Aruba - A Dreamy Island in The Caribbean
Aruba is a Caribbean island approximately 35 miles North of Venezuela. It is an interesting place to visit because of its landscape that combines white sandy beaches with an arid desert landscape. The daytime temperature is typically about 85 degrees and the night time temperatures drop to the mid 60s. I visited Aruba with my girlfriend for a week in November and it seemed to be a good time to visit as there were not a lot of people around.
The beaches of Aruba are fabulous. They are white sand with crystal clear blue water. We stayed at a hotel right across from Eagle Beach, which is clearly one of the more popular beaches. There is a walkway that goes for about a mile along Eagle Beach. The walkway is a great place to run and there is a particularly spectacular stretch where the ocean laps against the coral and trees. We found the best beaches, however, to be the ones on the southern end of the island as there were very few people there and you could truly appreciate the beauty of the desert landscape. In this area, there are also large herds of goats just roaming the beach. The beaches there are completely undeveloped with a rugged landscape along the shoreline. The shore is dotted with the native Divi Divi trees and cactus plants.
At the southern end of the island is a small town called Seroe Colorado. The town is now largely uninhabited since the closure of the Lago Oil Refinery in 1985. Before then, all the residents of Seroe Colorado were expatriates working for the refinery. When you enter the boundary of the town from the main road, the remnants of the guarded gate are still visible just behind the Anchors Monument. The Anchor Monument, a large ship anchor painted red, serves as a tribute to all seaman who tragically lost their lives at sea. The monument provides for a great view across the desert landscape dotted with cactus plants to the ocean beyond and is a popular spot for the perfect Instagram shot.. The town slopes right down to Rogers Beach with colorfully painted steps leading down the steep hill between the beach and the town. The ruins of the oil refinery provide a dramatic backdrop to the landscape.
Just to the north of Rogers Beach is Baby Beach. Baby Beach borders a shallow lagoon formed by a coral reef. Swimming there is not really possible because the water is so shallow, but it is a wonderful place to just sit in the warm water. The backdrop is still rugged, though is some construction of condominiums along the hill just above the beach. There is a casual restaurant at Baby Beach called Big Mama’s that serves basic burgers and sandwiches. But, the ribs there are a true treat. They are succulent and juicy with a tangy sauce, apparently true Aruban style, according to my girlfriend who lived in Aruba for three years. For a truly memorable experience, end the afternoon at Baby Beach by visiting the Rum Reef bar and restaurant. The food there is not particularly great. The real highlight of the place is the infinity pool where you can be served drinks in the pool. The bartenders literally walk along the edge of the pool to bring your drinks. There is an excellent assortment of classic and specialty cocktails to choose from and the prices are reasonable. The pool looks out over a point of land toward the ocean. On a clear day, you can see Venezuela along the horizon. One of the days that my girlfriend and I were at Rum Reef, we were able to vaguely see Venezuela against the low lying clouds of the horizon.
There are number of good restaurants in the hotel area at Eagle Beach and in the main town of Oranjestad. The best place we ate dinner was a restaurant called Kokoa where tables were set up on the beach within a few feet of the ocean. Candles on the tables with the waves lapping at the beach make for a very romantic meal. The food two was excellent and the prices were perhaps a little on the expensive side, but considering the location it was well worth the price. Our bill for appetizers, entrees, drinks and sharing a desert was $154. In Oranjestad, we had Sunday brunch at The Dutch Pancake House. The pancakes are more along the lines of a crepe and are absolutely delicious. There is good range of sweet or savory toppings. There are also a number of good bars dotted along the walkway running along Eagle Beach to the hotel area.
Oranjestad is also a good place to shop, though there are a lot of places catering to cruise ship passengers. Shops range from high end like Cartier and Ralph Lauren to touristy places selling t-shirts and souvenirs. Just beyond the main street of Oranjestad is a wonderful primary pedestrian only street that has a good number of interesting shops. The shops on this street are closed on Sunday, though. Walking around Oranjestad you get to see an great contrast between the developed area near the cruise ship terminal and the colorful somewhat dilapidated residential area. Many of the houses, just like many of the others on the island, are painted in bright colors of primarily pink, yellow and blue.
Another place well worth visiting in Aruba is Arikok National Park. The park covers 34 kilometers along the eastern shore of Aruba. The jagged cliffs dropping down to the ocean make for a dramatic site when the waves lash against the shoreline causing what look like geysers. The entry fee for the park is $20 and is well worth the price. There is one main road through the park that is perfectly navigable by car. However, there are a number of other roads in the park only accessible with a four wheel drive vehicle. Unfortunately, we did not have a four wheel drive vehicle on this visit. The drive through the park, though, does provide visitors with plenty of opportunity to explore the arid landscape of rocks, coral, and cactus plants. There is a surprising amount of variation between the colors. The caves in the park are also worth going into.
There is also no lack of water sport activities available in Aruba. My girlfriend and I went on a three hour snorkeling cruise offered by Delphi Watersports. The cost was $160 per person for a three hour cruise that included snorkeling gear, unlimited basic cocktails, and a sandwich wrap on the return trip. The cruise onboard a forty-two foot catamaran offers two stops for snorkeling. The first is above the wreck of a German ship sunk during World War Two and the second is just off the coast in. I found the shipwreck the most impressive of the two. However, both offer amazing views of tropical fish swimming among the coral and the wreck.
Regardless of whether you want to just relax on the beach or have some adventure, there is no lack of things to do in Aruba. Direct flights are available from a number of airports in the Eastern United Sates with a flight time of about four hours.
