Aruba's slogan rings true: One Happy Island
Nov 07 '01
The Bottom Line Whether you want a romantic, active, family, sophisticated or adventurous vacation, in Aruba you can have it all.
Aruba is a beautiful island. I had the privilege of growing up there, and I can tell you that for such a small island (approximately 72 square miles), you can't beat all the amenities.
In addition, the people are friendly and accommodating, the hotels are lovely, the beaches are wonderful, and the climate is warm year-round. It never gets colder than 70 degrees in Aruba. Average temperature: 85 degrees. 85 degrees! That must be steaming hot! However, the beauty of it is that you don't feel the heat as much. This is due to the trade winds that make sure that there's always a nice breeze all year round. In fact, this breeze, which is strong and 97% in the same direction, is responsible for leaving one of Aruba's legends behind: crooked trees. The Divi-Divi grows in one direction, and is a marvel to see. Ask your tour guide about them.
First of all, if you love sun and sea, you have to go to the beach. Never attempt to go to the ocean at the north side of the island. Remember those cooling trade winds? Well, here's where they make the ocean crash violently against the rocks at the northern side of Aruba. The crashing waves are quite a sight to see, but by no means a place to swim. The best beaches are at the west side of Aruba, where there's a row of hotels. Personally, of those in the row, I like the Marriott, Hyatt, La Cabana, Playa Linda, and Costa Linda. They are all right at the beach, with the exception of La Cabana, where you have to cross a road (not busy at all) to get to the beach. The beaches on this strip have white sugar-like sand, turquoise waters, and they're calm and rock-free.
I've traveled to many places, including Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Mexico, and California. In fact, I live in Miami, Florida. Yet I still think Aruba has the best beaches that I've ever seen. The fact that there's relatively quiet and you can find a secluded spot is a big plus. In addition, you don't get people on the beach trying to sell you things. It's just you and the waves. The only time Aruba's beaches really get crowded in some parts, is Labor Day weekend. Aruba's Labor Day is celebrated in May, and you may see many campers by the beach. That's traditionally the time where Arubans like to go the beach. If you happen to see these crowds in May, don't get discouraged. You may still find secluded spots on the other side of the island, the east side, where you can also go to the beach at Roger's Beach. It's generally quieter there.
As far as shopping goes, there are a myriad of stores, ranging from jewelry stores (where you can find great deals on 18k gold) to your typical souvenir shops. You can go to the Main Street in Oranjestad, the capital, and have a Dutch beer at The Dissel, a Dutch bar and restaurant, in between shopping. There are also clothes and shoes you may not easily find in the U.S., such as Latin American and European lines. Prices are competitive.
Aruba has many, many restaurants to choose from. There are those who offer French gourmet fare in an elegant setting, and there are more casual ones offering everything from Caribbean to American cuisine. Some of the cuisines available: Italian, Chinese (granted, Chinese-Aruban), Indonesian, Indian, American, Aruban, Antillian, Caribbean, Dutch, French, Argentinian, and Japanese. Aruba prides itself in having some excellent chefs that have won international awards in cooking competitions and evaluations.
If you're not too adventurous and like to stick close to home, we do have McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's in the heart of the city (one each). I would recommend selecting from the wide variety of restaurants and cafés. The hotels tend to have excellent dishes as well.
Aruba's night-life is alive and vibrant. You can go dancing on Tattoo, a party boat where you can drink, dance, and meet people. They play everything from disco to carnival music.
Ah, Aruban Carnival. Carnival season starts at either the end of January or the beginning of February, and is a 40-day long celebration (not all at once) beginning with calypso contests and carnival queen contests. When those special people have been chosen, the celebration culminates with the Lighting Parade (a parade of lights, where beautiful floats are lit), the Big Parade in the eastern town of San Nicolas, and the Big Parade in Oranjestad. Carnival is a time of having fun, and throwing your cares to the wind. It's a delightful experience.
Not to miss: the jeep tour. You take a jeep tour through rough Aruban terrain (desert-like in its beauty) and see the Natural Bridge (a bridge created by erosion of rocks), caves, and visit to the famous Natural Pool, which you can't get to without a jeep. It's truly an experience to remember. The tour guides are friendly, and know the terrain like the back of their hands. On the way, you can see native flora and fauna, the latter being mostly iridescent lizards, native goats, donkeys, and iguanas.
There are so many things to write on Aruba. Having been born and raised there, I could probably explain everything I know in a book. I hope I have given you an idea of the activities you could participate in. The island can be what you want it to be. Whether you want a romantic, active, family, sophisticated or adventurous vacation, in Aruba you can have it all.
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Epinions.com ID:
Kibaima
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Location: Islamorada, FL
Reviews written: 9
Trusted by: 2 members
About Me:
Name: Carolyn Age: 27
I'm married and have a toddler.
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