Aruba is the smallest and most Western island of the Dutch Antilles, which, known locally as the ABCs, also include Bonaire and Curaçao. Aruba is a popular cruise destination, and it's little wonder why. The beaches are so perfect they're almost cliched: miles of white, sandy beaches, turquoise waters and the requisite year-round sun. Over a million visitors arrive on this tiny island each year, enticed by its luxury resorts, first-class restaurants, 24-hour casinos and excellent watersport facilities.
Most visitors stay either in the capital, Oranjestad, or just to the north in one of the many resort complexes on Eagle and Palm beaches. The remainder of the island is much less developed and in the arid interior there is nothing more substantial than cacti and divi-divi trees, contorted by the consistently strong trade winds. For those who need more than sunbathing to get their kicks, there are plenty of activities available on the island. There is good diving and snorkelling along the reef on the protected leeward coast and the windsurfing is excellent a little further north at Fisherman's Hut. Deep-sea fishing can also be arranged through many of the hotels.
Overview
Windsurfing and kite surfing are undeniably two of the biggest drawcards for visitors to Aruba, with the island providing some of the best conditions possible in the world for these two sports. Whether a beginner or an expert, there are spots suitable for everyone as well as plenty of schools and shops that provide lessons and equipment hire. Further water-based activities include snorkelling and diving along the shallow, world-class coral reefs, tubing, banana-boating, and much more.
Holidaymakers with a yen for horseback riding can indulge themselves in Aruba's topography, which provides plenty of adventurous and enjoyable excursions, from sand dunes to arid desert plains. Riding experience is not required to join a guided outing from one of the two main horseriding operators, Rancho Notorious and Rancho Del Campo. Most excursions take in the island's sights and landmarks, like the Arikok Hills, the lighthouse and natural bridge.
A visit to the waterfront in Oranjestad is all it takes for deep-sea fishing enthusiasts to hire themselves a private boat with captain and crew, for a day or a few hours, to set out to sea in search of game. The island's temperate offshore waters boast a wide variety of Atlantic game fish, including white and blue marlin, Barracuda, Shark, Blackfin, Bluefin and Yellowfin Tuna. In high season charters may be difficult to come by, so it may be wise to book ahead through your hotel.
And of course, for the less actively-inclined, there are miles and miles of pristine white beaches, fringed with palm trees and ringed with warm, bright blue water. An idyllic spot to relax and unwind.
Climate in Aruba
With an average temperature of 82°F (28°C) all year round and never dropping below 68°F (20°C), Aruba is constantly hot. Luckily, visitors are kept relatively cool by the constant trade winds. The peak tourist season is between mid-December and mid-April, and if you can visit outside this period, you can expect room rates to be almost halved. Rainfall is infrequent, but if it occurs at all it's usually between October and January. You can visit Aruba all year round with great weather, but to avoid the busiest times, go in late April or early May.
San Nicolaas is the industrial centre of Aruba, and the island's oldest and largest town. Until the late 19th century it was a small fishing village but all this changed with the mining of phosphate on the island, and more recently the discovery of oil off the coast of Venezuela. The town provides a glimpse of old British-Caribbean charm and contains a handful of restaurants and shops, most notable in a section of the town's main road that has been turned into a promenade.
There are a few popular beaches to the east of the town that offer good swimming and snorkelling opportunities and are suitable for families. The main natural attraction in San Nicolaas is the natural bridge, carved out of rock by wind and water, that can be found in nearby Seroe Colorado.
Charlie's Bar is another popular attraction. Established in 1941, local lore has it that the bar used to serve rowdy sailors and oil refinery workers. Over the years, the bar's patrons have often left little keepsakes there - a licence plate, a shirt, a hat, a frisbee, and much more. All of these items now hang from the bar's ceiling, giving the space an eclectic feel. The bar has been featured in two recent novels by the American author Daniel Putkowski.
Arikok National Park
Arikok National Park encompasses a significant chunk of the interior and a long stretch of the northern coast. The park has miles of well-marked hiking trails and this, for most, is the best way to discover it.
Between the towering cacti and the contorted divi-divi trees can be found the best preserved Indian cave paintings on the island, deserted plantation houses, and the ruins of an old gold mine. There are also two ancient Aruban adobe huts, made entirely from materials found on the island, that have been carefully restored using traditional building techniques. The huts give a fascinating insight into the life of Arubans before they were able to import many useful materials into the country.
Within the park is Mount Jamanota, which at 620ft (188m) is Aruba's biggest hill, as well as the only slightly less high Arikok Hill. From the top of either hill one can enjoy good views of the island and on a clear day one can see across to Venezuela. At the southern reaches of the park are the Guadirkiri Caves and the Tunnel of Love. Legend has it that the headstrong daughter of an Indian Chief was trapped here with an unsuitable suitor and left to perish but their love-boosted spirits shot through the roof of the cave and into heaven.
Just north of the capital, Aruba's best stretch of beaches extends four miles (7km) between Eagle Beach and Palm Beach. The endless golden sand and crystal-clear shallow water has attracted crowds and with them the high-rise, luxury hotel complexes that line the beach.
There is no shortage of bars and restaurants to choose from and beachgoers are able to hire all sorts of toys including kayaks, windsurfers, snorkelling gear and catamarans. North of Palm Beach there many colourful reefs and shipwrecks to entice divers and snorkellers. Some shallower reefs are so close to the shore that it's possible to walk out into waist-high water to look at the sponges and coral. Diving trips, windsurfing and sailing lessons can be arranged through most hotels. Tubing, parasailing and banana-boating are also available, and very popular.
For those looking to take a break from the beach, the nearby Eagle Beach is a fun outing. There's also the Bubali Bird Sanctuary, a small marshland where visitors can view hundreds of species of migratory waterfowl, including coots, cormorants, terns, and herons. A favorite place to enjoy the sunset is at the restaurant by the California lighthouse on the northern tip of the island. The lighthouse was built after the British steamship, the California, which ran aground here in 1891.
Also known as 'Conchi' or 'Cura di Tortuga', Aruba's Natural Pool is a major tourist attraction. It is formed from a depression in the surrounding volcanic rock and filled by the tide spray smashing into the deserted coastline below. The Natural Pool is a unique geological formation and a tranquil place to spend the day swimming. The pool is situated in the heart of Aruba's most rugged terrain and is inaccessible by car; however, visitors can hire or charter a Jeep to take them there, hike there, or (most romantic of all) get there on horseback. The sense of discovery in 'finding' the Natural Pool in the midst of the rocky, almost lunar landscape is second-to-none. Take note, though, that the rocks around the pool can be sharp and are also slippery because of the spray, so it is a good idea to wear shoes when clambering over the rocks. There are also often little crabs crawling all over the rocks.
Windsurfing
Aruba, blustered by the Caribbean winds, is regarded as one of the best places on earth to windsurf. It is almost always sunny and just as often windy, with an average wind speed of 20 knots, making for an almost a guaranteed chance of getting great windsurfing conditions on even a short trip to the island. The water temperature makes it possible to stay out in the water for hours, seeing as it rarely falls below 75°F (24°C). There are challenging, gusty spots for more experienced windsurfers, as well as calmer, more consistent areas for beginners. As a consequence the island has attracted world famous instructors and windsurfing speciality shops to cater for exponents of this exhilarating sport. Every year Aruba hosts the ten day Hi Winds Amateur World Challenge windsurfing tournament, which attracts hundreds of professional windsurfers, amateurs and spectators in late June, and is sanctioned by the Professional Boardsailors' Association.
The most popular site for windsurfing is Fishermen's Huts, located at the end of Palm Beach. Many windsurfing and kitesurfing shops and schools dot the coast here. It's important to note that the high rise hotels also located on this stretch of beach have created some quite vicious wind gusts, making the windsurfing and kitesurfing suitable for the more skilled sailors. Kite surfers are only allowed in the water early in the morning, until 10am, and later in the afternoon, after 4pm, to avoid collisions between kite surfers and windsurfers.
Scuba Diving
Aruba's underwater realm draws scuba and snorkelling enthusiasts from all over the world to explore its famed shipwrecks and fascinating coral formations. The island's dive sites include the largest wreck in the Caribbean, the renowned Antilla. The waters abound in exotic marine life, including moray eels, lobsters, sea turtles, dolphins, sting rays, and a wide variety of tropical fish.
Most divers base themselves at hotels on Palm Beach to access the best dive sites, which lie along the western and southern coasts. There are more than 40 sites serviced by numerous operators on the island, offering experiences for everyone from complete beginners to the more experienced divers. A shallow sand plateau stretches out to the offshore reefs, which are best reached by boat. Coral formations are in relatively shallow water and visibility and weather conditions are usually excellent. Beginners will find top-rated scuba schools on offer. For the more experienced diver, wreck-diving is a popular option, as well as night diving and wall diving. There are several tour operators available that will be happy to organise an entirely dive-focused holiday in Aruba, from accommodation and meals to dive masters ready to guide you to all the best sites.
Golf
Golfing in Aruba is an experience that merges relaxed sporting enjoyment with a celebration of the island's wildlife. A world-class golf course, the 18-hole, par 71 Tierra del Sol, is situated on the northwest tip of the island. It was brilliantly designed by Robert Trent Jones II to take full advantage of its natural surroundings. Golfers take a swing watched by wild green parakeets perched on organ-pipe cactus, and lizards basking on the rocks. The fourth hole is alongside a saltwater pond inhabited by a variety of exotic bird species, while burros graze beside the fifth hole. Aruba's endangered burrowing owls perch on coral caves near the sixth.
Those hoping to polish up their game can enjoy the course's popular 'No-embarrassment Clinic', run over a half a day. Pro-golfers who like a challenge will find the course offers various wind conditions that make club selection an important factor. The terrain is dry, arid and flat, typical of a desert links. The Bermuda Grass fairways are kept in excellent condition and are fairly wide. Hazards include bunkers full of soft white Aruba sand, cacti, coral rock formations, and water hazards called 'salinas' on holes 13, 14 and 15. The greens are planted with Bermuda Tif Dwarf grass, are fast and have no hidden breaks. Most putts are affected by the wind.
Travel guide by wordtravels.com © Globe Media Ltd.