits you there. These colorful buildings also house some of the most famous brands in the world, so make sure you at least go window shopping! Some of the stores you will find are:
Take a look at some of our pictures of Aruba. It will help you get a "feel" of the island and also help you see the attraction this beautiful ABC Island has for so many people. If you have any pictures of the island, please, feel free to share them with us. We are always looking for more
Aruba Pictures
The Beaches of ArubaThe beaches of Aruba are very different from the Bonaire Beaches. Most of the beaches on island A are white sandy beaches,in fact, some of the beaches on the leeward side of the island are ranked highly among the best beaches in the world, two of the most famous are Palm Beach and Eagle Beach. These beaches are quite the opposite of the rocky, coral filled beaches that surround the island of Bonaire. You will only find a couple of sandy beaches on Bonaire...usually near the larger resorts. Palm is the more crowded of the two and it makes the quick trip to Eagle more than worth it for a peaceful day in the sun. Some of the Beaches of Aruba include:
Palm Beach
Eagle Beach
Manchebo Beach
Arashi Beach
Boca Catalina...this is our favorite beach! It's small, secluded and away from the hotels. There are no facilities or food and drink stands near by. The locals visit this little boca and we have always met some lovely people when we have visited this special spot. How did we find Boca Catalina? One day we were trying to book a snorkel tour but everything was booked because it was so late. So we just drove down the road until we spotted this tiny beach. We found the snorkeling to be great! And after we were settled on the beach, who shows up but the tour company we tried to book a tour with that very morning. Boca Catalina is where some of the tours take their passengers because the diving and snorkeling is always good. We were lucky to find this place...and we are sharing this info with you. We think you will fall in love with this little beach too.
Malmok Beach
Hadikurari Beach
Druif Beach
Baby Beach
You also might want to go to De Palm Island. It is a private island with a beautiful white sand beach.
Boca Prins Boca Prins beach is on the east side of the island...it is actually inside Arikok National Park. Bring sunscreen since there isn't any shade. The best way to get to Boca Prins is by Jeep. There are no facilities or drink stands here, so bring your own food and drinks to have a picnic. There is a strong current in this area and it can be dangerous. You will see how rough it is when the waves crash up on the shore. Inexperienced swimmers, the very young or older swimmers shouldn't swim in this area. There are also lots of rocks and stones, so you need shoes to walk around here. The views, however, can't be beat. So enjoy Boca Prins on the shore vs in the water unless you are a very strong swimmer.
Dos Playas Beach is a spot where there are two beaches and is a turtle nesting ground.
Andicouri (considered one of the most beautiful black pebble beaches in the Caribbean)
Water ActivitiesAs you can imagine, Aruba is filled with lots of tours and underwater activities for all levels of swimmers, divers and snorkelers. Some of the outings you can enjoy include:
Snuba (Snorkeling with an air hose)
Snorkeling
Scuba Diving (There are over 20 great dive sites) Wreck Diving (There are 11 wreck sites for divers to explore. It is called the Wreck Diving Capitol of the Caribbean!)
Sea Trekking (You don't even have to know how to swim as you walk the bottom of the ocean with a helmet)
The Atlantis VI submarine (A great way to see the underwater world and stay dry)
The Seaworld Explorer ( Half submarine/ half boat. The bottom is submerged, but the top is above the water)
The Glass Bottom Boat (Another underwater viewing boat where you don't get wet)
Windsurfing (Beginners can get windsurf lessons and there are several windsurfing gear rental places)
Cruise (You can sail on a yacht or a catamaran and enjoy the wind, the water and the beautiful view of the shoreline)
Kayak (Small two person water craft that you need to paddle)
Jet Ski Rentals
Banana Boat Rides
Water skiing
Paddle Boat Rentals
Parasailing
Deep Sea Fishing (Go and catch a Yellow fin Tuna, a Barracuda, a Wahoo or some Grouper)
Jolly Pirates
Tattoo Party Cruise
Things to doThere is so much to see and do on this little Netherland Antilles Caribbean Island. Land Activities include: ATV Tours Biking Casinos Golf Hiking Horseback Riding (Along the beaches or into the interior of the island) Miniature Golf Rock Climbing Tennis Theaters Shows International Raceway Park Palo Marga in San Nicolas
Things to see include: Arikok National Park Aruba Ostrich Adventures Bubali Plas Bird Sanctuary Caves Church of Santa Anna Chapel of Alto Vista Donkey Sanctuary Bushirbana Gold Mill Lourdes Grotto Museums
You can visit the site of the Natural Bridge, but unfortunately the bridge itself fell into the sea in 2005. It was a grand sight to see and you will see many pictures of it around the island. Natural Pool Offshore Islands Oranjestad Rock Formations San Nicolas Cura di Tortuga (A natural pond) The Arikrok National Park ( Interesting rock art, hiking trails and lots of divi divi trees, plants, flowers and cactus) Cero Jamanota (The highest point on the island where you can see a great view) Dos Playa and Boca Prins (Great for photographers) The Bird Sanctuary The Donkey Sanctuary Caves (Including one called The Tunnel of Love) Find out all about the Tour Operators on the island so you can plan your trip's details ahead of time and get booked on all your tours before you even get to the island. If you don't want to book a tour, I can tell you how to get where it is you'd like to go...and what you will need for your trip!
You can find everything you want in the pretty brightly colored shops that line the Oranjestad streets. You will find Swiss Watches, French Perfumes, Crystal, Cameras, Delft Porcelain and of course Designer Clothes and Jewelry. Don't forget to stock up on Caribbean rums and liquors while your there. As with many travel destinations, most of the stores in Oranjestad accept credit cards, the US dollar and travelers checks. I'm sure you won't be able to use your checks there. You'll also find ATM machines readily available for you if you need them.
AccommodationsResorts and Hotels on Aruba come in all shapes, sizes and price ranges. Learn about some cheap Aruba vacations. They range from the Oceanfront Marriott and Hyatt to the less expensive, off the beach, Caribbean Palm Village and Coconut Inn. You can also rent a private home, condo, villa or apartment for your vacation. Perhaps you are looking for a time share review because you are interested in purchasing one. You can get all that information here. You can also rent a timeshare for your Aruba vacation. There is no shortage of restaurants for your dining needs and they fit every budget from highly priced to reasonable. All food must be imported so it is more expensive than at home. Find local restaurants that are inexpensive and colorful, or eat at the top of the line restaurants where the catch of the day, a huge surf and turf dinner or an argentinean steak is waiting for you. Whether it's seafood, steak or both, the wonderful selection of island restaurants will have just what you need. We're even going to tell you all about Bob's Pizza and his 32 ounce Balashi Beer!
Want to Get Married?Want to get married on Aruba? What could be more romantic than getting married on a Caribbean island? Make sure to bring: Your birth certificates Any divorce or death certificates if you have been married before You will need a request for a marriage license in writing. You must file these documents two weeks (14 days)before you pick up the license (You can do this via mail, make sure to use some kind of courier or receipt mail.) Make sure to bring two witnesses when you pick them up!
You can contact the offices at:
Bureau Burgerlijke Stand En Bevolkingsregister, Schoolstraat # 2, Oranjestad, Aruba, Dutch Caribbean Phone # (00-297) 583 4400 Fax # (00-297) 583 9160
Getting AroundWhile your in Aruba listen for the native language of Papiamento. (the same as on Bonaire, but there it's Papiamentu) It's a combination of Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish, English and French. If you speak any of these languages you will be able to catch words you understand a few of the words you hear. The official language of the island is Dutch. If you want a car to get around the island you will find many car rental agencies available, including the ones you will recognize from home Avis, Budget, Hertz, National and Thrifty. Road signs and speedometers are all in kilometers, there is no turn on red anywhere on the island, and you do have to look out for goats and donkeys...something we are not familiar with in the States. You can also use a taxi or the bus system to get around. How to get to there You can fly in to the Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA) or you can cruise in on one of the many ships that come into cruise ship terminal. Return From Aruba to Bonaire Beaches Home Page
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