All photos: Bryan Dearsley / LuxuryCaribbeanIslands
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Having just spent a restful week in this Caribbean Island paradise, I’m a definite convert to all things Aruba. Small, safe, and surprisingly sophisticated, this wonderful island in the Southern Caribbean Sea exceeded my expectations, which were high given that so many people had told me it was a great place to visit.
Easily accessible by commercial flights from more than a dozen American and Canadian cities, as well as several European airports, most flights will get you to Queen Beatrix International Airport in under five hours, and private transfers rarely need more than 20 minutes to reach the main resort corridors. And because the island lies below the Atlantic hurricane belt, weather-related disruptions are rare, making it practical to plan special-occasion trips months in advance.
Although most first-time visitors will picture an endless ribbon of sand (yes, it does have some of the world’s best beaches), there’s so much more to Aruba. A desert island, it features a stunning rocky coast on the west side of the island, a rugged national park, a fantastic cultural scene, shake-your-booty nightlife, and a world-class dining.
Here’s what you need to know about luxury travel in Aruba, the Caribbean’s “One Happy Island.”
Luxury Travel in Aruba
Aruba’s Beaches are Some of the Best in the World
There’s no denying the fact that Aruba’s incredible beaches live up to the hype, especially Eagle Beach. Ranked the country’s best beach (and the world’s #2), this stretch of northwest shoreline features a magnificent half-mile arc of pale coral sand that’s delightful to walk on. While public access means anyone can set up for the day, guests of luxury properties such as the adults-only Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort and the Manchebo Beach Resort & Spa can pre-book shade huts complete with water-mist fans and chilled fruit plates.
Early risers can enjoy a peaceful stroll at sun-up or swim uninterrupted lengths parallel to the shore until the first wave-runner rentals start hitting the water closer to 10 am. Lifeguards monitor a well-marked swimming zone, and the local tourism board posts daily water-quality readings on a sign near the main car park, a small but welcome assurance for parents.
Palm Beach, though, was my favorite. Just three kilometers to the north, it’s fronted by a row of high-rise properties that include The Ritz-Carlton Aruba, Aruba Marriott Resort, and Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort Spa. The vibe here is, like that of the Palm Beach district in general, more part-like, but hey, you’re on holiday so that’s not such a bad thing. Arrive early if you want to enjoy spectacular sunrises and have the beach to yourself for a stroll or morning dip before the crowds arrive.
There’s no end of beach bars and eateries here, too. Popular spots include MooMba Beach Club which streams soccer matches on a shaded deck, while nearby Hadicurari Pier stages pop-up craft markets on Thursday evenings. Watersport operators such as Aqua Windie’s line the promenade, offering ten-minute parasail rides and guided Seabob tours above the shallow reef. After dark, tiki torches and DJ sets carry the day straight into nightclub territory, with many visitors not even bothering to change out of their swimwear.
Drive 30 minutes to the island’s southern tip to Baby Beach and the tempo is altogether more laidback. Located in San Nicolas, the lagoon’s rock-sheltered entrance keeps waves away, allowing equipment outfitters like JADS Dive Center to guide trial scuba sessions in chest-deep water before graduates venture to the outer reef.
A local food truck scene has grown nearby. Big Mama Grill sells grilled garlic shrimp and bottles of homemade hot sauce that double as fun souvenirs. Locals suggest arriving by mid-afternoon, when the sand has cooled but the sunset colors remain vivid enough to reflect off the lagoon.
Aruba is Perfect for Sailing and Snorkeling
Catamaran cruises and sailing adventures are a staple of the Aruba tourism industry. And for good reason. The island boasts a near-constant breeze, making conditions ideal for charters to hoist their sails and let nature do the rest. Add to that is countless reefs and fantastic snorkelling spots, and you’ll not be disappointed whichever of the many tour providers you book with.
Organized through my hotel, the first-rate Radisson Blu Aruba (more on them in the “Where To Stay” section below), Pelican Adventures did a superb job demonstrating just how awesome Aruba is for sailing and snorkeling. On the water with the friendly, professional crew from 9 am to 1 pm, this four-hour adventure’s only fault was… it was only four hours.
It’s one thing seeing the island’s crystal clear waters from the beach, and a whole thing altogether to be on the water and seeing everything close up. From the larger tree-lined reefs (or rif in Dutch) with their small cottages clinging on as if for dear life to the submerged coral where countless colorful tropical fish hang out, these were clearly sights I’d never have seen without being aboard the cruise.
As good as the snorkelling was (and it was good, with the crew’s qualified divers sticking close by at all times), I have to confess I didn’t anticipate the quality of the food and drink part of the cruises. Starting soon after casting off with always-welcome mimosas, supplies of which never seemed to run dry, we were served up restaurant-quality food fresh from the vessel’s gallery. They, too, never seemed to end, with dish-after-delicious-dish proving a simple luxury that was well and truly appreciated.
Private charters like those offered by Pelican Adventures are a great way to go, even if you’re travelling as a small group. The level of attention and service is top-notch, and itineraries can be customized to include things like lunch at De Palm Island or a dive at t Malmok Reef and the wreck of the Antilla, a 400-foot German freighter scuttled in 1940 that now rests on its port side at depths from 20 to 60 feet.
And if you really want to turn things into a luxe adventure, the folks at Pelican can do that for you, too. In addition to luxury four course sunset dinner cruises with cocktails and live music, gourmet lunch cruises to the Spanish Lagoon Barrier Reef come with supervised snorkeling and kayaking, too. Private rentals of the company’s classy sailing yachts are also available.
If you’re an experienced diver and are looking to spend longer below surface can book a two-tank morning with Red Sail Sports to the south-coast sites of Barcadera Reef and Sponge Bob. Visibility averages 100 feet year-round, aided by the island’s arid climate that limits river runoff. Nitrox fills are available for an extra fee, extending bottom times on deeper profiles. Non-divers often ride along for a nominal charge, using shaded deck space to watch for dolphins that occasionally bow-ride on the return leg.
Land-based Adventures in Aruba are Fun
Arubans have embraced the fact their island is largely desert. In fact, a large chunk of its unique topography and desert eco-system has been turned into a national park, making a little off-roading a must-do adventure… if you can pry yourself away from the beach long enough.
Numerous tour options are available, but as with the cruise, I recommend leaning on your hotel’s concierge staff to take care of the details. The Radisson Blu’s team set me up with an off-road Jeep four through De Palm Tours, a staple of the island’s tourism scene since the 1960s (so yes, they’re safe, trustworthy, and know what they’re doing). Best of all, as there was a group of us wanting to try the adventure, we started and finished at the hotel.
We went for a full-on seven hour excursion that would take in pretty much the whole island. Perfect for first-time visitors like me, nothing’s left out, with plenty of time to get in some serious sightseeing. Highlights of our island loop tour started with a visit to the California Lighthouse at the north end of the island for its spectacular Caribbean Sea views, as well as the picturesque Alto Vista Chapel, a small, brightly painted catholic church that’s especially popular for weddings. The nearby Alto Vista Winery & Distillery is another stop and in addition to its great wines, makes island rums that simply must be tasted.
A highlight of our bouncy, open-topped off-road adventure was Arikok National Park. You’ll spend a fair bit of time here there’s so much to see. Though dusty and bouncy, the dirt tracks leading there are half the fun, and it’s well-worth tolerating the grit and grime that will be thrown your way, though there are places to take a refreshing dip. Park highlights include the Natural Bridge (though recently collapsed, still a great selfie spot), and my favorite, the Fontein Cave with its Arawak petroglyphs drawn in reddish pigment across the ceiling and many stalactites.
Other highlights include the Donkey Sanctuary in Bringamosa, which cares for critters that can trace their ancestry back to the first Spanish donkeys brought over in the 1600s; and the town of San Nicolas, which reinvented itself by inviting muralists from places like Colombia, Curaçao, and the Netherlands and Europe to paint building façades each September during the Aruba Art Fair.
(While these will provide you with a taste of what to expect on a Jeep safari, or an in-depth and detailed look other sights along the way, check out our story on the Best Things To Do in Aruba for ideas and inspiration.)
Have Fun Exploring Oranjestad
Don’t, whatever you do, overlook Aruba’s capital, Oranjestad. Small and immensely walkable, it’s just a 20 minute taxi ride from the Radisson Blu and Palm Beach’s nightlife and is all too often overlooked by tourists. I made a point of getting an early morning ride and was exploring a nearly empty city at sun-up. Sure, it meant an early rise, but that’s never hard in a place where it’s already warm by the time the sun comes up.
Starting at the city’s “I Love Aruba” sign, it’s an easy stroll to the Aruba Streetcar station. While I knew I was too early to take a ride on this free electric trolley that circles the downtown core every 10 to 15 minutes, I hoped I’d at least get a photo or two of these handsome machines. Still being polished up for the day ahead, I did just that, with the friendly staff eager to answer my questions about this unique service.
From here it was an easy walk to the National Archaeological Museum. Housed in a restored 1929 mansion, the galleries here boast numerous fascinating displays, including a 2,500-year-old pre-Columbian skeleton found near Malmok and a collection of 19th-century plantation tools that chart the island’s brief aloe boom, an export that once even exceeded gold in economic value.
It was a pleasant stroll from the museum to the San Francisco di Asis Pro-Cathedra, an attractive church that started in 1829 as a humble place of worship and is now the island’s largest religious building. From here, I headed back for a wander past the colorful shops and boutiques along Havenstraat and Wilhelminastraat to Museo Histórico Aruba, an attractive red brick building and tower adjacent Fort Zoutman, a military base built in 1798. Right across the road, SANTOS Coffee With Soul opens early enough to provide morning peeps like me with a much-needed espresso boast and breakfast.
The harbor area was next. Taking the long way around through pretty Queen Wilhelmina Park, you’ll end up circling past the opulent 5-star Renaissance Wind Creek Aruba Resort’s private beach on a quiet boardwalk which I only had to share with a single jogger and a few small land crabs. The route also led to the Renaissance Marketplace, a bustling hub for shopping, dining, drinking, and entertainment.
Speaking of shopping, the Renaissance Mall is where you’ll want to go for some luxury shopping. Here you’ll find flagship boutique stores by such illustrious names as Cartier, Prada, and Gucci. Best of all, they all operate under Aruba’s duty-free status, which translates to a 15 to 20 percent savings compared with prices in the United States.
Splurge on Aruba’s Classy Food and Drink Experiences
Aruba’s culinary landscape is definitely the equal of other Caribbean Islands. I had the good pleasure to sample a number of excellent food experiences while exploring One Happy Island, from the already mentioned ship’s galley grub aboard a catamaran to a traditional Aruban paper bag lunch, both of them delicious.
The icing on the cake, though, was experiencing exceptional dining at these three first-rate establishments, each a stand out for their distinctive approaches to fine dining:
Papiamento Restaurant
Occupying a 126-year-old Aruban cunucu farmhouse in Noord, Papiamento has been run by the Ellis family since 1983. Signature dishes include Eduardo’s seafood pot, a handmade clay vessel filled with seafood, fines herbs and garden vegetables, as well as the family’s famous oyster soup and keshi yena (stuffed Gouda cheese). A unique in-ground charcoal pit is also used to slow-roast a delicious beef brisket with local tamarind glaze, a process that takes 12-hours.
The stone wine cellar, housed in what was once a storeroom and cheese making facility, maintains cool temperatures and can hold up to 1,800 bottles in a space designed by Chef Eduardo Ellis using imported red cedar wood. Reservations are strongly recommended for this superlative dining experience.
Azia Restaurant & Lounge
As lively and busy as Papiamento is quaint and quiet, Azia features Aruba’s longest (and some would argue, its best) cocktail bar (their signature SangrAzia cocktail is a must). Located on J.E. Irausquin Boulevard directly across from the Hilton Hotel and within easy walking distance of Radisson Blu Aruba, this Palm Beach establishment features tasty tapas-style dishes inspired by traditional recipes from China, India, Korea and Japan.
It’s a great spot to kick-off an evening of fun and partying on the entertaining Palm Beach strip, with a lively feel that’ll definitely help get you in the mood for a night on the town. Outdoor seating is available in the Zen Garden, while a semi-private VIP table seats up to 12 guests and can be reserved for groups indulging in some luxury dining.
Lima Bistro
A popular restaurant in Oranjestad, the more intimate Lima Bistro brings Chef Teddy Bouroncle‘s two decades of international culinary experience to a corner location overlooking the city’s harbor. An open kitchen allows you to watch dishes like the three-hour braised short rib with chicha morada (a traditional Peruvian beverage) and cashew puree, a must have and definitely the tastiest short ribs I’ve ever eaten.
Other highlights include the lomo saltado featuring fried halved potatoes instead of traditional french fries. The restaurant maintains a policy of not accepting reservations for parties with children under 10 after 7 pm, ensuring a refined adults-only atmosphere for evening dining.
Other Contenders
Zeerover, a wooden pier restaurant in Savaneta, posts its day’s catch on a chalkboard just above the scale used to weight its catches. Diners choose whole wahoo, mahi-mahi, or barracuda by weight, then watch the kitchen coat each piece in seasoned cornmeal before submerging it in peanut oil. Orders arrive in brown paper baskets alongside pickled red onion, pan bati corn cakes, and plantain wedges fried to order.
Cocktail enthusiasts gravitate to Apotheek, a speakeasy hidden behind a faux pharmacy door on Wilhelminastraat. Bartenders favor aged rums from Venezuela and Martinique for Old Fashioneds and often garnish with a torched orange peel at the table. A small-plate menu prepared by nearby Bistro de Suikertuin offers goat-cheese croquettes and bitterballen, turning drinks into a late supper option. Doors open at 8 pm, but this intimate 24-seat space fills quickly, especially when cruise ships overnight in port.
Other great food and experiences in Aruba include the Alto Vista Winery & Distillery. This excellent establishment is just getting into the food side of things, and I had the great good fortune of being one of the first to sample a wine pairing experience they’re offering for private groups. Do it.
Where to Stay for a Healthy Dose of Luxury
For those planning to indulge in some luxury travel in Aruba, One Happy Island has no shortage of great places to stay. Here’s a sampling of some of the classiest accommodation options for you to review:
Radisson Blu Aruba
Ideal for those looking for some quiet luxury while still being within walking distance of all the nightlife in Palm Beach, the Radisson Blu Aruba has 132 contemporary suites ranging from 753-sq ft one-bedroom layouts to huge three-bedroom penthouses with wrap-around terraces. This LEED-certified property (the first in Aruba) features three excellent pools, including the island’s largest adults-only rooftop infinity pool.
Other amenities include the Verde Renacer Spa, a 24-hour Technogym fitness center, and weekly wellness programming including floating meditation sessions. It’s also just a five minute walk from the beach, with a shuttle bus service depositing you at the hotel’s exclusive beach section (chairs and umbrellas provided). Dining options include Sunset Bistro’s hybrid buffet featuring Dutch pancakes and “Super Breakfast” mimosas, The Clover coffee lounge pulling single-origin Colombian pour-overs, and 24-hour room service delivering lionfish ceviche to terraces.
Learn more with a read of our article on the Radisson Blu Aruba here.
The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba
Also located at the quiet north end of Palm Beach, rooms at The Ritz-Carlton feature dual-sink marble bathrooms and outdoor terraces large enough for families to enjoy the hotel’s in-suite breakfast service. The 13-room spa specialises in cactus-based body exfoliations that use prickly-pear extract harvested from the hotel’s grounds. A reserved area of the beach offers butler-serviced cabanas fitted with Bluetooth speakers and ceiling fans, a useful perk on days when trade winds pause.
For rates and other information, visit The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba.
Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort
Set on Eagle Beach, Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort positions itself firmly in the adults-only bracket. Guest rooms omit televisions to create what management calls a “digital detox” (high-speed Wi-Fi remains available for those unwilling to disconnect completely). A tablet in each room handles everything from extra-pillow requests to reservations for the resort’s private beachfront cinema, which seats just two and screens classics such as Casablanca or contemporary favorites upon request.
Sustainability measures include a zero-single-use-plastic policy and rooftop solar panels that feed excess power back into the grid. Find out more about this classy place to stay in Aruba at Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort.
Aruba Ocean Villas
Located in Savaneta, Aruba Ocean Villas is one of the most unique luxury accommodation experience on the island. Each over-the-water bungalow features glass floor panels, allowing watch as tarpon and other fish glide below. Room service arrives by paddleboard to minimise engine noise, and the spa gazebo uses locally grown aloe in its 60-minute relaxation massage.
While nightly rates start at around USD $1,100, it includes an à la carte breakfast delivered to your private deck. Check out the details at Aruba Ocean Villas.
Tradewinds Club
Families wanting resort scale without sacrificing privacy will want to look into the Tradewinds Club floor at the Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino. Highlights include a concierge lounge serving five food presentations daily, and a separate beach zone with complimentary snorkel gear.
Tips & Tactics for Luxury Travel in Aruba
- When to Travel to Aruba: Most visitors tend to travel to Aruba between December and April, though the island’s dry climate makes summer equally appealing, and often more affordable.
- Flights to Aruba: Direct flights from Toronto, New York-JFK, Miami, and Bogotá average four-and-a-half hours, while private jets clear customs at the airport’s dedicated General Aviation terminal quickly.
- Airport VIP Services: US Customs pre-clearance on departure means travellers land stateside as domestic passengers. While in theory this should trim waiting times, American travelers regularly share tales of waits of up to three hours just to cleat customs and security. The best solution? Book the excellent VIP Fast-Track Service, a superb offering that’ll literally get you through security and to your departure lounge in minutes; it took me 15 minutes from greeting our VIP rep to saying goodbye, a complete first that has me a convert to this luxury service.
- Ground Transport: Local transport works on a fixed-fare taxi system, with a ride from the airport to Palm Beach costing around USD $31 before tip. Reliable private transportation around Aruba can be secured through Wix Tours, including airport pick-up and drop-off, and private tours. Car rentals are also a good option if you plan on exploring the best Aruba attractions, and major roads follow straightforward coastal routes
- Power and Pennies: Aruba runs on US voltage and plug types, and nearly every business accepts dollars at a set exchange of 1.75 florins per greenback. Credit cards are widely accepted, but smaller roadside food stands still prefer cash.
- Duty Free Shopping: Visitors returning to the US carry an automatic $800-dollar duty-free allowance, useful for jewellery purchases at Renaissance Mall or aged rum from the duty-free shop after security.
- Tourism & Travel Tips: For more details about travel to Aruba, visit the Aruba Tourism Authority website at aruba.com.
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Bryan Dearsley is Editor of LuxuryCaribbeanIslands and writes about luxury travel and lifestyles (hey, someone has to do it!). If you’d like to get in touch with him about our Caribbean luxury coverage, drop him a line via LinkedIn.
