Featuring wind-chiselled desert landscapes, captivating sugary beaches, dramatic vistas, year-round sunshine, dry weather (consistently), waters that offers options (from calm to wave-battered shores) museums, galleries, brightly-coloured Dutch colonial buildings, a plethora of water sports and things to do and see, a massive amount of nature-related attractions, and some of the best wreck diving in the Caribbean, Aruba definitely gives right to its nickname (One Happy Island)! Although it’s impossible to visit every single place on the island (admittedly, trying to figure out a “best of” list can be more than challenging), below are 11 local attractions that should undeniably be part of your Aruba vacation.
The Incredible Shoreline
Aruba’s beaches are hypnotising, to say the least. Sugary and powdery with crystalline, jade waters on the northwest and more suited to adrenaline lovers on the windward east, the Aruba coast has a spot for every taste and desire. In the first case, the 11-kilometre-long uninterrupted shores from Eagle Beach and Druif Beach to Malmok and Palm Beach are literally dreamy. For a few more romance injections, idyllic sunsets, and a little more peacefulness, though, we suggest Manchebo Beach on the same side of the island.
Action seekers can head towards the eastern shores and beaches like Dos Playa, Boca Prins, Boca Granti, Bachelor’s Beach, Boca Andicuri, and Black Stone Beach that welcome larger waves and stronger currents, laying the table for kitesurfers and windsurfers. As for the coastline on the southeast, it is perfect for families with kids, as well as inexperienced swimmers, due to the calm and shallow waters.
The Fairy Tale-Like Capital
Oranjestad is a charismatic city with striking pastel-hued buildings epitomising Dutch colonial architecture while bringing Caribbean and Spanish elements to the mix. Well-maintained parks, super-clear, and tidy streets, an unbeatable playful atmosphere, and more entertainment options than one can imagine, from museums (the Aruba Historical Museum at the King Willem II Tower is a must-see) and galleries to restaurants and waterfront venues for the late evening hours, a blossoming Mother Nature, an Aruba Aloe Factory that teaches about the medicinal attributes of aloe vera plant, and the fantastic Butterfly Farm will give you unforgettable moments. For superb cityscapes, do consider heading to Hoolberg – a 165-metre-tall rock formation. You’ll be gratefully rewarded, no doubt about it!
The Magical Arikok National Park
Covering 18% of the island, this natural wonder stimulates the senses with unique rock formations, sand dunes, mysterious caves, large trade wind-weathered boulders bearing Indian paintings, and cacti-covered landscapes. A playland for outdoor adventure lovers, it invites visitors to get lost in its trails, beautiful shores, the picnic-perfect spot near the Anicouri Natural Bridge, and the 19th-century Bushiribana Gold Mill Ruins at the scenic waterfront. And, don’t be surprised if you see iguanas, lizards, goats, parakeets, and other wildlife – they have a non-stop daily party here!
An iconic place to visit within the Arikok National Park is the Boca Prins. Massive sand dunes, limestone cliffs, and a shoreline dotted with the amazing Blue Lagoon and the impressive Fontein Cave give this place a hypnotic appeal. What is even more exciting is that the beachscape changes every time the wind blows, chiselling the sand dunes into new shapes. If for nothing else, come here for the staggering coastal views!
Tip: To explore this place and elevate your fun factor, horseback riding, and 4WD vehicles are ideas that will certainly make your day!
The California Lighthouse & Dunes
They both occupy a spot on the northern tip of Aruba and pose on the covers of most Aruba tourist magazines, brochures, and postcards. Expect a rugged, but enticing, cacti-filled terrain adorned with idyllic sand dunes and grazing goats surrounding an imposing lighthouse that got its name from a ship that sank off the Aruba coast. Offering some of the most breathtaking sunset views and panoramic vistas of all of Aruba, the California Lighthouse is also the perfect spot on the island to compare the rough sea of the east with the calm waters of the western Aruba shore.
The Dive Sites of Aruba
Several vessels now rest in Aruba’s serene underwater cosmos. Suited for divers of all levels, the island’s dive sites open the door to unique experiences featuring plane fuselages, cargo ships, tugboats, and anything in between. With the most significant wreck in the Caribbean being the Antilia, it’s no wonder that the dives between Arashi and Malmok are the most popular ones, as this is where the ship lies. Next in line come the oil tanker Padernales and the 76-metre-long Jane Sea (a former concrete freighter) - both stunning and somewhat eerie!
Besides diving, though, Aruba’s aquatic world can also be enjoyed via snorkelling thanks to the many sections of shallow waters near the wrecks. As for those loving the natural universe below the water and its marine life, Aruba pampers their eyes with amazing coral reef dive sites, such as Mas Bango Reef, Plonco Reef, and Skalahein Reef, which also provide exceptional snorkelling spots. Alternatively, you could hop on the Atlantis Submarine and let it guide you through the heart-stopping subaqueous beauties of the island without moving a muscle!
The Butterfly Farm
Nature-lovers and photograph enthusiasts will live a dream at the enclosure of the Butterfly Farm near Palm Beach. Verdant tropical gardens welcome visitors instantly, while different species of the beautiful winged creatures flutter happily all around. Want to catch a unique sight? Make sure you come early to watch the butterflies transform from a chrysalis to something entirely new and delicate. A guided tour will also come in handy, especially if you are eager to find out details like their life cycles and habitats.
Note: Your single admission enables you to visit the farm as many times as you wish!
Other Fantastic Aruba places to visit
- The Aruba Aloe Factory & Museum – This is usually done via a tour that combines factory walk-throughs, theoretical knowledge and information about the therapeutic plant, and hands-on experiences as you watch your guide extract the aloe flesh by filleting an aloe leaf. However, self-tours are also an option.
- Philip’s Animal Garden – It’s a non-profit animal sanctuary and rehabilitation centre for over 50 exotic and other animal species, including horses, pigs, goats, monkeys, emus, kangaroos, ocelots, and ostriches that also provides educational tours. They even have an Ostrich Farm where you can admire and learn more about the beautiful feathered creatures.
- The Donkey Sanctuary – Another non-profit organisation on the island that rescues and treats injured and sick donkeys. You can watch them from the shade of the cafeteria or interact with them by giving them some snacks!
- The Flamingo Beach – Located on Renaissance Island, it is a sublime shore with crystalline, azure waters (also ideal for scuba diving, snorkelling, sailing, SUP, and kayaking) where the bright pink flamingos steal the show. You may also book a private cabana and indulge in a delicious meal on the shore. Note that you’ll need to book a special pass to access the Renaissance island (unless you stay at the Renaissance Wind Creek Aruba Resort). Also, children are allowed on the beach for one hour daily (between 9.00 am and 10 am).
- De Palm Island – A private stretch of sand that you can reach within five minutes from the mainland via ferry ride. A particularly family-friendly place and a land offering a plethora of activities, splash pools, water slides, underwater walks, beach massages, salsa lessons, bingo games, volleyball, snorkelling, and many more.
Featuring wind-chiselled desert landscapes, captivating sugary beaches, dramatic vistas, year-round sunshine, dry weather (consistently), waters that offers options (from calm to wave-battered shores) museums, galleries, brightly-coloured Dutch colonial buildings, a plethora of water sports and things to do and see, a massive amount of nature-related attractions, and some of the best wreck diving in the Caribbean, Aruba definitely gives right to its nickname (One Happy Island)! Although it’s impossible to visit every single place on the island (admittedly, trying to figure out a “best of” list can be more than challenging), below are 11 local attractions that should undeniably be part of your Aruba vacation.
The Incredible Shoreline
Aruba’s beaches are hypnotising, to say the least. Sugary and powdery with crystalline, jade waters on the northwest and more suited to adrenaline lovers on the windward east, the Aruba coast has a spot for every taste and desire. In the first case, the 11-kilometre-long uninterrupted shores from Eagle Beach and Druif Beach to Malmok and Palm Beach are literally dreamy. For a few more romance injections, idyllic sunsets, and a little more peacefulness, though, we suggest Manchebo Beach on the same side of the island.
Action seekers can head towards the eastern shores and beaches like Dos Playa, Boca Prins, Boca Granti, Bachelor’s Beach, Boca Andicuri, and Black Stone Beach that welcome larger waves and stronger currents, laying the table for kitesurfers and windsurfers. As for the coastline on the southeast, it is perfect for families with kids, as well as inexperienced swimmers, due to the calm and shallow waters.
The Fairy Tale-Like Capital
Oranjestad is a charismatic city with striking pastel-hued buildings epitomising Dutch colonial architecture while bringing Caribbean and Spanish elements to the mix. Well-maintained parks, super-clear, and tidy streets, an unbeatable playful atmosphere, and more entertainment options than one can imagine, from museums (the Aruba Historical Museum at the King Willem II Tower is a must-see) and galleries to restaurants and waterfront venues for the late evening hours, a blossoming Mother Nature, an Aruba Aloe Factory that teaches about the medicinal attributes of aloe vera plant, and the fantastic Butterfly Farm will give you unforgettable moments. For superb cityscapes, do consider heading to Hoolberg – a 165-metre-tall rock formation. You’ll be gratefully rewarded, no doubt about it!
The Magical Arikok National Park
Covering 18% of the island, this natural wonder stimulates the senses with unique rock formations, sand dunes, mysterious caves, large trade wind-weathered boulders bearing Indian paintings, and cacti-covered landscapes. A playland for outdoor adventure lovers, it invites visitors to get lost in its trails, beautiful shores, the picnic-perfect spot near the Anicouri Natural Bridge, and the 19th-century Bushiribana Gold Mill Ruins at the scenic waterfront. And, don’t be surprised if you see iguanas, lizards, goats, parakeets, and other wildlife – they have a non-stop daily party here!
An iconic place to visit within the Arikok National Park is the Boca Prins. Massive sand dunes, limestone cliffs, and a shoreline dotted with the amazing Blue Lagoon and the impressive Fontein Cave give this place a hypnotic appeal. What is even more exciting is that the beachscape changes every time the wind blows, chiselling the sand dunes into new shapes. If for nothing else, come here for the staggering coastal views!
Tip: To explore this place and elevate your fun factor, horseback riding, and 4WD vehicles are ideas that will certainly make your day!
The California Lighthouse & Dunes
They both occupy a spot on the northern tip of Aruba and pose on the covers of most Aruba tourist magazines, brochures, and postcards. Expect a rugged, but enticing, cacti-filled terrain adorned with idyllic sand dunes and grazing goats surrounding an imposing lighthouse that got its name from a ship that sank off the Aruba coast. Offering some of the most breathtaking sunset views and panoramic vistas of all of Aruba, the California Lighthouse is also the perfect spot on the island to compare the rough sea of the east with the calm waters of the western Aruba shore.
The Dive Sites of Aruba
Several vessels now rest in Aruba’s serene underwater cosmos. Suited for divers of all levels, the island’s dive sites open the door to unique experiences featuring plane fuselages, cargo ships, tugboats, and anything in between. With the most significant wreck in the Caribbean being the Antilia, it’s no wonder that the dives between Arashi and Malmok are the most popular ones, as this is where the ship lies. Next in line come the oil tanker Padernales and the 76-metre-long Jane Sea (a former concrete freighter) - both stunning and somewhat eerie!
Besides diving, though, Aruba’s aquatic world can also be enjoyed via snorkelling thanks to the many sections of shallow waters near the wrecks. As for those loving the natural universe below the water and its marine life, Aruba pampers their eyes with amazing coral reef dive sites, such as Mas Bango Reef, Plonco Reef, and Skalahein Reef, which also provide exceptional snorkelling spots. Alternatively, you could hop on the Atlantis Submarine and let it guide you through the heart-stopping subaqueous beauties of the island without moving a muscle!
The Butterfly Farm
Nature-lovers and photograph enthusiasts will live a dream at the enclosure of the Butterfly Farm near Palm Beach. Verdant tropical gardens welcome visitors instantly, while different species of the beautiful winged creatures flutter happily all around. Want to catch a unique sight? Make sure you come early to watch the butterflies transform from a chrysalis to something entirely new and delicate. A guided tour will also come in handy, especially if you are eager to find out details like their life cycles and habitats.
Note: Your single admission enables you to visit the farm as many times as you wish!
Other Fantastic Aruba places to visit
- The Aruba Aloe Factory & Museum – This is usually done via a tour that combines factory walk-throughs, theoretical knowledge and information about the therapeutic plant, and hands-on experiences as you watch your guide extract the aloe flesh by filleting an aloe leaf. However, self-tours are also an option.
- Philip’s Animal Garden – It’s a non-profit animal sanctuary and rehabilitation centre for over 50 exotic and other animal species, including horses, pigs, goats, monkeys, emus, kangaroos, ocelots, and ostriches that also provides educational tours. They even have an Ostrich Farm where you can admire and learn more about the beautiful feathered creatures.
- The Donkey Sanctuary – Another non-profit organisation on the island that rescues and treats injured and sick donkeys. You can watch them from the shade of the cafeteria or interact with them by giving them some snacks!
- The Flamingo Beach – Located on Renaissance Island, it is a sublime shore with crystalline, azure waters (also ideal for scuba diving, snorkelling, sailing, SUP, and kayaking) where the bright pink flamingos steal the show. You may also book a private cabana and indulge in a delicious meal on the shore. Note that you’ll need to book a special pass to access the Renaissance island (unless you stay at the Renaissance Wind Creek Aruba Resort). Also, children are allowed on the beach for one hour daily (between 9.00 am and 10 am).
- De Palm Island – A private stretch of sand that you can reach within five minutes from the mainland via ferry ride. A particularly family-friendly place and a land offering a plethora of activities, splash pools, water slides, underwater walks, beach massages, salsa lessons, bingo games, volleyball, snorkelling, and many more.