Vacation on Aruba: Sights, Beaches & Highlights

Our tips for Aruba: The A of the ABC Islands

Vacation on Aruba - that sounds so heavenly like palm trees and endless white beaches. But where exactly is Aruba located? Aruba is one of the so-called ABC islands along with Bonaire and Curacao and is only 25 km away from the coast of Venezuela. For us it was the first trip to this part of the world and we are still amazed. Spoiler alert: Aruba has taken our hearts by storm! And that is definitely not only due to the paradisiacal beaches and the crystal clear water, but also for a completely different reason.

Everything you need to know about vacationing in Aruba

Bon bini! Welcome to Aruba! Language(s) in Aruba

"Bon bini" means "Welcome" in Papiamentu, the local language Aruba. Because in addition to the official language Dutch, Papiamento is also spoken in Aruba. The creole language originated on Curaçao during the second half of the 17th century and spread from there to Aruba and Bonaire. Papiamento is a wonderful mix of Portuguese, Spanish, Afro-Portuguese Pidgin, Dutch and English.

Even German-sounding words like "Danki", which translated also means thank you, occur in Papiamento. Due to the proximity to Venezuela and Colombia, Spanish is also spoken. At school and in the family, Aruba's children learn four (!) languages ​​from an early age: Papiamento, Dutch, English and Spanish. Perfect English is spoken almost everywhere on the island. And the population of Aruba is as diverse as the languages. There are over 110 nationalities living in Aruba!

One happy island: Is a vacation on Aruba worth it?

One reason we fell in love with Aruba so much is because of the wonderful people on the island. Rarely have we met such warm, helpful people as in Aruba. We spoke to some locals, such as Tito Bolivar, the founder of Aruba Mural Tours, and he shared with us why Aruba people are so balanced and happy. Of course, the sunny weather plays a major role, but not exclusively. He told us that there is hardly any social inequality and at the same time Aruba offers a very high quality of life. For example, primary and secondary schools are free. Young people also have the opportunity to go to the Netherlands to study there after they graduate. But there are also universities on Aruba.

Sights in Aruba: Small but mighty

Although Aruba is only 30 km long and about 9 km wide, the small island offers an incredible number of activities and sights. We spoke to locals who are still discovering something new in Aruba after more than 30 years. A new small natural pool was recently found (here you can find the already known one Conchi natural pool).

Unique Street Art in San Nicolas - Art Murals

On the second day of our trip we visited the colorful Art Murals in San Nicolas. The interactive art district is like a museum of sorts under the Caribbean sun. But since the artworks here are also part of the buildings and architecture of San Nicolas, it's much more relaxed than the typical quiet museum you're used to. Because here the works of art create an interesting dialogue between the artists, locals and tourists. And in several languages ​​at the same time.

Until 1880 San Nicolas was a simple fishing village. However, after phosphate was found in the area, an oil refinery was built and the second largest city in Aruba quickly developed into an industrial and working-class city. However, in the mid-80's, the oil refinery ceased operations, causing many residents to leave San Nicolas. Gambling and prostitution dominated the streets from then on. San Nicolas therefore did not play a major role in tourism at first and was overshadowed by the popular sights of Aruba.

But Tito Bolivar wanted to change that. When he returned from a trip to Colombia in 2015, he had a vision for the then bare, drab walls of San Nicolas. He quickly put together a collective of artists and San Nicolas not only blossomed in the brightest colors, but has also developed into a real magnet for visitors since the Art Fair. The street art works of art are a real treat for the eyes and soul. Because every work of art thrives on exciting details and is rooted in the history of San Nicolas and the spirit of Aruba.

Oranjestad – The colorful capital of Aruba

Colorful, more colorful - Oranjestad! The lively capital of Aruba looks a bit like the Caribbean version of a Dutch city with its colorful colonial-style house facades. However, since nobody lives in the colorful houses in the center of the city and mainly fashion boutiques have taken up residence, Oranjestad also has a bit of an amusement park character.

Sights in Oranjestad - port city with flair

With almost 30.000 inhabitants, Oranjestad is Aruba's largest city and a popular starting point for exploring the island. Especially because the port city is approached by many cruise ships. Oranjestadt is great to explore on foot. The best place to start is with a stroll along Lloyd G. Smith Boulevard, Oranjestad's port street.

Lagoon & Wilhelmina Park

If you want to watch iguanas as much as we do, then you've come to the right place in Oranjestad's Wilhelmina Park. In the evening we even saw Aruba's national animal here: The burrowing owl (rabbit owl), also known as Shoco, is a cute little owl that mainly lives in burrows and nests there. Due to the smuggled Boa Constrictor, the population of this owl has unfortunately declined significantly in recent decades.

We were all the happier to meet the Shoco owl when we discovered it on the Anne Frank statue in Wilhelminapark. What we liked about Oranjestad, apart from the beautiful animal encounters, is the location right by the sea. A pleasant breeze blows in the secluded lagoon of Oranjestad, which is really good after a long tour of the city.

The Blue Horses of Aruba

Hard to miss are the eight blue horse statues in Oranjestad. They are reminiscent of Aruba's horse trade but are also symbolic of Aruba's historical role. For over three centuries, Aruba was considered the "stable" of the changing colonial powers in the Caribbean.
The horse trade began in the 16th century under Spanish occupation.

However, the horse trade flourished during Dutch rule. That's why Oranjestad used to be called Paardenbai. The sculptures represent the strengths of “nobility, grace, beauty and freedom”. They represent Aruba's collaboration with local and international communities and global trade between Europe, South America, the Caribbean Islands and the Mediterranean. But why are they blue? Quite simply, the blue color symbolizes the sea and is reminiscent of the historical moment when the horses jumped from the ships into the sea of ​​Aruba and initially lived on the island in large herds for a long time.

Oranjestadt City Hall - Getting married on vacation in Aruba

The path along the Havenstraat is lined with historic buildings in the style of Caribbean townhouses. One of the most striking and beautiful buildings in Oranjestad is the green City Hall, known as the Stadhuis. Both locals and tourists get married here in a civil ceremony. Pretty practical to say YES in Aruba and then spend the honeymoon on the island.

The tram in Oranjestad

Cute, isn't it? The colorful trams give Oranjestad a bit of a San Francisco feel in the middle of the Caribbean. There are a total of four cars that travel a distance of just under two kilometers between the port and the city center. As you can imagine, the railway is much more of a pretty tourist attraction than a typical mode of transportation. The train has been in operation since 2012 and the ride is free for everyone.

Arikok National Park - wild & untouched

A holiday on Aruba not only offers white dream beaches and palm trees, but also has a completely different, rougher and wild side that we really wanted to get to know. We were originally lured by the Conchi Natural Pool after seeing numerous pictures of it on the internet. But looking back, we find the huge nature reserve in which the pool is located particularly exciting and worth seeing.

Since we neither booked a tour nor had an off-road vehicle as a means of transport, we followed the numerous advice on other blogs to simply drive a rental car to Daimari Ranch, park there and walk about 30 minutes 2 km to the Natural Pool to run. So far so good.

Hiking Aruba - Short Hike to Conchi Natural Pool

But in theory it sounded much easier than it really was. We would definitely NOT recommend driving the route to the ranch in a normal car, as the off-road dirt road can be very critical in places. Also, we were the only people on the trail that day. We found that on the one hand wonderfully slowing down and on the other hand a bit exciting. Rarely have I experienced such a "loud silence" as in Arikok National Park. The wind raged relentlessly and deserted beaches spread out in front of us. Here and there a crab scurried under our feet but otherwise? Absolute peace and quiet. Only your own breathing and heartbeat as companions.

Arriving at the natural pool was not a disappointment, but a realization: the way to the pool was the real goal after all. Because the Conchi Pool itself was unfortunately not visible that day due to the high waves. But that was okay. But we got to know the incredibly beautiful wild nature of Aruba a little better. If you don't want to take a guided tour to the natural pool or go on a lonely hike, you can also do the route on horseback.

Gold mines in Aruba

The first discovery of gold in Aruba dates back to the beginning of the 19th century. In 1824, a shepherd's son found a gold nugget on the north coast of Aruba and proudly brought it to his father. The story goes that one night in the local pub, the father divulged the secret find over a little too much alcohol, triggering a real "gold rush". Almost 100 years until the end of the Second World War in 1918, gold mining was Aruba's largest industry - a total of 1.735 kg of gold was mined during this time.

We visited the former gold smelter in Bushiribana on our excursion with ABC Tours and found the historical remains of the former gold rush super fascinating. Inside the ruins you can enjoy a wonderful view of the north coast of Aruba.

The most beautiful beaches in Aruba - Our top 4

Aruba is world famous for its heavenly white beaches and is definitely one of the most beautiful places we have ever seen. Velvety soft, white powdered sugar sand, crystal clear water, countless coconut palms, strange trees and a colorful underwater world that invites you to snorkel and dive - what more do you want? We particularly liked the fact that we could easily get from one beach to the other and that almost every beach is very easy to reach by car. In addition, it is nice to meet many locals on the beaches as well as tourists. So we quickly got into conversation with some people who live in Aruba. We found it exciting to learn more about life and everyday life on the island.

But now we come to our top 4 of the most beautiful beaches on Aruba. In 7 days on Aruba we didn't manage to visit all of Aruba's beaches, but the ones we saw are simply breathtakingly beautiful! Let's start with a little beach hopping.

1. Mangel Halto – Tranquil snorkeling & diving paradise in the mangroves

Mangel Halto is a popular starting point for various water sports activities such as kayaking & SUP tours on the open sea. The mangrove grove right on the beach is beautiful. The mangroves are not only an absolute eye-catcher and a pretty photo motif, but also offer many shady berths.

In addition to the colorful underwater world, the Kappel shipwreck should also be very interesting for divers and snorkelers. The tugboat lies at a depth of 12-15 meters under the sea and, thanks to the clear water, can already be seen from the water surface.

2. Baby Beach – picture book Caribbean beach at its finest

In the southeast of Aruba near San Nicolas is Baby Beach - one of the most popular and famous beaches on the island. Anyone who visits this beach can easily understand why it is popular with tourists and locals alike: the gleaming white sandy beach is located in a paradise-like lagoon straight out of a picture book.

The water is crystal clear and shimmers from afar in the most beautiful turquoise we have ever seen. Incidentally, Baby Beach owes its name to the wind-protected lagoon location: the gently sloping, shallow water is ideal for families with children. Here even the little ones can come into contact with the sea without much danger and, with a bit of luck, maybe even meet a sea turtle.

3. Rodger's Beach in San Nicolas - Among locals

A little insider tip is Rodger's Beach in San Nicolas, which is particularly popular with locals. The view of the disused oil refinery may be a little irritating at first, but the water on this beach is at least as clear as Baby Beach and the sand is even softer! Rodger's Beach is also a bit quieter than Baby Beach and has an overall pleasant vibe.

4. Same same but different at Eagle Beach - Charming fofoti trees on the 2 km long sandy beach

Eagle Beach is probably the dream Caribbean beach par excellence and has even made it into the ranking of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean. It has received the Tripadvisor Traveller's Choice Award several times in a row in recent years. And maybe you've seen this picture of the bizarrely shaped trees on the beach. Because there are two special tree species that grow on Aruba, which are similar but different. One of them grows on Eagle Beach and has even made the beach famous.

Danger of confusing two beauties

While the so-called Fofoti trees are similar to the Divi-Divi trees that are considered the symbol of the island, one notable difference is that Fofoti trees grow on the beach, while Divi-Divi trees are more likely to be found off the coast. Several of the graceful fofoti trees are located directly on Eagle Beach. Incidentally, the trees owe their bizarre shape to the northeast trade wind.

Eagle Beach is not only the largest beach on the island, but also a popular (Instagram) photo motif thanks to the unusual shape of the Fofoti trees, which give the beach an almost surreal touch. The best time to photograph the trees is very early in the morning when the sun rises or in the evening when the sun goes down.

The best snorkeling spots in Aruba

Arashi Beach - Snorkeling paradise with a view of the California Lighthouse

Another beach that we are really excited about is Arashi Beach. A Caribbean postcard idyll not only awaits you above the water, but also below the surface of the water: just a few meters from the shore, a colorful underwater world blooms, inviting you to snorkel and explore. With its spacious, shallow entry into the water and the calm waves, Arashi Beach is also ideal for families with children. From the beach you have a wonderful view of the California lighthouse. Surrounded by wild cacti and other beautiful desert plants, a footpath leads to the recently renovated lighthouse. If you want to go high, you can even climb the lighthouse for $5 and enjoy a fantastic panoramic view of the island. Especially at sunset, the landscape shines in a sea of ​​intense colors.