Bonbini na Aruba – One Happy Island!

Even though there is nothing like Christmas and the Holidays in the north east, sometimes you just have to escape for some R&R. Getting away to the Caribbean is one of the most popular options, as proven by sold out hotels and exorbitant flight prices during this period. We had little hope when we started looking for options in mid November. By sheer luck, we found a relatively decent deal for round trip flights to Aruba. Aruba had always been on the list, and a 6 day trip during the Holidays seemed like just what the doctor ordered to cure cabin fever!

Day 1 – Day 1 was pretty much a travel day with a 4 1/2 hour flight that got us to Aruba around 5pm. Aruba is a very tourist friendly country and the government has set measures in place to ensure tourists have a positive experience. It is evident from the moment you land. The Customs and Immigration at Queen Beatrix International Airport was very smooth and fast. Taxi rates are pre-set depending on the distance and the taxi station is very organized. You don’t have to worry about booking a taxi service prior to traveling as there are mini vans for larger groups too. We made it to our Airbnb apartment in the Palm Beach area in under 20 minutes. The apartment was not beach front, but within walking distance to the ‘high rise’ area. The Palm Beach high rise area or specifically J.E. Irausquin Blvd is where all the nice restaurants, clubs, casinos & shopping plazas are. It’s called the high rise area because of all the tall hotel buildings along the shore line. The ‘low rise’ area is where most of the all-inclusive resorts are.

Day 2 – We decided to lay low so we headed over to the Moomba beach, which was a short walk from our apartment. Palm Beach and Moomba Beach are just next to each other. Both beaches were overly crowded and too commercialized, which was disappointing but expected as they form the beach front for most of the hotels. There are plenty of water sport activities to do at the beach and they seemed fairly priced; remember to always negotiate as there is no one price for all. We spent most of our day near the Moomba Beach Bar & Restaurant which offered plenty of adult beverages along with some good finger food and lunch. After 5pm we headed to the high rise strip, as most shops and stores usually open around that time, to see if we could book the UTV vehicle tour to the National Park. We got a good deal after negotiating a bit and ended up booking with the Around Aruba Tours.

Day 3 – The plan for Christmas Day was to spend the first half of the day at Eagle Beach, rated the 3rd best beach in the world. Eagle Beach is famous for Aruba’s unique Fofoti trees and being home to hatching sea turtles. We decided to get some exercise by walking to Eagle Beach, which was about a 2 mile walk from our place. On our way, we got to experience some Aruban hospitality; a very sweet lady driving a truck passed us but then turned around asked where were we headed. She offered to give us a ride which was very kind of her and befitting of the Christmas spirit! We got to the beach around 10am and got a nice spot with beach lounges under the tiki hut. We paid around 20 bucks for a couple of beach lounges which is pretty standard for the Caribbean islands. Eagle Beach was definitely considerably better than the Palm Beach/Moomba Beach area. With beautiful turquoise water, smooth white sand and thinner crowds, one can see why this beach would be amongst the top contenders. The water is pretty calm and great for jet skiing, however we did not have much luck with snorkeling here. After spending a good part of our day at the beach, we decided to head back to our apartment for a few hours of downtime. For Christmas dinner, we decided to head back to the high rise strip; most places, I would say about 80% were open on Christmas Day. We had dinner at Dragonfly Sushi & Asian Lounge, which is very popular. However, being spoiled by great Asian food back home, we found the food very mediocre. For desert, we headed to the Plaza; I would highly recommend that you try the Mimos Ice Cream Rolls here.

Day 4 – We were picked up from our apartment for our 4-hour guided UTV expedition tour by Around Aruba Tours. Most of the tours provide free pick-up and drop-off throughout the island from your place of stay. The tour started from Philip’s Animal Garden where they have done an excellent job of maintaining an exotic animal sanctuary. The group got into their respective UTVs and ATVs from the sanctuary and followed our tour guide to the Arikok National Park. The tour had short stops at Alto Vista Chapel, Baby Bridge, Bushiribana Gold Mills Ruins and the famous Conchi Natural Pool which is rated as one of the top ten natural pools around the world. The Arubans used to use this natural pool to farm sea turtles for their meat but ever since sea turtles were declared as a protected species, the pool was converted into a tourist attraction. The most fun part of the expedition was to drive the UTV through the rough terrain, exploring Aruba’s rocky coastline .I would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for an adventure filled day. Be prepared to get dirty, carry lots of snacks and drinks (including some adult beverages if you like), caps/hats and protective eye wear (sunglasses will do as well). 

Day 5 & 6 – We wanted to use the last few days of our trip to just unwind and relax at the beach. How can a Caribbean vacation end without getting in some good snorkeling? As you continue further up north from Palm Beach and Moomba Beach, there is the Hadicurari Beach which is famous for windsurfing and kite surfing. Next up is the Malmok Beach and just a short distance from there you will come across one of the best beaches for snorkeling in Aruba – the Boca Catalina. From Palm Beach, you can take a bus or taxi to the Boca Catalina. The water is very shallow and extremely salty which keeps you naturally afloat and there is abundance of marine life. You can literally just stand, put your head down in the water and see some pretty fish right next to you. The beach is very rocky under water, so definitely come prepared with water shoes. There is no need for a snorkeling expedition when you can simply come to Boca Catalina and do as much snorkeling as you like for the entire day, and watch the perfect sunset later. Bring enough food and drinks as there are no restaurants or bars at or near this beach. A short walk up north from Boca Catalina is the Arashi beach which is the northern most tip of the island. Arashi beach is a nice spot to have a fun day enjoying the sun, sand & ocean and relax under a Palapa. Arashi beach has a small shack that offers food and drinks on the beach. Just a short walk away from Arashi Beach is the California Lighthouse landmark that offers good panoramic views and a nice spot for taking pictures.

Day 7 – The day we never look forward to i.e. the day of the return. From sunny skies to below freezing wind chill, from 80 degree to 30 degree temperatures, from white sand & turquoise water to snow and sleet… who wouldn’t be bit sad leaving this paradise. If you are traveling to the US, give yourself extra time as your customs and immigration for the US happens in Aruba itself. This is really good, so you don’t waste too much time at the tail end of your trip. Leaving Aruba was not a good feeling but I know that we will be back to this paradise someday soon again. 

We left Aruba with some really good memories to cherish for years to come. This small country has a lot of good things to look up to, one of them being their courtesy to yield to pedestrians and they surely top the list for that. With 96+ nationalities, 40+ religions and about a 120K population that co-exists in harmony, Aruba is truly One Happy Island.

Here are some tips –

• For those who rather prefer an all-inclusive resort experience, there are plenty of options available in Aruba, however to get a glimpse of real Aruba, do venture out and explore the island
• Aruba has one of the most sophisticated salt water treatment plants which makes tap water on the island completely safe to drink
• Aruba is well connected by bus lines. If you plan to take more than 3-4 bus trips to explore different parts of the island, it is highly recommend that you buy the bus pass as that offers discounted trip pricing
• There are plenty of supermarkets around if you need to get groceries or supplies.
• If you would like to explore the island on your own in a fun and adventurous way, there are options for ATV, UTV and Scooter rentals
• Carry some cash as some taxis do not accept credit cards
• USD, Euro and Aruban Florin are the accepted currencies, and Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted