At an island as diverse and beautiful as Aruba, choosing whether to start exploring the breathtaking natural beauty, the history-drenched land, the dreamy shoreline with the sugary beaches and crystalline waters, the island’s colourful and vibrant culture, the animated nightlife or the exquisite culinary scene is definitely a challenge worth taking up!
To give you a few hints, here are the most prominent and heart-stopping Aruba landmarks (besides quintessential attractions like the Butterfly Park and the Aloe Vera Farm that have been described in detail in the Places to Visit in Aruba section) that are great starting points in your quest to create a list with authentic Aruba experiences.
The California Lighthouse (aka Hudishibana)
Sitting quietly and gracefully at the northwestern tip of the idyllic Caribbean island, the California Lighthouse might not be the oldest lighthouse on Aruba, but it is definitely the most imposing, with a soaring height of 30 metres (98 feet). Constructed in 1916 and named after a wooden sailing ship (namely S.S. California) that sank off the Aruba coast before its construction in 1910, it provides sweeping 360-degree panoramas of the island and fantastic sunset views. The lighthouse is open to the public from 09:00 to 19:00 with a small entry fee of around $5.
Surrounding the iconic landmark are acres of cacti, stone-filled flat land, and sand dunes (aka California Dunes) that are most favoured among dune surfers! Magnificent and rough, the landscape will definitely give you a nice alternative to the flourishing inland.
The Bushiribana Ruins
At first glance, they appear as plain and ordinary stone structure ruins. Diving into the history behind it, though, instantly gives visitors the real perspective and significance of this site. It all started in 1824, when gold was discovered in Aruba, which led to the construction of the Bushiribana smelter by the Aruba Island Gold Mining Company a year later to extract gold from ores close to the Ceru Plat (aka Seroe Plat) hills.
Until 1916, Aruba was the epicentre of a massive gold rush that has been relatively unspoken and unknown to the wider public. During this period, it is said that more than 3 million pounds of gold have been produced by the Aruba mines! Today, the Bushiribana ruins is a vantage and history-packed stopping-off point for those heading to the now-collapsed Aruba Natural Bridge.
The Alto Vista Chapel (aka Pilgrims Church)
Despite its small size, the picturesque Catholic chapel is a conspicuous religious monument (originally built by Venezuelan missionary Domingo Silvestre in 1750) standing on the northern shore hills and a bit less than 30 kilometres further from the Venezuela coast. You will recognise it by its vibrant yellow tones and the peacefulness exuded from the location. Completed in 1952, the current Alto Vista chapel holds the exact same location as the original Alto Vista Chapel and is believed to be the place where the Aruban Indians would convert to Christianity and the location of the very first church in the entire Caribbean.
Today, the chapel still holds services, while also enticing with spellbinding views of the northern Aruba coastline, giving justice to its name (Alto Vista means Highest View in Spanish), and a profound sense of serenity, where the only sound you listen is the waves crashing on the shore in the distance.
Note: Another religious landmark worth seeing up close is the Roman Catholic rock-cut shrine of Lourdes Grotto near Seroe Preto. Dating back to 1958, it turns heads with the 700-kilogram statue of the Virgin Mary, while it also holds a mass and a grand precession every February 11 (on the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes) that starts from a San Nicolas’ church (Saint Teresita church).
The Red Anchor
This is actually a gigantic red anchor that adorns the wild coast between Bachelor’s Beach and Boca Grande Beach. So, if you are headed towards Seroe Colorado, or Baby Beach, it is impossible to miss it. At the same time, the Red Anchor serves as a monument not only for the sailors that have lost their lives after the sinking of their old tanker off the Aruba coast but all fallen seamen. Now, if you are wondering how that massive anchor got there in the first place, the locals have quite a few stories to tell if you take a moment and ask them! In any case, it is a fantastic place to stop and shoot some shots to take with you on your way back home.
The Frenchman’s Pass
Back in the 17th century, French pirates invaded Aruba. According to the legend, the local Indians confronted the pirates at the narrow passage that is now referred to as the Frenchman’s Pass, which is found on the eastern side of the island. Then, to deter the Indians, the French tried to smoke the first out of a cave located nearby. In the end, though, they themselves inhaled their own smoke and died. The islanders claim that they sometimes hear the hauling of the Indians when passing by the location, claiming that the spirits of the French and Indians that had died on the scene haunt the Spanish lagoon after sunset.
Fort Zoutman
Remember mentioning that the California Lighthouse is not the oldest lighthouse on the island? This is because the 5-storey Fort Zoutman Lighthouse holds the sceptres in this regard, as it was built in 1796. Other than a scenic landmark, though, Fort Zoutman is, in general, a building that was constructed in 1789 by the Dutch army, which makes it the oldest structure at Aruba. Followed by the rise of the impressive Willem III Tower nearly 80 years later, it feels as if the island’s heritage has soaked the walls of this glorious fortress as you climb the stairs to reach the top and take in the incredible views of the Aruba capital.
The Aruba Capital
Oranjestad is the charming capital of the island that stands out from any other capital due to its iconic, colourful buildings that line its streets and tell stories of the island’s robust past as it moves towards a prosperous future. Besides the plethora of cultural events and the exceptional dining and shopping scene, Oranjestad also pampers with the numerous local attractions that make an Aruba visit worthwhile, including the infamous Butterfly Park and the Aloe Vera Farm, as well as the Aruba History Museum, and many more!
At an island as diverse and beautiful as Aruba, choosing whether to start exploring the breathtaking natural beauty, the history-drenched land, the dreamy shoreline with the sugary beaches and crystalline waters, the island’s colourful and vibrant culture, the animated nightlife or the exquisite culinary scene is definitely a challenge worth taking up!
To give you a few hints, here are the most prominent and heart-stopping Aruba landmarks (besides quintessential attractions like the Butterfly Park and the Aloe Vera Farm that have been described in detail in the Places to Visit in Aruba section) that are great starting points in your quest to create a list with authentic Aruba experiences.
The California Lighthouse (aka Hudishibana)
Sitting quietly and gracefully at the northwestern tip of the idyllic Caribbean island, the California Lighthouse might not be the oldest lighthouse on Aruba, but it is definitely the most imposing, with a soaring height of 30 metres (98 feet). Constructed in 1916 and named after a wooden sailing ship (namely S.S. California) that sank off the Aruba coast before its construction in 1910, it provides sweeping 360-degree panoramas of the island and fantastic sunset views. The lighthouse is open to the public from 09:00 to 19:00 with a small entry fee of around $5.
Surrounding the iconic landmark are acres of cacti, stone-filled flat land, and sand dunes (aka California Dunes) that are most favoured among dune surfers! Magnificent and rough, the landscape will definitely give you a nice alternative to the flourishing inland.
The Bushiribana Ruins
At first glance, they appear as plain and ordinary stone structure ruins. Diving into the history behind it, though, instantly gives visitors the real perspective and significance of this site. It all started in 1824, when gold was discovered in Aruba, which led to the construction of the Bushiribana smelter by the Aruba Island Gold Mining Company a year later to extract gold from ores close to the Ceru Plat (aka Seroe Plat) hills.
Until 1916, Aruba was the epicentre of a massive gold rush that has been relatively unspoken and unknown to the wider public. During this period, it is said that more than 3 million pounds of gold have been produced by the Aruba mines! Today, the Bushiribana ruins is a vantage and history-packed stopping-off point for those heading to the now-collapsed Aruba Natural Bridge.
The Alto Vista Chapel (aka Pilgrims Church)
Despite its small size, the picturesque Catholic chapel is a conspicuous religious monument (originally built by Venezuelan missionary Domingo Silvestre in 1750) standing on the northern shore hills and a bit less than 30 kilometres further from the Venezuela coast. You will recognise it by its vibrant yellow tones and the peacefulness exuded from the location. Completed in 1952, the current Alto Vista chapel holds the exact same location as the original Alto Vista Chapel and is believed to be the place where the Aruban Indians would convert to Christianity and the location of the very first church in the entire Caribbean.
Today, the chapel still holds services, while also enticing with spellbinding views of the northern Aruba coastline, giving justice to its name (Alto Vista means Highest View in Spanish), and a profound sense of serenity, where the only sound you listen is the waves crashing on the shore in the distance.
Note: Another religious landmark worth seeing up close is the Roman Catholic rock-cut shrine of Lourdes Grotto near Seroe Preto. Dating back to 1958, it turns heads with the 700-kilogram statue of the Virgin Mary, while it also holds a mass and a grand precession every February 11 (on the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes) that starts from a San Nicolas’ church (Saint Teresita church).
The Red Anchor
This is actually a gigantic red anchor that adorns the wild coast between Bachelor’s Beach and Boca Grande Beach. So, if you are headed towards Seroe Colorado, or Baby Beach, it is impossible to miss it. At the same time, the Red Anchor serves as a monument not only for the sailors that have lost their lives after the sinking of their old tanker off the Aruba coast but all fallen seamen. Now, if you are wondering how that massive anchor got there in the first place, the locals have quite a few stories to tell if you take a moment and ask them! In any case, it is a fantastic place to stop and shoot some shots to take with you on your way back home.
The Frenchman’s Pass
Back in the 17th century, French pirates invaded Aruba. According to the legend, the local Indians confronted the pirates at the narrow passage that is now referred to as the Frenchman’s Pass, which is found on the eastern side of the island. Then, to deter the Indians, the French tried to smoke the first out of a cave located nearby. In the end, though, they themselves inhaled their own smoke and died. The islanders claim that they sometimes hear the hauling of the Indians when passing by the location, claiming that the spirits of the French and Indians that had died on the scene haunt the Spanish lagoon after sunset.
Fort Zoutman
Remember mentioning that the California Lighthouse is not the oldest lighthouse on the island? This is because the 5-storey Fort Zoutman Lighthouse holds the sceptres in this regard, as it was built in 1796. Other than a scenic landmark, though, Fort Zoutman is, in general, a building that was constructed in 1789 by the Dutch army, which makes it the oldest structure at Aruba. Followed by the rise of the impressive Willem III Tower nearly 80 years later, it feels as if the island’s heritage has soaked the walls of this glorious fortress as you climb the stairs to reach the top and take in the incredible views of the Aruba capital.
The Aruba Capital
Oranjestad is the charming capital of the island that stands out from any other capital due to its iconic, colourful buildings that line its streets and tell stories of the island’s robust past as it moves towards a prosperous future. Besides the plethora of cultural events and the exceptional dining and shopping scene, Oranjestad also pampers with the numerous local attractions that make an Aruba visit worthwhile, including the infamous Butterfly Park and the Aloe Vera Farm, as well as the Aruba History Museum, and many more!