Soaking up the Sun in Aruba
- Isla Ramie
- 19 hours ago
- 11 min read
Updated: 1 hour ago
Did you know that Aruba enjoys over 300 sunny days per year? Because the island is safely outside of the Caribbean hurricane belt, you can't plan a bad time to visit. The downside is that the sun is hot in Aruba, which can lead to nasty sunburns, so if you want to enjoy your trip on "One Happy Island," bring your sunscreen and keep reading for tips on planning an excellent adventure.
When I first thought about a vacation to Aruba, it wasn't very appealing. Most people seem to go to the island to drink and sit on the beach. Living the resort life is not for me. But great flight deals and the thought of escaping the winter doldrums had me pining for some time in the sun, so I booked a stay at the Marriott Renaissance Wind Creek Resort in Aruba for access to Renaissance Island and its flamingos, and Mike, my daughter, and her boyfriend headed off to Aruba for some much-needed Vitamin D.
The first thing people usually decide on when vacationing is where to stay, and that was no different for us. There are a gazillion different options on the tourism-focused island; you only need to decide how much money you want to spend and possibly if you want to spend time with those flamingos that you see all over #aruba social media. I didn't know much about Aruba before booking, and luckily, using Marriott Reward points, I found the perfect hotel with access to Flamingo Beach. Island lodging can cost anywhere from $200 USD per night on up. The Renaissance Wind Creek starts between $ 275 and $ 375 (2026) per night depending on the season, not including a resort fee, which gives you access to Renaissance Private Island. The island is known for its peaceful atmosphere and beautiful adults-only Flamingo Beach. It is said that Renaissance Island is the quieter alternative to De Palm Island (another island with flamingos that seems more family-friendly). The Wind Creek has two separate buildings, one hosting only adult patrons and the other with rooms that have a pull-out bed and can accommodate a small family. Although I loved the hotel, I would not feel comfortable visiting here with small children due to the restrictions and child-free areas.
I felt the Renaissance had a lot of nice amenities: a private island, a pool bar, adult-only and children's pools, separate spaces for child-free adults, snow cones and snacks throughout the day, not to mention great proximity to shopping and dining, and convenient access to Orangested. We stayed in the Ocean Suites building, which allowed children, and it did get a bit loud. Also, the rooms felt a bit dated and less upscale than the Marina Tower, which is adults-only but a hair farther from the ocean. The Ocean Suites were located near the Renaissance Marketplace, which we visited daily for ice cream and snacks. This was very convenient. I do recommend making Aruba an adventure and renting a car, but if you solely want to spend time at Flamingo Beach, the Ocean Suites side is a great spot because it is very walkable.
There was surprisingly a variety of things to do on this island despite my initial thoughts that I would be bored on the beach all day. Many of our days revolved around beach time and snorkeling, but we also made time for other adventures, including visits to Arikok National Park and our ongoing quest to make core memories through our stomachs. Here is what we found.
Snorkeling
We planned our Aruba vacation around snorkeling. We purchased fins and life jackets for everyone in the family because some members of our party hadn't been snorkeling before and weren't feeling confident. Plus, the strong winds, boat traffic, and currents that can pull you out into the open ocean made planning and safety a priority. If interested, our gear is all linked here on my Amazon Page. Please consider supporting me by making purchases through the link, as I receive a portion of each purchase. It costs you nothing extra, but it means a lot to me. I never promote any product I don't love! Also, if you are looking for an underwater camera, I highly recommend the Olympus TG-7. Many of my underwater photos are taken with one. It does a beautiful job.
If you are ever interested in product review posts, I would be happy to do one. As you can see, I have three sets of fins, each with their strengths and drawbacks. There are various places to rent snorkeling gear and hire guides for the different snorkeling locations.
There are a variety of awesome snorkeling opportunities in Aruba, and I will rank the places we swam from beginner to advanced and add highlights for each so readers can plan a safe snorkel trip. We had planned to do a much more aggressive snorkeling schedule, but injuries (I developed a nasty blister and was exhausted) had us shave off some more advanced swims.
Flamingo Beach: This snorkel was enjoyable and the most relaxed. It was in the enclosed lagoon of Renaissance Island's adults-only beach. There was a lot to see, and the snorkeling was beginner-level. Mike even said it was probably among the best varieties of fish we have seen. There was minimal coral, but the fish were abundant.
Conchi Natural Pool: Not exactly a snorkel per se, but an awesome experience in crystal clear water. More on this in the Arikok section.
Baby Beach: Nothing really to see, and you need to swim beyond the break to get to the reef, which becomes dangerous. I would skip this spot and just swim here instead. The water is beautiful.
Tres Trapi: Great for turtle watching. You must arrive early, and you need to swim beyond the rope, which is not advised. That makes this a more advanced snorkel because of the distances you must swim. There is a current even early in the morning, but it was manageable for our adult beginner snorkels. There were parents dragging kids not older than four without life jackets out beyond the ropes. This could have been a disaster. Be safe; life vests are under $20 on my Amazon link, and they are super packable. Better safe than sorry.
Mangel Halto: They say Mangel Halto is some of the best snorkeling on the island, healthy reefs, loads of fish. This is also the most advanced snorkel. We opted against doing this one. The currents are supposedly strong. We had planned a drift snorkel here but were pretty tired by the end of the trip and didn't want to push ourselves. Refer to the itinerary for our full proposed snorkel plan.
Arashi Beach, Boca Catalina, and Malmok would make a great drift snorkel, but we didn't have time because of a late start. We just put in at Tres Trapi and swam outward toward Boca Catalina. The distance between Malmok Beach and Arashi Beach is 1.1 km or 0.7 miles. There is no snorkeling or swimming on the east side of the island. The currents are far too strong, and I read that as you make the turn around the north end past the lighthouse, you enter shark territory following along the east coast. Conchi Natural Pool is protected from this for the most part. Do not swim when the waves are rough.
One snorkeling tip I wish I had taken seriously was to wear a full-body stinger suit or rash guard. I got a terrible burn on my lower legs the very first day, and it severely impacted my itinerary. This was a silly mistake because I knew that Aruba, being close to the equator, has really intense rays. I came home and immediately bought a full-body stinger suit for my next trip. I bought one from Fourth Element, but I haven't used it yet, so I will hold off on commenting.
Arikok Adventures
Because of my sunburn and a gigantic blister on my bunion from wearing a new pair of sandals that were super cute but wicked uncomfortable, we didn't do the sunrise hike from Daimari Ranch to Conchi Natural Pools as planned. We purchased the entry tickets in advance because Conchi Natural Pool doesn't open until 9 am, which is when we ended up going anyway. Be forewarned, the trail to Conchi requires a 4x4 vehicle. We rented a Kia Sportage and parked it at the top of a hill, most of the way into the park, then walked down for about 20 minutes because the roads were rough and we didn't want to risk trashing the rental. Check out the video about getting to Conchi so you are prepared for the drive. There are tours that visit this place, but then the pool becomes crowded with people. If you go on your own, the tours will come in waves, and there will be times you have the pool virtually to yourself.
The scenery in Arikok National Park was beautiful. It was very arid and full of beautiful cactus. There were so many things to see that we took two days in this park. As mentioned earlier, you do need a park ticket to enter. The tickets cost us $22 per person, which is much pricier than in the US, but the money is said to go toward conservation. Here are the places we visited in Arikok National Park
Conchi Natural Pools: Beautiful place to swim and hike. The trails are steep and not accessible. Be sure to check the cruise schedules to avoid crowds.
Quadirikiri Caves: A small, self-guided cave with lots of bats and cool photo opportunities. Be sure to bring a flashlight for each person, or at least a phone to use as one.
Fontein Cave: Up the road a piece from Quadirikiri Cave. If you time it right, you can miss the tours. Stagger your visit and arrive early. If a tour shows up while you are visiting, wait a little longer, and they will leave. You will have the whole cave to yourself. This area has a foot bath with little fish video here. Be sure to check out the cool ruins up the road from the foot bath.
Boca Prins: This was a beautiful beach with cliff overviews. There were many tours that visited but didn't stay long. Be sure to check out the cool fossils in the rocks. This would be a nice place for a picnic lunch.
From the photos, you can see that this place is pretty devoid of shade. Sun protection is a must. There is a little overhang that is a cool place to sit, but beware of dangerous surf.
Dining Picks
Food is expensive in Aruba. It makes sense because they are a desert island that needs to import the majority of its agricultural supplies. We tried a lot of different cuisines and types of food while visiting the island. Additionally, we worked hard to find the most romantic spots for a date, as Aruba is a popular destination for honeymoons and romantic getaways. My in-laws actually honeymooned in Aruba! We checked out the Conde Nast recommendation for the most romantic date night spot on the island for dinner. Here are some of the places we found notable. Do check out the photo gallery and captions for a glimpse into these dining experiences
Best Picnic Lunch Grab and Go: Grote Berg Snack
This unassuming place near San Nicolas has great, freshly made sandwiches. It is nothing fancy, the prices are good, and the Johnny Cakes are hot and delicious. Pick up sandwiches here and have a picnic on Baby Beach or in the National Park.
Amazing Sunset Views: Akira Back
High above the beach, we were rocked by the stunning sunset at Akira Back, located in the St. Regis Hotel, Aruba. The food was creative and very well plated, but we found the dishes overseasoned. This was a very romantic meal with great service, and we really enjoyed the live music. Request to sit on the patio and make sure you time your meal for sunset. There were children eating at this restaurant, so I don't believe that is frowned upon. There were plenty of tables.
Conde Nast Recommended for Best Date Night: Elements at Bucuti and Tara
I was really pumped for this meal. It was underwhelming for the price. The views of Eagle Beach were beautiful, and the service was excellent. The vegetables tasted like they were out of a bag, and the meal was uninspiring. The hotel grounds were gorgeous. I would consider staying at this hotel because it looked gorgeous on the outside.
Isla's Recommendation for Best Date Night: Old Man and the Sea
This place was gorgeous, and our server, Gino, was amazing. The food was mouthwatering, and the plating was beautiful. Everything felt as though it was out of a Magazine. This very Instagrammable place was so romantic with tables tucked in between the palm trees. We were the last people to be seated the night we went, and it was very quiet. Old Man and the Sea has the option to dine over the water in beautifully appointed cabana seating.
Best Beach Bar: Rum Reef Cocktail Bar and Grill There is an infinity pool! What more could you want? I had never seen an infinity pool at a beach bar before and was floored by how awesome it was. Baby Beach was one of my favorite swimming spots on the island. The sand was like sugar, and the water was a beautiful turquoise. This bar overlooked the whole scene and served the most delicious cheese balls. Marcella's Cheese Balls are House-made Jong Dutch Gouda cheese bites with a crispy batter and a savory, scrumptious middle. I loved them as well as the Funchi and Cheese: fried, crispy polenta topped with melted Gouda cheese, served with spicy mayo. Both appetizers were reasonably priced.
Best Breakfast: Dutch Pancake House
Delicious Dutch Pancakes in over 65 flavors. We tried both the sweet and the savory options as well as the poffertjes, and all were worth the wait. This place is located in the Renaissance Marketplace and is an open-air restaurant near, but not on, the water.
Honorable Mentions: I wanted to mention we also enjoyed Poke Ono, Arashi Beach Shack, and The West Deck. The food was good, and we ended up at these restaurants because there was little to no wait when we were looking for a quick bite. We planned to go to Zeerovers, which is highly rated, but the line was too long, and we were famished.
Other Places to See
Before I started planning our Aruban vacation, I thought it was going to be a total beach rot, baking like a lobster on a lawn chair for a week. I was totally wrong. We really enjoyed all the adventures, from the delicious food to the National Park to snorkeling. There were also some other places I would recommend checking out.
Art Collections: The Mask
I love collecting masks crafted by locals. There is a place in Aruba that sells Mopa Mopa masks. "A Mopa Mopa mask is a vibrant, handcrafted piece of indigenous Andean art made by carving wood and coating it in a colorful resin. The process uses buds from the mopa-mopa tree, boiled to extract a natural gum that is stretched by hand, colored with natural pigments, and applied as a decorative varnish." (Gasman). I found Mopa Mopa Masks in the Renaissance Market near the hotel.
Beautiful murals can be found throughout the city.
Hidden Gem: Conch Shell Beach
Beautiful spot for photography of pelicans and to find a beach strewn with conch. It was really cool, with lots of sea treasures washed ashore. This place is not frequented by tourists, so you are likely to find a lot of solitude. Don't expect sandy beaches. The shore is rocky, so water shoes are a plus.
California Lighthouse and the North End: This is a pretty area. Grab a fresh coconut and enjoy the views here.
We spent a very relaxing six days in Aruba despite keeping pretty active. The last few tips to reiterate before I close out this blog: please get off resort property. See the island, especially the Arikok! It is full of natural beauty. Make sure you head out early; that way you can avoid nasty burns and heat exhaustion. Try to spend a day at Renaissance Island with the flamingos, if possible. Of all the things we did in Aruba. That had to be our very favorite. Have a fabulous time enjoying "One Happy Island!" And please don't forget your sunscreen.
Happy Travels, Isla
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