That’s right! Those pretty palm trees landscaping the resort area in Aruba are imported! Not to worry, there are plenty more reasons than palm trees to vacation in Aruba.
Planning
I began this adventure with a flight search to any and all Caribbean islands. I wanted a beach, sunshine, and warm temperatures. I played around with the days of the flight until I found an agreeable price.
Day 1
On a Tuesday, we woke up bright and early, boarded a flight, and landed in Aruba in the middle of the afternoon.
First stop, the hotel. I chose to stay at a small family-run hotel, the Dorado Eagle Beach Hotel. Our room—one of ten—had a tile floor, a comfy bed, a shower (with local aloe products), and a kitchenette (with a full-size refrigerator).
Second stop—after changing into shorts and sandals—beautiful Eagle Beach, a short walk from our hotel. Arriving at the beach, I shucked my sandals and dug my toes into the soft, white (and surprisingly cool) sand.
After walking on the beach, we purchased bus passes from the Aruba Market and headed downtown for the Bon Bini Festival, where we learned the history of the island and about the language of Papiamento. The popcorn dancers, dressed in colorful outfits, entertained with their quick movements, and the marching band gave a glimpse of Carnival.
For dinner, we ate at Cuba’s Cookin’. The garlic shrimp, delicious. The clash of music from neighboring restaurants and live musicians throughout the marketplace, not so delightful.
I recommend finding one of the indoor dining venues if you prefer a quieter meal. I can vouch for The Brownstone Restaurant. We sat inside on another night and the noise level was much more pleasant. Also, order the Dutch fish and chips. Juicy grouper with a thin layer of beer batter makes for a yummy meal. Don’t forget the homemade lemonade. Or if you want a stronger drink, choose from the many whiskies and bourbons on the blackboard on the wall.
Day 2
Off to M’s Crepes, a poolside shack at the Casa del Mar Beach Resort. I had savory with sausage, bacon, and eggs. My hubby had sweet with nutella and fruit. We washed it down with mango smoothies. Afterward, we ventured to Santos for tea and coffee—a caffeine fix to fuel us for our day on the beach.
At the beach, I played in the water, listened to an audiobook while soaking up the sun, and walked along the beach. My walk revealed a rockier shoreline and further validated my choice of accommodation. Not a single rock dared mar our stretch of Eagle Beach.
Hungry after a day at the beach, we headed to the Red Fish for dinner. What an adventure that turned into! On the map, the route looked easy and one hundred percent walkable. Turns out Aruba doesn’t have many sidewalks, save the biking/walking path along part of the resort/hotel area. Still, we traipsed through roadside grass and across one roundabout, ending up at Red Fish. Totally worth the effort. I ate fresh snapper and my hubby had Mahi, followed by cheesecake and chocolate cake for dessert.
We absolutely had the restaurant call us a taxi to take us back to the hotel.
Day 3
I woke up earlier than my hubby and took myself on a walk along the biking/walking path, camera in hand. The beach became rocky shoreline with divi-divi trees and lizards skittered from my path.
After my walk, I stopped in at the Clover Minimarket at the La Quinta Beach Resort. I ordered waffles covered in coconut yogurt and fruit, as well as two fruit smoothies. Good wife that I am, I brought breakfast back to the hotel to share. But since my hubby did not wake, I stored his waffle in the refrigerator and his smoothie in the freezer, leaving a note that I’d be at the beach.
For dinner, we took a food tour, stopping at Patio, Ocean Opus, Cuba’s Cookin’, West Deck, and Ristorante Italiano Italy in the World. The West Deck was by far my favorite. With it’s wooden deck and laid-back vibe, it was exactly the type of restaurant I’d stop into without checking the reviews.
Day 4
Another morning walk revealed a quaint shoreline, an iguana, and a sign for a possible dinner option. After that, we spent a relaxing day on Eagle Beach—at one point with frosty, nonalcoholic drinks in hand from Coco Loco, a short walk from our spot on the beach.
That night, after showering off the sand, we walked to Po-Ké Ono, at one of the beach residences, for dinner. We walked along the bike/walking path until I spotted the sign again. The lack of a pedestrian crossing didn’t stop us. We crossed the road and followed another group of people up a path to the residences, through a coded gate, and into the building. I believe the main entrance is at the front of the building, along another road. Probably another road without a sidewalk. The point is, we made it.
Once inside, we sat at the bar. The menu is quite simple with a choice of poké bowls, sushi, or steamed baos. I enjoyed the pork belly bao and my hubby a sushi roll. Good food worth a ramble into the road and into an unfamiliar complex. (I later spotted another location at the Renaissance Marketplace. If only I had known about that location before.)
We ended the day with chocolate fondue at Santos.
Day 5
First stop, the Clover Minimarket, yet again, for breakfast. I can’t recommend this place enough. My hubby ordered a Chemex and the server made it tableside! In addition, we both ordered french toast. Turns out this is toast topped with yogurt and fruit, not the egg-soaked kind. Delicious nonetheless.
Stomachs full, we ventured to Boca Catalina Beach via the bus. This beach has a sandy entrance, flanked by rocky coastline. I recommend water shoes. The ocean floor boasts more than a few rocks in this area. I walked out into the crystal clear waters, armed with my Olympus TG-5, my fabulous underwater camera. Sadly, I did not have goggles. Still, even standing in water and looking down, I could see the fish. And the fish loved me. The palometas thought I’d make a tasty treat and ambushed my legs on more than one occasion.
To finish the day, we went to Ike’s Bistro for their Saturday Local Night menu. The menu includes two options: three courses or four courses. We chose the four-course meal, which included both an appetizer and fish soup, rather than one or the other. After three of four courses, we determined ourselves too ambitious. Not to worry—the server boxed our desserts and we enjoyed them for breakfast the next morning.
Day 6
Adventure Day! After coffee, tea, and breakfast at the Clover Minimarket, and a stop to buy goggles, we boarded the bus to Savaneta. The helpful bus driver asked where we intended to go and, at our stop, directed us to Zeerovers. A short walk through a residential neighborhood and we arrived at the restaurant, whose parking lot overflowed with cars. Inside, we studied the menu while waiting in line to order food. Our choices: locally caught fish of the day, shrimp, and a variety of sides. Having ordered fish for two, we wove our way through the wall of people (locals and tourists alike) watching the World Cup. We snagged a picnic table and waited for our food.
I proclaim this the best meal ever! The fish was covered in a light batter with salt and pepper. And I’ve never had a bad fried plantain. The cheering of fans for the teams in the World Cup added to the atmosphere.
After lunch, we boarded the bus (two busses to be exact), and headed to Mangel Halto Beach. After a skipped bus stop and a stop at one in the middle of nowhere, whereupon we stayed on the bus, we ended back in downtown Oranjestad. From Oranjestad, we boarded another bus. With the assistance of the helpful bus driver, we found our destination. We waded out toward the coral reef to snorkel. By snorkel, I mean that I took a deep breath and stuck my head in the water. An incident many years ago taught me that I don’t mix well with snorkel tubes. We stayed until sunset, watching the pelicans fly.
Day 7
This day marked another adventure, this time to the Casibari Rock Formations and into Arikok National Park. No, we did not attempt this ourselves. We used ABC Tours.
I can’t stress this enough: Let the professionals do the driving! Arikok National Park has narrow dirt roads not made for a normal vehicle. There are plenty of potholes to ruin a rental car (even one made for the rugged terrain).
At the Casibari Rock Formations, we climbed a set of rock stairs and were treated to views of the island. Second stop, Conchi Natural Pool, but because of the rough waters we did not swim.
Next stop, Fontein Cave, where we saw ancient cave drawings. The earliest date etched into rock was 1583. The road from here led to Dos Playa Beach with beautiful views. Again, too rough to swim. We ended the tour at Mangel Halto Beach for a little time in the water. The tour also included lunch.
Upon returning to the hotel, we procured beach chairs and towels and happily lazed at Eagle Beach until sunset.
Final Day
I spent the first few hours in the water, husband on the shore reading. Then, after washing off the sand, we took a taxi to the airport. Once at the airport, keep out your passport. At least on the U.S. departures side, there are three checkpoints. Have your passport open or allow the security personnel to open it for you. Don’t fumble around trying to find the correct page. (Not that I’d have any reason to offer that advice…)