Aruba - April 2024

The most commonly used phrase on this trip was "how is this real?". The beaches were some of the best I've ever seen. This tiny island is a perfect beach getaway. Be warned, there isn't much else to do on the island other than visit different beaches, so if you're not a beach person, this may not be for you...but man...was it for me.


Where to Stay:

Generally, it's recommended to stay close to Palm Beach or Eagle Beach. Palm beach accommodations tend to be more expensive, but may be worth it. For a pro/con list, see the "What to Do" section below.

Our luxury condo at Le Vent was walking distance to Eagle Beach. I would highly recommend this spot. 

Tip: Be careful when booking close to Eagle Beach. There is a sewage treatment plant and in some areas you do smell it. Passions on the Beach is a restaurant that we visited, where we did notice a smell, but close to our condo there was no smell whatsoever.

It seems that weather in Aruba is always great. So there is no "best time of year" from a weather perspective. However, prices may be lower starting in April.

Car Rental Options:

We rented a car through the condo owner - Genesis - the service was great, but the cars were fairly old. Some of the other options are:

What to Do:

  • Beaches - the two most widely known and recommended beaches are Palm Beach and Eagle Beach. There are pros and cons of each. The beaches are listed in order from North to South
    • Arashi Beach - great for snorkeling, very calm water
    • Palm Beach - I really liked staying close to Playa Linda Beach Resort Aruba (close to Eduardo's Beach Shack)
      • Pros: calmer water (great for kids), close to many restaurant selections
      • Cons: more crowded (touristy) as it's beside large hotel chains, water sports
    • Eagle Beach
      • Pros: less crowded, more likely to get a palapa, unencumbered views
      • Cons: fewer restaurants around, has more waves than Palm Beach
    • Manchebo Beach
    • Divi Beach - This was my favourite beach in Aruba. Many palapas available.
    • Surfside Beach - you can watch the airplanes take off
    • Mangel Halto - on top of a rock, there is a wooden platform you can use to get into the water). We saw many snorkelers and scuba divers in this area. It may be great for snorkeling, but I do not recommend this beach for swimming
    • Baby Beach - amazing for kids as it's shallow and has no waves. Unfortunately it is close to what used to be an oil refinery that no longer operates as such. The refinery is just a bit of an eyesore, but the beach is worth visiting
    • Boca Grandi - many waves, great place to watch kite surfers
    • Dos Playa - popular beach for surfing (reached by a 4x4 car or hiking)
  • California Lighthouse
  • Butterfly Farm - no need to book in advance (8:30am - 4:30pm)
  • Explore Downtown (Oranjestad)
    • Shopping
    • Plaza Daniel Leo is the name of the colourful colonial buildings 
    • I Love Aruba sign
  • Donkey Sanctuary - you can feed them, it's on the way to baby beach (9:00am - 4:00pm). My kid loved it so much, we had to go here twice. 
  • Arikok National Park (8:00am - 4:00pm) - four wheel drive is recommended
    • Natural Bridge
    • Caves (Fontein Cave and Quadirikiri Cave) (9:00am - 4:00pm)
  • Other 
    • ATV tour
    • Wind Sports
    • Snorkeling trip - Red Sail (you get taken to an Antilla shipwreck)
    • Aloe Factory
    • Renaissance Aruba's Private Island (Flamingos) - very difficult to find information. Where the flamingos are is only open to adults. Kids are allowed in the morning.
    • De Palm Island - very pricey,  but good for kids
    • Aruba Sunset Sail
Palapa Tip: All palapas on Aruba beaches are public, however, the hotels tag them for their own guests very early in the morning. If you see an empty palapa, without loungers, you are free to take them. You'll be approached by a hotel representative that will ask if you would like to rent loungers, but you are not obligated to. Rental prices range from $10-$50 depending on the beach.

Shade Tip: Getting a palapa was probably the toughest part of not staying at an all-inclusive resort, however, we always managed to somehow find shade. I recommend bringing a travel beach umbrella as a back up option. Unfortunately, umbrellas aren't the best on Aruba as the wind is fairly strong and you have to secure the umbrella well, but it's better than nothing as the sun is very strong.

Where to Eat: 

We weren't able to visit all these restaurants. I've marked the ones we visited, and the ones I recommend with a "Recommend" .
  • North of Palm Beach
    • Visited: Arashi Beach Shack - there are few options close by. This is a good spot for a drink and a quick snack, but wouldn't recommend for a full meal
  • Close to Palm Beach
  • Close to Eagle Beach
    • Infini - fine dining
    • Recommend (for the experience only): Passions on the Beach (breakfast/lunch/dinner, great lunch and dinner menu - reasonably priced. Food was fine, but this was a great experience to have a meal on the beach. If you can find another spot that serves dinner on the beach, I would chose another spot. This place is located close to a sewage treatment plant and you do smell it. It is faint, but it is there.
    • Yami Yami - sushi, somewhat pricey
    • Groceries: Super Food Plaza - 2-8pm, sundays: 9-6pm. There is a cafe in the store that was highly recommended to me that I would not recommend (unless you're out of options). In fact, I would not recommend Super Food grocery store as it is very pricey. See below for more options.
    • Senor Burrito Aruba
    • Recommend: Terrazza Italiana - the view on the patio is incredible. They have live music. Go for sunset.
    • Recommend: Zucchini Restaurant and Lounge - the food is delicious, but there is no view.
    • Aru-bean Coffeehouse
    • Recommend: Bingo Cafe - cute restaurant, many options on the menu and delicious food
    • Recommend (Groceries): Ling & Sons Food Market - much better prices than Super Food Plaza
    • Recommend: Gloria Mall has a few food options as well: pizza, bowls, salads. 
  • Around Oranjestad
  • South of Oranjestad
    • Recommend: Zeerovers - fresh fish, pay by weight. Very cool spot with great views.
    • Flying Fishbone - water comes up to the knees (fancy)
  • Ice Cream

Tips:

  • Bring sunscreen because the wind is constant and makes it very pleasant while you slowly cook.
  • Sunscreen has to be coral friendly (without oxybenzone).
  • USD currency works well.
  • Try fresh fish everywhere.
  • Public transportation is available but is not very frequent. If you want to explore the island, renting a car is recommended. 
  • Make reservations for restaurants.
  • Taking shells or coral from the beaches is strictly prohibited and subject to a fine.
  • If staying at a condo, grocery shopping works well. See recommendations above. 
  • Wherever you stay, try to see as many sunsets as possible. They are magnificent.

Budget:

All  numbers below are in Canadian dollars for 9 days for two adults and one child (unless stated otherwise).

Flights: $420/person
Accommodations (cheaper to split with another family): $2,500 
Car Rental: $700 for a small car
Food: $1,000
Total: $5,460