Aruba is famous for good weather, beaches, the flamingos and the Fofoti Trees. But Aruba is more than beaches, a lot of people don’t realize Aruba is a desert, so there are lots of cool things to do that involve exploring the island’s landscape.
Here are things to do in Aruba:
Beaches
Let’s get the obvious out the way; Aruba has some amazing beaches, and the best part is each beach is unique. Eagle Beach with its Fofoti Trees and powder soft white sand is a beautiful tranquil beach that has been widely considered one of the best beaches in the world. Palm Beach is famous for nightlife, lavish hotels and cocktails by the beach. Then there is Mango Halto which is a mangrove beach with tons of places for a picnic, hidden and protected from the sun underneath the mangrove forest. And one of the best is Baby Beach, known for crystal clear calm and shallow water. There are many other beaches in Aruba, but these are the must visits in my opinion.
Night out at Palm Beach
Head down to Palm Beach for dinner and some nightlife. Try the famous mini-Dutch pancakes at Pofferdorie or grab a drink at Fat Tuesdays. There are plenty of restaurants with all kinds of food and plenty of bars, including the Sopranos Piano Bar in Palm Beach.
Day Trip to a Private Island
Everyone knows Aruba is synonymous with Flamingos, but where do you find Flamingos? You can book a day pass to Renaissance Island which is a luxurious private island that is home to Flamingo Beach. Or you can go to De Palm Island, which also has Flamingos and is an all-inclusive island with a water park.
ATV or Jeep Tour
Aruba is an arid desert landscape with unique terrain to navigate and many cool land formations to see. There are many ATV and jeep tours to see many of these natural wonders. We have a baby girl, so we didn’t do this but explored some of the sites that you’ll visit on these tours.
Rent a Car and Explore
Drive along the coast and see some of the untouched beaches like Boca Grandi and the famous Red Anchor Monument; continue driving and see some of the cool things that Aruba has to offer. You can visit San Nicolas for street art and culture and then head to the Natural Bridge on the eastern coast of the island. You can also visit the Natural Pool which is a calm swimming spot protected from the rough waters by the rugged rocky coast.
Donkey Sanctuary
While driving around the island you can visit the Donkey Sanctuary, which is free to enter. Here you can encounter close to 100 donkeys and walk amongst them on the desert farm. At the visitor center you can buy a bucket of food and feed the donkeys or buy a souvenir and an ice cream. Visiting the Donkey Sanctuary was an amazing experience.
Sunset Cruise
Aruba has amazing beaches and some amazing sunsets. There are several companies offering sunset cruises. Most will be about 2 hours and include a few stops along the coast and offer swimming, drinks and some snacks. We booked with Viator, here is the link. The cruise was on a catamaran, had all-inclusive alcoholic drinks, a few snacks and a swimming stop with a rope swing. It was fun but be careful with how much you drink.
Visit Oranjestad
Walk around and look at the colourful buildings of the capital of Aruba, Oranjestad. You can do some shopping for souvenirs or enjoy dinner and some drinks while watching the sunset over the water.
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