Aruba. One happy island!
Aruba sits in the heart of the southern Caribbean, just a few miles off the Venezuelan coast. Its position means that it is below the hurricane belt. With an average temperature of 30c along with little rainfall, it makes for a perfect year round holiday destination. Aruba is small, only 19 miles long and 6 miles wide at its widest point. The island’s topography and vegetation are unique for the Caribbean. The southwest coast has miles of gorgeous white sand (Eagle beach is often ranked as one of the best beaches in the world) edged by the bluest of seas, while the northeast coast is rugged and wild. The interior is desert-like with huge cacti and rock formations which reminded me of the U.S Wild West. The island’s most famous tree, the divi divi tree deserves a mention, they are permanently sculpted into southwest-bending shapes, by the ever present trade winds. The Aloe Vera plant grows naturally on Aruba and is a major export.
Aruba is safe for visitors. High employment, a minimum wage and social housing make for a good standard of living with little crime. As it is so safe, you really feel at ease exploring the island - hire a car, go for a walk, head to town to shop or have dinner. In Aruba drivers have to stop for pedestrians at all times, so even crossing the road is safe!
Arubans are pretty open minded. They welcome LGBT travellers and in September voted to recognise same-sex unions with equivalent benefits. I found this attitude so refreshing when compared to some other Caribbean islands (and other countries!)
Naturally, you find the majority of hotels in Aruba laid out along the fantastic beaches of the southwest coast. There are hotels in the capital town of Oranjestad, which are great if you like shopping and visiting Casinos and you’re not too bothered about the beach. You then have two other main resorts, the high rise area and the low rise area. The larger high rise hotels on Palm Beach are represented by big brands such as Ritz Carlton, Hilton, Hyatt Regency and Holiday Inn to name but a few. These are great all-rounder hotels suitable for families, friends and couples. Behind the hotels is a strip with a variety of bars and good restaurants. Away from the beach is a beautiful quirky property called the Boardwalk which offers self-catering studios, one and two bedroom apartments, which are perfect if you wanted a base to explore the island with a hire car.
Further towards Oranjestad are the low rise hotels situated on Eagle beach (which, in my opinion is the best on the island). They have a boutique feel and would suit couples or honeymooners. Here you will also find the gorgeous Bucuti & Tara resort (adults only) which was so peaceful and serene. This was my favourite hotel out of all that I visited.
The beach area is well serviced by local buses and taxis making it easy to explore whichever resort you were staying at.
There’s heaps to do in Aruba. For a small island it packs in a lot. If you can manage to tear yourself away from the beach, then there’s snorkelling, diving (Aruba has some good shipwrecks off shore), sailing, fishing, 4x4 tours to name just a few activities. There’s even a national park to explore.
What makes Aruba unique for me are the stunning white beaches scattered with the divi divi trees against the backdrop of the sapphire and turquoise water. I couldn’t stop staring out to sea and quite often found myself transfixed for a moment or two! The Aruban’s laid back friendly attitude makes sense of the island’s strap line ‘one happy island’. Saying that, I guess most people would find it quite easy to be happy if they too lived in Aruba!
If you would like to discuss Aruba in more detail, then please feel free to call me. I would love to create your perfect holiday to this amazing place!
