HOW TO ENJOY ARUBA
One Man’s Opinion
By
Charles W. Smith
Published by Charles W. Smith
This version published March 1, 2009
© Copyright Charles W. Smith
The author grants permission to print this document.
Permission is NOT granted to edit this document in any way.
Email address: ArubaKid3@Yahoo.com
Website: ArubaKid.com
Photography by Charles W. Smith
ORDER OF CONTENTS
FOREWARD BY ARUBAAMY
INTRODUCTION
ARUBA POSITIVES
MY BEST PIECE OF ADVICE
THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT ARUBA
THINGS TO DO BEFORE YOU LEAVE FOR ARUBA
ARRIVAL IN ARUBA
THINGS NOT TO DO
DAY ACTIVITIES ON YOUR OWN
ORGANIZED DAY ACTIVITIES
MEALS AND RESTAURANTS
NIGHT ACTIVITIES
IN ARUBA WITH CHILDREN
DEPARTURE FROM ARUBA
MISCELLANEOUS
GOOD LUCK!
APPENDIX
PREPARING FOR YOUR NEXT TRIPS
BRIEF TRIP REPORTS
PAPIAMENTO LESSON
TO PACK OR NOT TO PACK
FOREWARD
Even though we’ve never met, I feel like I’ve known
Charlie Smith for quite some time since we have both frequented the same Aruba bulletin boards for many years and share the same love for the island. I’ve been
traveling to Aruba since 1996 (18 trips and counting) and, like Charlie, who
considers Aruba his “hometown” from growing up on the island, I also have developed
a relationship with the island of Aruba and now it feels like a “second home”
to me as well. Over the years I’ve enjoyed reading about Charlie’s trips to Aruba, his recommendations, and his insight. Aruba is rich with so many different
activities, history, incredible scenery, amazing food, and wonderful
people--so please do not limit yourself to the confines of a resort. Get
out and explore this wonderful island!
Charlie has written a very thorough e-booklet about Aruba that captures almost every question that you might ask as a first time traveler, and it also includes updated information for those who travel to Aruba on an annual basis. As he has said, there are many ways to enjoy Aruba depending on your own personal preferences--this e-booklet is a good starting point to begin to enjoy Aruba YOUR way (with a little help from Charlie!)
~Amy~® (aka ArubaAmy)
Administrator: http://www.aruba-travelguide.com/bulletinboard/
Trip Advisor’s Destination Expert for Aruba
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
May I introduce myself? I’m Charlie Smith, and I very much want you to enjoy Aruba as much as I do. That is my objective in writing this little e-booklet: having you the reader absorb this material and then enjoy your visit to Aruba more than had you gone on your own. I will try to be light and informal, as if I were talking to you. And by the way, I would enjoy talking to you via email. Please feel free to email me with questions or suggestions or comments after you finish the book.
This e-booklet had its beginnings when friends and friends of friends asked me about Aruba—where to stay, what to do, and where to eat. I started writing emails and adding to a growing document describing how to enjoy their stay in Paradise. I couldn’t stop myself, and that document got bigger and bigger and more and more unorganized! So I finally rewrote that disjointed document and replaced it with this one. I want you to find the booklet to be a valuable source of timely and accurate material about Aruba. I intend to keep it up to date in the future.
I was born in Aruba. I’m not telling you WHEN, but it was a long time ago. My American parents were on assignment in what has since been named Seroe Colorado. We called it Lago Colony, a company community owned (or more properly leased) by Lago Oil & Transport Company, an affiliate of Standard Oil Company (N.J.), now Exxon. Lago operated a refinery in Aruba which processed crude oil transported from Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela. My dad worked as an expatriate in the refinery.
Anyway, I graduated from high school in Aruba, so I consider it my “hometown.” It was a wonderful place to be raised. Of course as kids we didn’t know that at the time; it was just…home. And frankly, it took a long time for me to make the transition from a “resident” mentality to a “tourist” mentality—to stop thinking, “This isn’t the way it was when we lived here.” When the lesson of accepting Aruba as it now is finally was learned, our enjoyment of the island increased many times over. It is this sense of enjoying Aruba as a special world class tourist location that I wish to convey to you. I hope you will enjoy Aruba my way. Oh, oh. That’s a problem.
ENJOYING ARUBA MY WAY
The problem is that there are MANY ways to enjoy Aruba, and none of them is wrong. It depends on what you like, and where you want to spend your time and money. Some people just love to come to Aruba, stay in an all inclusive, and just relax there until they go home. Some people like to come to Aruba and relax on the beach all day and go to the casino all night. Some people like to consume as much alcohol as is possible during their stay. Who am I to say that is wrong? It isn’t wrong for them.
However Aruba has much more to offer than sun and slots. And I am going to try to introduce you to MANY ways to enjoy Aruba. My general principle in providing advice is: if you can do things in the States then you need not go to Aruba to do them. I will constantly be telling you to do things that are unique to Aruba. For example you can eat all the pizza you want in the States; why have pizza for dinner in Aruba? There are so many fine restaurants in Aruba! Pizza?
Also, I may have tried only one or two ways of doing an activity that has many ways of doing it. For example, there are many fine companies that will take you snorkeling. I have tried two and liked them both. I will recommend them to you (later). But I can’t talk much about companies I haven’t tried even though other Aruba travelers have liked them. So keep in mind that I have a relatively narrow perspective overall. I am not writing a comprehensive book to familiarize you with ALL there is to do in Aruba, just the things I have done. However, I am confident that if you start in Aruba doing things “my way” you will enjoy them…unless you love pizza for dinner. (God help you.)
ENJOYING ARUBA YOUR WAY
Many people go to Aruba for the first time and love it. They go back again and again, and they repeat certain activities each visit. They develop their own Aruba traditions and repeat them each time they come back. For example, we always have our “traditional exit lunch” at Linda’s Pancake & Pizza [but we don’t have pizza!] on the day we fly home. I go on a “bagel run” each morning for fresh bagels. We go back to the same spots to snorkel; we go to the same beaches to check out the shelling. We shop at the same stores, eat at our favorite restaurants, and get to know the owners.
If you are going to Aruba for the first time keep these traditions in mind. FOR SURE you are going to go back, so review in your mind what you want to repeat next trip. Develop your own favorites and traditions. Like children at Christmas you will want to open your Aruban stocking and see how the presents look this time. You could then write your own booklet on enjoying Aruba, and it would be different from this one, but just as informative.
In this regard, by all means talk to people about Aruba. Get on the Aruba bulletin board (more on this later), and seek the views of a variety of people about stuff to do in Aruba. Talk to friends that have been to Aruba. Talk to your fellow travelers on the plane or where you are staying or in restaurants. Their pleasant experiences can be yours. I can advise you about Aruba only from the way I “do” Aruba. As I mentioned, there are many ways to experience this wonderful island. Find your own way from the many sources available to investigate. As I hinted above, you will find some of my advice strongly opinionated. Some people might disagree with my opinions. Develop your own customized Aruba favorites.
Because remember: You WILL come back!
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
This e-booklet is written in Microsoft Word. It is meant to be read online. In this way you can see the pictures in color and, more importantly, you can click on a link and go to a website right away. If I am talking about a restaurant you can click on the link I provide and instantly view their menu. If I am talking about a service the link will connect you to the website of that service. Of course you can print it out to read on the plane or while in Aruba, but the most value for you is in PREPARING you for Aruba, and that is best done reading the booklet at home while online.
The website links are in blue in this text. To go to a website click on the blue link. Occasionally a link will become obsolete. I will be constantly testing the links provided in this booklet to make sure they are current. That is an advantage of an e-book: I can update it almost daily to be sure it is accurate. However as time goes on the booklet may contain obsolete links. I hope by that time you will have become an expert on Aruba yourself and don’t need the book anymore.
ARUBA POSITIVES
Aruba has a lot going for it. The following is a list of positive points about Aruba. Most will be expanded upon later. Meanwhile I’d like you to be getting excited about Aruba. So, in bang-bang fashion, here are some things that tourists like about Aruba:
Weather: One of Aruba’s BEST positives! The days are consistently warm and sunny, but strong trade winds keep things comfortable.
Security: Full employment keeps crime to a minimum. There is virtually no reported bodily harm to tourists. Very safe tourist environment despite what you may have heard from the shameless press reporting on the Natalee Holloway case.
Water: The water is completely safe out of the tap and it tastes great. It is advertised as “the best water in the world.”
Beaches: The beaches in Aruba are world class. Recently Eagle Beach was named the best beach in the Caribbean. Sugar-like sand is kept clean. And all beaches on Aruba are open to the public.
Snorkeling: There are many wonderful snorkel spots in Aruba, accessible by tours but also by car with no boat necessary.
Tourist Activities: There are a lot of activities for tourists like water sports, day trips, tours, cruises, things to rent, casinos, night life, carnival (in season), and restaurants.
Tourist Infrastructure: There are non-intimidating bus & taxi service, internet cafes, telephone system, car rental, ATMs, etc.
Accommodations: There is a wide variety of places to stay including hotels, timeshares, all-inclusives, apartments and houses.
Restaurants: Aruba has many, many world class resort restaurants. There is much variety in location, cuisine and pricing.
Ambience: Aruba has a relaxed, cosmopolitan feeling about it stemming from the Caribbean, Dutch, and European cultures found there. Yes: One Happy Island.
Shopping: Aruba has good shopping including a wide variety of shops with stable and reasonable pricing. There are US-like supermarkets; they are not intimidating.
Language: English is spoken everywhere by everyone.
People: Locals are very friendly and helpful. Many tourists list this as their number one reason for coming back to Aruba.
Airport: Aruba has a modern, efficient airport. For your return to the States, US customs is done in Aruba, not at your port of entry back in the States.
Accessibility: Aruba has direct plane service to many US cities including: Charlotte, Atlanta, Newark, Boston, Miami, and New York. And connections from almost anywhere.
Driving: You drive on the right side of the road. (But careful--no “right on red” in Aruba.)
Power: Electrical power is 110volt service exactly the same as the US.
Jet Lag: Aruba is in the same time zone as the eastern US on daylight savings time. There is little or no jet lag from eastern US cities.
Hospital: Aruba has a fully equipped hospital located near where most tourists stay.
Reviews: There are overwhelmingly positive reviews given by tourists who have vacationed on Aruba. Aruba is constantly given awards by travel magazines and travel organizations.
Poverty: There is little or no panhandling evident in Aruba. Tourists are not approached by souvenirs venders.
Timeshare salesmen: In many Caribbean vacation spots you can get bothered by aggressive timeshare sales people, bugging you to listen to their pitches. In Aruba, you are not pestered.
Yes, there are a lot of positive things than can be said about Aruba. They can be all wrapped up in a general feeling of well being one feels while in Aruba. The sunshine, the beautiful water, the clean beaches, the security you feel--all combine to keep tourists smiling when they are there, and scheming to figure out how to return when they are not.
MY BEST PIECE OF ADVICE
The best single piece of advice I can give you about Aruba is simply this: join the Aruba Bulletin Board. Register for it and use it frequently to learn about all aspects of Aruba that tourists care about. It is at the following location on the internet: http://www.aruba-bb.com Go to the General Q & A About Aruba, and read the posts there. Post questions yourself. Read trip reports and restaurant reviews.
By doing this you will get a great cross section of
experiences and opinions from people that have been to Aruba. You will start
to form opinions of what you want to do and what you wouldn’t enjoy. This will
add considerably to your preparation for Aruba and therefore your enjoyment of
the island while you are there.
By the way, look for my posts on the bulletin board. My ID is Lagokid1. My icon is a black silhouette of a pelican on dark blue. More about pelicans later, but for now you should know one of my favorite pastimes in Aruba is taking pictures of them. Great fun.
So visit the Aruba bulletin board often. Posted topics
change there daily. Ask your own questions. You will soon learn what posters
have the same likes and dislikes as you do. In my opinion ArubaAmy is one the
best posters on the board. She loves Aruba, she has been there many times, and
she is very thorough and helpful with her advice. She also enjoys Aruba the way I like to: by taking advantage of the many activities there, by repeating
the things that are fun and by looking for new things of interest each trip.
There are other bulletin boards about Aruba. I recommend this one because I use it more than the others and I am used to the people there. I have met some of them in Aruba and maintained contact with them via email. They are good people and fun to interact with. And of course you can use a search engine to look for specifics about Aruba. Google or my favorite, Dogpile. LOL Search on “nightlife aruba” or “shopping aruba” or “pictures aruba” and see what you come up with.
THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT ARUBA
THE WEATHER
The weather is great. What else do you have to know? Next topic. Seriously, the weather in the southern Caribbean is sunny and windy with relatively little rainfall. What rainfall there is is usually local, that is, you will find it raining hard in one place and half a mile away it isn’t raining at all. And showers are usually brief.
There is very little change in the weather throughout the year. The temperature is very consistent: about 80 degrees at night and up to about 88 degrees maximum during the day. Oh there is a LITTLE more rain in the November through January period (a few inches), and it is a LITTLE warmer in June (4 degrees), but these differences are not large enough to alter your vacation plans for. Just treat all Aruba weather the same. I do.
You may have heard that Aruba is “out of the hurricane belt.” This is true. According to Wikipedia, “The only places in the Caribbean that are not in the hurricane belt are the islands of Trinidad and Tobago, Bonaire, Curacao, Aruba, Panama, and the islands off of Venezuela.” In history there have been three hurricanes that have passed SOUTH of Aruba. However in all the years I lived in Aruba there were no hurricanes there. We did feel the EFFECTS of hurricanes--rain, high winds, high waves—but the eyes were nowhere near us. It is pretty safe to say that you don’t have to worry about hurricanes even in the hurricane season. I would never pass up a trip to Aruba in any month because I was worried about hurricanes.
Temperature tables can be found at: http://www.arubatravelinfo.com/climate.html
PAYING FOR THINGS
Don’t worry about money either. Pretend you are in the US and treat carrying money the same as you would at home. All transactions are done in dollars, from the super market to the restaurants to your hotel. You can pay with credit cards in all but the smallest stores. You can get US dollars at ATMs located all over, especially in casinos. All stores and venders will take US cash. There is no need to take travelers checks.
The local currency is florins. There are 1.75 – 1.77 florins to the US dollar, and that ratio remains very stable over the years. Prices in the supermarkets are in florins, so you do have to make a conversion while shopping there. Occasionally you will get CHANGE in florins. If you have some change in florins accumulated during your stay, leave them for the housekeeping people that clean your room as part of their tip. But you will be almost totally unaware of local currency because everything is done in dollars.
By the way, I always call my credit card company to tell them the dates I will be in Aruba. In that way they won’t stop authorization on your card thinking someone stole it and ran off to Aruba. Hum—not a bad idea. Please email me your MasterCard number. Just kidding.
SECURITY
Aruba is very safe. That being said, do not act foolishly. Aruba has a low crime rate because of relatively full employment, but that does not mean crime is zero. Tourists do experience stolen wallets, cameras, and equipment. Do not leave your belongings vulnerable. It has been said that much of stolen stuff in Aruba is taken by other tourists, so keep that in mind.
If you have a safe in your room, use it for your passports, extra cash, and other valuables. If it has a key, don’t leave it in the room when you leave. Do not leave valuables in your car, even in the daytime. Most of the tourist crime I hear about happens with rental cars being broken into. Rental cars have unique license plates, so thieves can identify them quickly. Just be wise about guarding your belongings and you should be fine.
ARUBANS
The people of Aruba are wonderful people—pleasant, helpful, friendly. Many people list the Aruban people as one of the main reasons they like Aruba. Service people in the hotels, owners in their stores, taxi drivers—you will find all of them to be polite and accommodating.
One time recently my wife and I had a flat tire in San Nicholas. I called the rental car company, and they sent someone to help us. In the 40 minutes we were on the side of the road four people stopped to ask us if they could help. Three of them were women, and all of them were as helpful as they could be. Great people.
POWER
The power in Aruba is exactly the same as in the US, 110 volt AC service. You don’t need any converters or adapters or special plugs.
WATER
The water in Aruba is safe. You can drink it right out of the tap. It is produced in Aruba from seawater. They filter it through coral to make it taste good. So buy ONE plastic bottle of water when you arrive (or keep one you got on the plane) and fill it up with tap water throughout your stay.
LANGUAGE
Everyone speaks English, so don’t worry about that. The official language is Dutch. The local island dialect is Papiamento, a mixture of many different languages. Some phrases are contained in an appendix. If you went through school on Aruba as a local, you would graduate from high school speaking Dutch, Papiamento, English, and Spanish. So when you speak to a resident, don’t ask them if they understand English. They do.
WHERE TO STAY
Agh, this is an important topic. It has a lot to do with what kind of accommodations you like, where you want to be, how much you want to pay, and where you want to take your meals. All those considerations are very individual. As I mentioned before, I can only advise you from my own experience, and I have only stayed at one place in recent years. This means you must seek help from other sources. So get on the Aruba Bulletin Board I referred to in a previous section and read some of the trip reports. Use the search facilities to find previous posts about hotels. Post your own questions about where to stay, and the “bulletin board people” will be glad to share their experiences with you.
Let me tell you of some of the general considerations to help steer you where you might want to go. One early decision is whether to be “in town” or near the beach. Being in Oranjestad, the capital of Aruba and the only large town, means you are close to restaurants and shopping. The Renaissance Hotel is a big tourist hotel in Oranjestad. Expensive at first glance, but you can find discount plans. Many people love that hotel and go back to it often.
However, I would advise you to get out to the western end of the island for one important reason: beaches. Aruba’s two main attractions, weather and beaches, provide a stunning combination when you can literally step out of your hotel or even your room and be within a few feet of sugar sand and the beautiful aquamarine water. That vision of beach and water is the one that will stay with you when you go home after your trip. Staying in town does not provide the same thrill. Of course all of this is my opinion. Remember my mantra: One Man’s Opinion.
Another decision to make is whether to stay in an all-inclusive or not. My advice: not. Staying in an all-inclusive means that your meals are included in the price you pay for accommodations and are provided by the facility where you are staying. Many people like the idea of going to Aruba and just relaxing without having to care about where else to go, especially for dinner. They eat on the grounds, and even have some latitude of choice of multiple restaurants within the hotel complex. However, this limits your Aruba experience by not having you take advantage of the MANY great restaurants on the island. Remember that old ad, “Next to myself I like BVDs best?” Well, next to the beaches in Aruba I love the restaurants best. I have been to over 50 restaurants, and they are one better than another. If you stay in an all-inclusive you sacrifice the great restaurant experiences.
Another decision is whether to stay in the “high rise” section of hotels or the “low rise.” My advice: go low. The high rise area contains large hotels, 10 or 12 or more stories. You have beautiful views, but you must put up with elevators and generally less personal conditions. The beaches are crowded, yes they are. The parking is squeezed. There is more traffic. There are more people. Shops and restaurants are within walking distance, but the whole ambiance in the high rises is touristy and generally crowded. Thousands of people who stay there or own there may rise up and scream if they read this, but that’s the way I see the high rises. They are a very necessary part of the tourist culture or there wouldn’t be near the number of tourists coming to Aruba and therefore not nearly as much great tourist infrastructure: restaurants, activities, tours, etc. However, this is important: the high rise is where the action is, and for many people (especially singles and young couples) this is important.
Yes I prefer the low rises. The beaches are better—they are wider and not crowded, and there are more chickee huts available. There is more parking, less people, and most importantly to me it is quiet. The ambiance is less commercial. There are fewer shops, fewer restaurants, more space.
The above picture is of Eagle Beach early in the morning. Would you call it crowded?
One last decision to be made before selecting a specific place to stay is whether to stay in a hotel or timeshare. Timeshares have more space, full kitchens and can be cheaper (especially if 2 or 3 couples share the cost of a 2 or 3 bedroom timeshare). However you have to go through the trouble of renting from an owner for a specific period and negotiating a price, and that is a pain in the neck for many first time Aruba visitors. However, I like timeshares more than hotels, and I don’t mind the extra trouble it takes to acquire one for a week or two.
There are other accommodations available too. There are apartments on and away from the beach. There are also individual houses you can rent. For your first visit to Aruba I advise staying away from these. Thieves know which houses are rented to tourists, and not all houses are in areas close to beaches, shopping or restaurants. I think it is better to stay in common tourist accommodations your first trip. While you are there you can check out other places to stay for your next trip. (Remember, you ARE coming back…)
I stay at the Costa Linda Beach Resort when I am in Aruba. It is in the low rise area; it is a timeshare. It is on Eagle Beach, the nicest beach in Aruba. Even at the high season (December through March or so) it does not feel crowded. It has a nice pool, good services, and it is clean. The 2 and 3 bedroom units are large. Housecleaning comes in every day to make beds (except Sunday) and clean. My wife and I own two weeks at Costa Linda, and we rent another two, giving us four weeks a year in Paradise. Their website is: http://www.costalinda-aruba.com/ For the rental board look for the From & For Our Members area and then click on Member Owned Resales and Rentals. Then click on Timeshare RENTALS offered by Members. The picture below is of Costa Linda taken from a boat we chartered to take us bottom fishing.
So from the guidelines and advice I offer above, try to get an idea of what type of accommodations you prefer. Then go on the bulletin board and ask the posters there about specific places and then go on from there.
REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS
Aruba is a fantastic place to visit and spend your vacations. However it has its warts. I think you should be aware of some of them in order not to be surprised about some aspects of the island. Aruba is not lush. If you have been to Hawaii, you know what lush is—everything green and growing, vegetation and flowers all over. Aruba, in the interior, is more like Arizona—scrub coral, cactus, and long stretches of blah. It is more like a desert than a rain forest, believe me. The beaches are world class, as I have said, but not the interior. Roads are not always great on Aruba, either. They are being upgraded over the years, but roads in the interior of the island are…well, they are not really roads. And road signs are practically nonexistent. I don’t know why, but the tourism ministry does not seem to attach high priority to road signs. Another thing that grinds me is the amount of trash you see on the island. It seems to me this could be handled by the government, especially with all the tourist money that comes in. Alas, no. Another thing that might strike you is the amount of development on the island. There are a LOT of hotels and resorts on the northwestern side of Aruba. I understand there is a moratorium on building at that end of Aruba now, and that is a good thing. But in the high rise area things are crowded, parking is scarce, and hotels are right next to each other.
And the 2 best things in Aruba—weather and beaches—are not so much fun when the wind stops. It is HOT! One woman who read this booklet went to Aruba in August, 2008. The wind stopped during her 1 week stay. She still loved Aruba, but could not cope with the unbearable heat. The wind had stopped because hurricane Gustov sucked most of the wind from the Caribbean during her stay. She stayed in a private house with no beach, so she couldn’t take refreshing dips in the Caribbean. Fortunately, a windless week does not happen often. She says she will go back.
I don’t like to document negative things about Aruba. However, I don’t want you to think it is perfect and then be disappointed about certain things. Better to be informed and not be surprised.
THINGS TO DO BEFORE YOU LEAVE FOR ARUBA
There are the normal things: secure accommodations, make plane reservations, make sure your passport is up to date. You must have a passport now to go throughout the Caribbean. This is a change from the recent past. You used to be able to travel to Aruba on your birth certificate.
There are other things I strongly suggest you do too. They are as follows:
RENT A CAR
Having a car is an important part of how I want you to enjoy Aruba. That sounds pompous of me? Well, you must rent a car and get around and explore the island. Strong recommendation. Yes, you can take buses and taxis or walk to places, but you will probably find you will stick pretty much around where you stay, and that would be unfortunate. Also, you don’t want to WASTE time arranging for transportation. You should be out enjoying the island, not waiting for a bus. I will be recommending day trips in a later section, but if you don’t have a car you will miss that important activity entirely. You can take tours, but…well it just isn’t the same. And you will find yourself eating at the same restaurants close to where you stay instead of partaking of great restaurants further away.
Which rental agency to rent from? That is a good question. In December, 2007, the locations of the car rental agencies at the airport underwent a change. The agencies were located right across the street from the airport, easy to walk to, even with a ton of luggage. However space for the car rental businesses was getting tight, a high fee was imposed on agencies that have their office at the airport, and the number of agencies located at the airport was reduced to ten. This caused several agencies to move away from the airport, although not very far. A recent poster on the Aruba Bulletin Board listed these 10 agencies as the ones still at the airport: National, Budget, Hertz, Thrifty, Alamo, Dollar, Avis and local companies Economy, Econo and Amigo.
I know how to locate the agencies that are AT the airport: you walk across the street with your luggage on a cart and go into the agency office. They are clearly marked. However, I am not sure how to hook up with an agency that does NOT have an office at the airport. They do have shuttles, but I don’t know how you contact them after you exit the airport. When you chose a car rental agency be sure to check with them to see if they have an office actually AT the airport or not. If they don’t then CONFIRM CAREFULLY with them exactly how to contact them after you get out of the airport. Worse comes to worse you can call them on your cell phone (see below). Be sure to have their telephone number with you.
Also, check the bulletin board for experiences of the posters there. Remember, you have to be registered on the bulletin board to get full value from that great resource. (Hey—you ARE registered by now, aren’t you?) Car rental questions and answers is a common topic on the board. Some of the posters recommend the following car rental agencies:
Amigo http://www.amigocar.com/
Royal http://www.arubaroyal.com/
Optima http://www.optimarentacar.com/
Econo http://www.econoaruba.com/ (At the airport)
Tropic http://www.tropiccarrent-aruba.com/ (Hans meets you at baggage claim.)
I usually use Hertz. They are located at the airport. Their website is:
http://www.arubarentcar.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=24&Itemid=19
The question always comes up when renting a car as to whether or not to accept the extra insurance. My usual practice is not to. However, I make an exception for renting in Aruba, and I accept the additional insurance, even though it is at rip off prices. The reason is: I don’t want to interrupt a nice vacation filling out forms and fighting with agencies in case there is a problem. This might not suit YOU, but I offer it as advice anyway. Accepting the additional insurance means you don’t have to pay for damages to the car you are renting (unless you are speeding or drunk or something). Many people think they are covered by their US based credit card. That may be true, but check the small print in your credit card contract. There are many restrictions and conditions. (By the way Aruban car agencies usually include liability insurance in their contract with you. That means if you damage some one elses’ property you are covered.)
A couple of post scripts about driving: first, there is no “right on red” allowed on Aruba. Also, watch the traffic lights carefully. Being used to driving in the States, the lights are not intuitive. They don’t act like you expect. It isn’t a major concern, but be alert.
ORDER A MAP
Order a map of Aruba online before you leave. The map company is Borch, and their website is: http://www.borch.com/ The map costs about $11.00 plus shipping. It is a good, heavy duty plasticized map, and you will use it every time you go to Aruba. (Remember: you WILL return.) I actually have two copies of the map. I keep one in the glove compartment of the car and the other in our room for daily trip planning.
I will be referring to spots in Aruba shown on the Borch map. For example the airport is at (L4), the high rise hotels are at (F2 and G2), and the low rise area is at (H & J 1 & 2). Study your map before you leave home. Figure out how to drive from the airport to your hotel. Review that route with the car agency person you rent with. Hey—you are performing like an experienced Aruba tourist and you haven’t even LEFT yet!
RESERVE A CELL PHONE
Yes, another strong piece of advice: rent a cell phone. There are three reasons for this: 1) you should have a cell phone with you in your car in case you have a road emergency, 2) landline phone calls from hotels are much more expensive than cellular calls, and 3) in case you have to call the States your cellular phone will do the trick easily and cheaply. You should NEVER make a landline call from your hotel. ALWAYS use your cell phone. It will prove to be much cheaper. Call restaurants and tours to make reservations from your cell phone. Call the States with it (just key 001, the area code and the number and hit Send.). Call stores to inquire about their hours.
Yes, there are several ways to acquire cell phones. Taking yours from the States if it works, buying a phone card, etc. But I recommend you rent your phone from Fast Phones Aruba. Their website is: http://www.arubafastphones.com/
The reason I like Fast Phone Aruba is that you can pick up your phone right in the airport before you rent your car, and the day you leave the island (sob) you can return it right to the airport kiosk, right after you return your rental car. Simple, and it works, and you won’t be stuck fiddling with equipment or spending any additional time arranging for phones. I would suggest reserving about 45 minutes per week of your Aruba stay.
Fast Phone Aruba will email you about a week before you leave for Aruba and inform you of the telephone number of your cell phone while you are in Aruba. In this way you can tell your friends and family what your numbers is. Nice touch.
I have a Verizon phone in the states. You can call them ((800) 711-8300)and they will tell you how to use your Verizon phone to call to the US from Aruba and to Aruba from the US. These individual calls are expensive on a per-minute basis, but it is another way to get phone service in Aruba.
See how the three recommendations of this section fit: rent a car to see Aruba at its best; rent a cell phone to have in a road emergency, and have a map in hand to plan your trips. All things you must do before you leave home. Check, check, check. You’re doin’ good!
MAKE OTHER RESERVATIONS
Depending on what you chose to do in Aruba, there may be other reservations you should make via the internet from home before you leave. I will be suggesting some great activities later, and some of them require you to make reservations. Many offer discounts if reservations are made online. I will provide the websites for you to make reservations. However, be sure to CONFIRM your reservations when you arrive in Aruba. I KNOW you will have reserved your phone with Fast Phone Aruba by NOW…haven’t you?
ARRIVAL IN ARUBA
What a thrill it was for us as kids—to walk down the stairs from the plane onto the tarmac at the end of our stateside vacation and feel that wonderful Aruba sun and heat and humidity and WIND! Yay, we are home again! You will feel some of our excitement when you step out of the airport.
But first things first. You have to have your passport stamped and your immigration card stamped. You will complete an immigration card on the plane. When your passport is reviewed as you pass through the airport, the agent will tear off the bottom part of the immigration form and leave it IN your passport. Don’t lose this, or you will have to find a blank form and complete it again as you are leaving Aruba. You don’t need that extra hassle. (By the way, the agent always says, “Welcome home,” when she sees I was born in Aruba. Makes me feel good.)
Next is baggage claim. Check out your fellow passengers waiting to claim their bags. You should have been talking to some on the plane asking their advice about their previous trips to Aruba. If you didn’t have the opportunity then, do it now. “Have you been to Aruba before?” “Where are you staying?” “Have you been snorkeling?” You will be seeing these same people over and over throughout your stay: at the shops, on the beach or on your tours.
After your baggage arrives, just breeze through the customs exits. I never saw a tourist be stopped at customs. If YOU do, please email me and tell me why they stopped you. If it was because you looked like you were carrying drugs DON’T email me. However, in February, 2009, some tourists WERE stopped by Aruban customs and asked if they were bring in alcohol or cigarettes. They did have to pay duty on their hard liquor. Let’s hope that this practice doesn’t continue.
So now you exit to the front of the airport. Next is getting your cell phone from Fast Phones Aruba right there in the airport. The kiosk is there to the right as you enter the main part of the airport from baggage claim. Pick up your cell phone. What a pro you are!
No, do NOT leave the airport yet. Right after you pick up your phone, there SHOULD be people handing out red and white striped plastic bags from a jewelry store called Little Switzerland. Get one for EACH person in your party. Four people, four bags. Do it. They contain discount coupons for many of the activities you may be doing in Aruba. The bags THEMSELVES are valuable for schlepping stuff around the island in your rental car. If these bags are not being handed out, then go to the left of the door to the outside and pick them up yourself. Stuff them with each of the brochures you see on the rack there.
Yes, now is the time to pick up your rental car. You should have made arrangements for it over the internet. Next you drive to your hotel. You should have your map in your carryon so you can review with the car rental agent exactly how get to your hotel. Hey—do you KNOW what you are doing, or WHAT?!
THINGS NOT TO DO
As I indicated earlier, I hope you will be doing things during your stay in Aruba that take advantage of the island’s great opportunities. That will mean doing things differently from the way you operate at home. To repeat my general advice: don’t do things in Aruba that you do at home or could do at home. You have access to a pool at home? Don’t spend too much time in Aruba at your hotel pool. You like to gamble? Go to Vegas.
You love Tony Roma’s ribs? Get them at home then, not in Aruba. This is only MY opinion. Many, many people say they have a traditional first restaurant meal in Aruba at Tony Romas, and they love going back. OK. But you’ll never know the restaurant you MISSED because you went to a franchise place the same as all the others in the States.
You want my opinion, or your wouldn’t be reading this. My opinions about all this stuff is not the same as all the bulletin board posters, and the posters are experienced Aruba visitors too. Their opinions are just as good as mine; you decide.
But I have your attention now, so here goes: Don’t eat at American franchise restaurants, like Taco Bell, MacDonnalds, Tony Romas. Don’t spend more than a little time at the casinos. Don’t eat pizza for dinner. Don’t spend more than a little time at your hotel pool. Don’t spend all your daytime time at the beach. Don’t have the highlight of your trip to Aruba be how much alcohol you consume. Don’t veg out reading all the time. Don’t sleep late in the morning unless it means you were out late the night before partying. Don’t repeat activities if you have an opportunity to do new ones. If you go snorkeling 4 times in a week you’ll miss great picnics and climbing Hooiberg and going to Charlie’s Bar. Don’t take the bus, because you have your rental car of course. However if your circumstances are such that you must use Aruba’s bus system, you can get information on the busses at the following website: http://www.arubus.com/ So--there are too many other great things to do in Aruba to waste time repeating or doing what you do at home…you pizza lover you…
Even golf and tennis are activities that can be done at home. Let them add to your fun in Aruba rather than being the basis of your activities.
DAY ACTIVITIES ON YOUR OWN
SHOPPING
The shopping isn’t THAT great in Aruba. There are 5 areas to shop:
the mall in Oranjestad (just like US malls),
the new Paseo Herencia mall across from the Holiday Inn in the high rise area (small, specialized boutique shops),
the local shops behind the Renaissance hotel in Oranjestad, along Main Street,
the stalls for souvenirs located along the water in Oranjestad near where the cruise ships dock, and
the many exclusive stores located in the hotels.
Also worth checking out are temporary stalls for local merchandise and souvenirs. They are located in the parking lots of stores along the shore of the road northwest of Oranjestad, located at K2 on your Borch map.
The best things to buy in Aruba are from jewelry stores with products you don’t see in the states. However you must negotiate, or you will be paying much too much. You should negotiate too at the interesting shops at the high rise hotels. You can extend your period of negotiating over several days if you are staying at a hotel with an expensive shop. Walk out unsatisfied with their price and come back the next day to see if they will lower it.
There are many ATM’s, especially in hotels and casinos. Most, if not all, dispense US dollars. Fees are associated with cash disbursements from an ATM, but I’m sure you know that.
Then there is grocery shopping. We stock our kitchen by going to the grocery store right after we first arrive at our timeshare and partially unpack. Although we almost never prepare dinner in our timeshare, we do buy wine, beer, soda, snacks, fruit, coffee, tea, milk, cheese, butter, water (for the bottles, right?), lemons, sugar, paper towels, juices, and stuff like that. We go to Ling & Sons for our groceries. The store is clean, and you can pay in dollars by credit card. It is located at (K2) on your Borch map, near the word “Madiki,” but it is a little difficult to find. It is better to ask someone for directions when you are ready to go than have me try to explain them in writing. Remember that the prices in the grocery stores are in Florins, 1.75 – 1.77 to the dollar. So a case of Balashi Beer (“Aruba’s Beer”) that is marked 41.50 is US$23.71. Snap it up!
SPENDING TIME ON THE BEACH
The beach at the high rise hotel area is OK. But it is crowded and narrow. The best beach on Aruba is Eagle Beach. Very spacious, with nice sand, and the water is usually not rough. Go there for a nice picnic. Beach walks are fun in the early morning too. ALL beaches in Aruba are public. No one can kick you off a beach, even one right in front of someone’s house. Of course you can’t use someone else’s chairs or other equipment on a beach, but you can be on any beach itself, and stay there and sun your self there, etc.
The picture above/left is of Palm Beach at the Marriott Surf Club (high rise area). Crowded, noisy, active. The picture above/right is of Eagle Beach at Costa Linda Beach Resort on the same day, 30 minutes later. Spacious, quiet, relaxed. That’s why we like it on Eagle Beach in the low rise area. Course we aren’t in our 20’s any more looking for action.
The sun is very strong, and especially dangerous because the wind is always blowing, and that means you can’t FEEL the effect of the sun so much. I once knew of an elderly gentleman that I heard was going to Aruba on his own. Sure enough, I missed him at the fitness center for a couple of weeks. When I saw him again, I said to him, “I hear you went to Aruba for a couple of weeks. How did you like it?” He said, “It was the worst vacation I ever had in my life!” Jeez. “How come?” He said, “The first day I was there I fell asleep for an hour and a half on the beach before I put any sun screen on.” He had to go to ER for treatment. Don’t let this happen to you. Slather on sunscreen, and err on the side of too much, rather than too little.
TOURING THE ISLAND IN YOUR RENTAL CAR
Now THIS is great stuff! This is the main reason you rented your car. However, let me say first and foremost: The MOST fun about touring by yourself is getting lost and subsequently finding your way. You will get lost MANY times if you drive around the island. Not to worry. Aruba is small enough that you are never really lost, just temporarily confused. So have a good time driving, check the Borch map, try this and that, get into trouble, and find your way again.
The road signs are TERRIBLE in Aruba. There aren’t very many, and those that are there aren’t consistent with the map. Don’t count on them. Just try to follow the map as best as you can. Get to recognize some landmarks: Mt. Hooiberg, the California Lighthouse, the power plant, the windmill, etc. Remember, you are learning about Aruba’s roads, and this will stand you in good stead for your next trip. There are some roads you will begin to recognize too. The road from Oranjestad to San Nicholas. The road from Santa Cruz through three traffic circles to the western part of the island. The road from the California Lighthouse to Oranjestad. Most roads connect to these. By the time you leave, you’ll be a pro.
I have several day trips to recommend to you. First, the Baby Beach Day Trip is as follows: Drive to Baby Beach in Seroe Colorado (R13). It takes 50 minutes from the high rise area. Snorkel there, renting snorkel equipment from Big Mama Grill. Then drive around Seroe Colorado, checking out the houses there. (This was my hometown. Too bad about the run down houses now.) Then drive up to Colorado Point (R14), the high point you can see from Seroe Colorado. Walk on the path to the ocean straight ahead and to the left of where you park. Great view. Stop at Charlie’s Bar in San Nicholas (P11) on the way back. Ask directions from anyone. Last time we went there I stopped to ask a pedestrian where Charlie’s Bar was, and before I could utter a word, he said, “Charlie’s Bar? Straight then off to the right.” LOL It is an institution. Have a beer there (Balashi, of course, brewed in Aruba), but don’t get a meal there (too expensive for what you get).
The Hooiberg Day Trip is a great one. Drive to Casiberi rock formation (J6) and walk around the little nature path there. Then drive to Mt. (LOL) Hooiberg (K6) and walk up the 632 steps to the top. Oh come ON, its not that bad. Great view from the top for pictures. It takes only about 45 minutes to walk up, and that’s with 2 stops to rest. Then drive from Santa Cruz (L7) to the Ayo rock formation (J7), stopping at the Just Local store on the way; it is on your right (at K7, but not shown on the map). Very nice lady there who owns the store. Then turn right to the donkey sanctuary (K8) open (9:00 – 12:30 Monday thru Friday and 10:00 – 3:00 on weekends). This a great place for kids. Their website is at: http://www.arubandonkey.org/ Drive back to the Ostrich Farm (H8), to the gold mine ruins (H7) and on to Natural Bridge (J9), (still a popular tourist location, despite its collapse in 2005). Great trip.
The Boca Grande Day Trip is nice also. There are many Subway shops in Aruba. We stop in and order a picnic lunch to go. We put it in our Styrofoam cooler bought in town and packed with ice from the hotel. Put in some sodas or beer and some sandwiches from Subway for a nice picnic lunch. Yes, I know this is a franchise found all over in the States, but it is convenient for a quick picnic lunch. Drive almost all the way to Seroe Colorado (R13), but turn left at the red anchor (by “Gate” at K13), not right. Boca Grande (P13) is a beautiful usually deserted beach. Sit there on the sand and think about me surf casting there over 50 years ago. I was there! Then continue northwest up the coast to a place called “Rincon” on the map (O13). It’s a nice picturesque beach with some shells in the sand. Continue northwest to the Guadirikira Cave (N12). Check it out and also stop at Fontein Cave (M11) near Boca Prins (M12). There are guides at these caves. Stop at the sand dunes (M11) for your picnic lunch, and then get back via the road marked 7B/7A through Santa Cruz (L7). [Note: this road is under construction in 2008 and may not be open. If not, stop at the Boca Prins Bar and they will tell you how to return to Santa Cruz through the Arikok National Park. Sounds more complicated than you want to deal with? Remember, it is FUN to get lost and then get found. It gives you a sense of accomplishment when you finally get where you want to go without asking directions. Now, now, ladies… LOL]
Many newcomers to Aruba do not reserve cars, but wish they had one for a day to do some island touring. They ask if there is a one day loop of the island. Well, there isn’t a convenient loop, but I can give you one anyway. You can arrange for a car rental for one day where you are staying. Most big hotels and timeshares have a car rental desk, and they will deliver a car right to your hotel if you arrange for it in advance. The best one day car tour of Aruba is the Boca Grande Day Trip (described above), with one addition: when you get to the red anchor, turn right, not left and tool around Seroe Colorado for 20 minutes, including going to Baby Beach. Baby beach is a great beach for snorkeling and for beaching out with small children. It is super calm. After you have seen Seroe Colorado, go back out the red anchor and continue straight (with the anchor on your right), and continue on with the Boca Grande Day Trip. This is a full day, and you will love it. This trip will give you confidence to rent a car and do the rest of the tours on your next (yes next) trip.
None of the above day trips require a 4 wheel drive vehicle. The Wild Side Day Trip does, however. On your first trip to Aruba I wouldn’t recommend it. However, if you are especially adventurous or experienced with rough roads you could try it. Drive almost all the way to the California Lighthouse (D2), but just before going up the hill to the lighthouse turn off to the left. Follow the “road” (LOL) down the coast in a southeast direction. You will eventually get to the Natural Bridge (J8). Have lunch at one of the many deserted shacks on the shore, for example at Boca Chikitu (G6). Backtrack to the Ayo rock formation (J7) and take the road down past the donkey sanctuary (K8). Continue past it and look for small signs to Natural Pool (K10). The actual trip to Natural Pool is a harrowing drive. We have been stuck several times, and it is a very difficult drive even with a 4x4.. Natural Pool is worth it, though. The pool itself is protected by high rocks from the rough waves. Be careful not to cut yourself on the barnacles; they can be deceiving. I suggest water shoes or sacrificing a pair of sneakers. Oh, and take your camera; you’ll get good pictures.
Other good places to check out by car are (in no particular order): Alto Vista Chapel (F5), California Lighthouse (D2), Crystal Mountain (northeast from traffic circle at J5), Mt. Jamanota (M9), Tunnel of Love and Huliba Caves (N12) if you like bats.
SNORKELING
Aruba has great snorkeling in several places. There are 2 ways to snorkel: 1) Go with a tour outfit that takes you to the snorkel locations by boat (they supply masks, snorkel tubes and fins at no extra charge), or 2) Drive to snorkel locations yourself and snorkel by entering the water from the shore. You have to provide your own equipment in this later case, either by bringing gear with you or buying or renting it in Aruba. Renting is only a good choice if you snorkel at Baby Beach because the rental outfit is close by. Baby Beach is a great place to snorkel, because it is very shallow, there are many brightly colored fish, and the current pushes you into the smooth, shallow lagoon, not out to sea.
You should test out your goggles and mask if possible in your hotel pool so you don’t get any surprises at snorkel locations where you can’t make corrections or adjustments easily. Remember to spit in your goggles then wash with sea water to prevent fogging.
The areas at which you can snorkel by driving to the water are: Baby Beach (R13), Mangel Halto (O7), Arashi (D2), Malmok (E2), and Boca Catalina (E2). Its best if you first go with a tour and see if you like it. You can then determine if you want to invest in or rent gear to snorkel on your own. (By the way, I would keep one person near the car while the others are snorkeling. There have been reports of too many car break-ins near the popular snorkel spots.) I will recommend 2 snorkel tour outfits later.
Some of the snorkeling spots identified on the following website are a bit advanced. Try out the easier ones first. http://www.shorediving.com/Earth/ABC/Aruba/index.htm
ACTIVITIES FOR TEEN AGERS
There are several wholesome activities that teen agers can participate in on Aruba. There is Adventure Golf, a miniature golf course. In addition to the golf they have a game room with video and air hockey, a go cart track, and paddle boats. Moomba’s at Palm Beach near the Marriott is a gathering place for teens. It has a beach bar, food, air hockey, pool tables, beach toys, shops, cool lighting, live music and a DJ. Other activities that teen agers enjoy are dinner cruises, snorkeling, ATV excursions, bike rental, horseback riding, the donkey sanctuary, the ostrich farm, and the Jolly Pirates trips.
OTHER ACTIVITIES ON YOUR OWN
There are many other things you can do in Aruba on your own. I will list some together with websites and you can check them out on the internet. The helicopter ride is great; expensive, but very exciting, and you get some great pictures. I have tried an ATV rental with bad results, but I’ll try it again and hope for better. I haven’t rented bicycles in Aruba yet, but Tri Bike Aruba in Santa Cruz (L7) is a neat store and will deliver bicycles to your hotel for your day of biking. The Arikok hike (L9) takes about 90 minutes if done very slowly, taking pictures all the while. The Aloe factory (J3) tour is good, but don’t get there at the same time as a tour bus. Those tours are cut short and not worth the time. The Balashi Brewery (N6 but not identified on the map) tour is fun. Schedule the 10:30 one and have lunch after the tour right in their restaurant. The butterfly farm is mildly interesting, but not worth $12.00 per adult. $8.00 would be OK. Others have said that the butterfly farm is worth the price. You CAN return as many times as you want before you leave Aruba. I haven’t gone to the Numismatic Museum yet.
The Ostrich Farm is a fun place for lunch—yes, they have ostrich burgers. Saturday and Sunday brunch. Their 30 minute tours are expensive, but you have to do it once. Reserve for brunch and get the tour at half price. That’s the way to do it. You can feed the birds. They go bananas over the feed. Small kids (maybe 6-8 years old) can even ride the ostriches. I suggest going on a day with blue sky because taking pictures of these goofy birds is great, and they don’t look nearly as good with a grey sky background. For tennis, check with the activities desk at your hotel for the nearest courts, and check the link below for tennis clinics.
The Donkey Sanctuary is a fun place to go, with or without kids. The sanctuary is located at [K8] on our map. It is free, but they hope for donations. I suggest going in the morning, as the donkeys retire to a remote area in the afternoons sometimes. Pay attention to the staff’s guidance; some of the donkeys can get a little testy. But it is a great place—chickens running around, donkeys hee-hawing…you always leave with a smile on your face. The staff has apple slices to feed the donkeys.
Helicopter tour http://www.arubahelitours.com/
ATV rental http://www.enjoyaruba.com/atv/index.htm
Bicycle Rental http://www.setarnet.aw/users/mauricelinssen/index.htm
Arikok Hike http://www.sidsnet.org/eco-tourism/arikok.html
Aloe factory tour http://gocaribbean.about.com/od/topfiveattractions/gr/ArubaAloeStore.htm
Balashi Brewery tour http://www.balashi.com/balashi/
Numismatic Museum http://gocaribbean.about.com/od/topfiveattractions/gr/ArubaNumismatic.htm
Butterfly Farm http://www.aruba.com/whattodo/butterflyfarm.php
Ostrich Farm http://www.arubaostrichfarm.com
Donkey Sanctuary http://www.arubandonkey.org/
Tennis http://www.arubatennis.com/
Alcoholics Anonymous 583-8989
Of course there are the water sports activities that you can arrange right from the beach: boat rides, parasailing, Sea Doo rentals, etc. A lot of people enjoy those activities, and there are a lot of companies offering them. Check out one of the providers: http://www.arubawatersportcenter.com/sail.htm
Another activity that is great fun is photography in Aruba. With the beautiful water and the sun and the beaches, the blue sky and puffy white clouds, cactus, coral, divi divi trees you can lose yourself on the island taking pictures all day long. Check out my own pictures at: http://www.pbase.com/scsnapper/aruba Oh, I love taking pictures of pelicans. I swear they know me by sight each time I go back, and they perform--just for me!
ORGANIZED DAY ACTIVITIES
SNORKELING TRIPS
Great fun! This is a must. I have gone on snorkel tours with 2 outfits: The Jolly Pirates and Tranquillo. Both were outstanding. You have to devote most of a day to these excursions, but they are a blast. The Jolly Pirates take you snorkeling to a sunken wreck and then to spots near shore. They have an open bar and lunch too. They have a rope swing for customers, and the staff shows off on the swing too. You get good pictures. Captain Anthony of the Tranquillo takes you to two super snorkeling spots and is famous for his home made Dutch pea soup. Both provide masks and snorkels and fins. You can’t go wrong with either one. Make reservations on their websites before you leave home.
Tranquillo http://www.tranquiloaruba.com/
Jolly Pirates http://www.jolly-pirates.com/
KAYAK TRIP
This is another super action packed day of kayaking and snorkeling and having lunch. The kayak people pick you up at your hotel, transport you to their kayaks, give you a brief lesson on kayak control, and you are quickly in the water with experienced guides. There are 2 tours. Each involves kayaking and snorkeling and lunch. I have done this tour twice and recommended it to friends and relatives. Everyone enjoyed it very much.
Kayak trip: http://www.arubawavedancer.com/arubakayak/
BOTTOM FISHING
If you’d like to get out to fish off the bottom (about 50 - 90 feet deep), I can recommend Olympic Tours (tel 586-5026). We have gone out with them 4 times. They go out at about 8:30 or so and return at about 2:00. Lunch is included. We always caught fish, but most of them were small. Only twice did we catch enough for a meal for 4. It is a lot of fun; you are out in that beautiful water. It is NOT deep sea fishing, so it isn’t rough. You are only out about a mile, so you always see land. It is a fun filled day.
GOLF
The cheapest and best way to play golf is to sign up for the Wednesday and Friday Golf Tournament at the Divi Golf club. $75.00 per person, best ball net. They provide clubs, golf shoes, a sleeve of balls, and 9 holes of golf plus drinks. The course is nice. Easy to find. Call to reserve, 581-GOLF. The 18 hole golf course at Tierra del Sol is a nice one, but more expensive. There is a golf course at the other end of the island (P12). Sand greens. I wouldn’t recommend that course unless you want to have a good laugh and an adventure. In my day, it was the only golf course on the island.
Divi Aruba http://www.visitaruba.com/attractions/sunandfun/golf.html
Tierra del Sol http://www.tierradelsol.com/
OTHER ORGANIZED DAY ACTIVITIES
I have not taken any tours with the outfits below, but I offer them for your information. I suggest you ask the bulletin board posters about their experiences before booking with them.
Aruba tours http://www.abc-aruba.com/
Horseback riding http://www.aruba-travelguide.com/activities/horsebackriding.html
Deep sea fishing http://www.aruba.com/whattodo/deepseafishing.php
Scuba diving http://www.divearuba.com/
http://www.redsailaruba.com/ar_index.html
MEALS AND RESTAURANTS
TYPICAL DAY IN ARUBA
The way we like to organize our days in Aruba is to get up early, walk the beach for 45 minutes or so at dawn, make a bagel run and a towel run and a free daily newspaper run, then return to our timeshare unit to have coffee and a bagel and plan the day. We then get an early start, about 9:15 or so, and we hit the nearest Subway for sandwiches to pack in our cooler right next to the Balashi beer and sodas. Then we head “out” on our day trips to Baby Beach or wherever. We maintain a storage unit in Aruba where we keep tables and chairs, soft coolers, and snorkel equipment. (You wouldn’t do that on your first trip.) We then do whatever we have planned for the day, returning about 2:00 – 3:00 to our timeshare. We then relax for the rest of the afternoon at our pool, on the beach, or on our patio. We then have some wine in the late afternoon, hang around the beach for some sunset photographs, and head out to a restaurant. What a day! They are all the same, yet they are all different. And now for the best part, the restaurants. Yum!
So our meals in Aruba are generally as follows: breakfast in our timeshare, picnic lunch at a beach or wherever we happen to be at lunchtime, and dinner at one of Aruba’s fine restaurants. Truly, Aruba has world class resort restaurants. I don’t know which is more fun: returning to a proven winner restaurant or trying a new one. Of course we have done both over the years. We have been to over 50 restaurants since 2004, and we love MANY of them.
THE RESTAURANTS
The best way to cover 50 restaurants is to gather them into categories. I will provide the restaurant, their telephone number, the days they are closed, and their website. This information changes now and then so some things may have changed since I researched them. Please cover restaurants thoroughly on the Aruba Bulletin Board. However, circumstances can often dictate that peoples’ opinions will differ significantly about the same restaurant. Someone will love one; someone else will hate the same one. You must get many opinions and develop your own favorites list.
All restaurants are casual in Aruba. Men don’t need a jacket in any that I have been to. Even sandals are acceptable (but not flip flops). Good looking shorts are usually fine, but some restaurants require long pants for inside tables. But hey—dress up a little for the better restaurants. Bring up the level, don’t lower it.
In general, the higher the restaurant is on my list below, the more necessary it is to make reservations. Some restaurants, like our all time favorite, Madame Janettes, will ask for your credit card number upon making reservations. They say they might charge you if you don’t show (but I don’t think they actually will). Other restaurants that ask for credit cards when making reservations are Screaming Eagle, Flying Fishbone, and Marandi. Probably some more of the more expensive ones too, but I can’t remember them all.
Many people want to know which restaurants serve “typical Aruban” food. Typical Aruban is tough to define. Being on the water it means seafood, of course. And goat stew; I’m sure you’ll love that. And some Dutch dishes. I put an (A) next to restaurants that are considered to be typical Aruban. And the © beside the restaurant name means it is less expensive (©heap, LOL). Many restaurants do offer vegetarian dishes, if that is important to you.
Locating restaurants in Aruba can be difficult. Some of the best ones are out of the way. We have found that the best way to locate them is to drive around during the DAY and locate the restaurant when time isn’t so important. You can be late for your reservations if you are looking for some of these inland restaurants in the dark. Aren’t you glad you rented a car rather than adding $20 to your dinner bill by taking taxis to and from the restaurants? Glad you are doing it “my way.” LOL
There are several restaurants I would strongly recommend: Madame Janettes, El Gouchos, Papiamento, Amazing (for Sunday Brunch), Yamanja, and the Flying Fishbone. MJ’s is the best restaurant on Aruba, and one of the best in the Caribbean. It is located a little inland from the low rises. Hard to find first time. Prices are a little high but definitely worth it. EG’s serves Argentine beef. Fantastic! It is located in downtown Oranjestad. Hard to find first time. FF is located in Savaneta, about 40 minutes from the tourist hotels. It is right on the beach; you take off your shoes and have your bare feet in the sand. Make reservations for 6:00 so you can see the sun set. Bring your camera. Worth the drive. You should locate the FF when you drive to Seroe Colorado earlier in the week. Remember you can be on the phone with them asking for directions as you drive. (Getting lost is NOT fun when you have reservations.)
|
RESTAURANTS PATRONIZED |
Days |
Telephone |
Location/Comments |
Website |
|
|
Closed |
011-297 |
|
|
|
THE VERY BEST |
|
|
|
|
|
Madame Janettes |
SUN |
587-0184 |
|
|
|
Flying Fishbone |
--- |
584-2506 |
|
|
|
Papiamento (A) |
SUN |
586-4544 |
|
|
|
Chez Mathilde |
SUN |
583-4968 |
|
|
|
El Gouchos |
SUN |
582-3677 |
|
|
|
Yemanja Woodfired Grill |
SUN |
588-4711 |
2 Wilheiminasatraat |
|
|
Marandi |
SUN |
582-0157 |
|
|
|
Windows on Aruba (Sun Brunch) |
--- |
581-4653 |
Golf clubhouse @ Divi Links |
http://www.windowsonaruba.com/ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
VERY GOOD |
|
|
|
|
|
Matthews |
|
588-7300 |
At Casa del Mar |
|
|
Chefs Tables |
WED |
587 8140 |
|
|
|
La Promenade © (A) |
MON |
583-8879 |
|
|
|
Que Pasa |
|
583-4888 |
|
|
|
Brisas del Mar |
|
584-3718 |
Near Flying Fishbone |
|
|
Pinchos |
|
583-2666 |
|
|
|
Le Dome (Sunday brunch) |
MON |
587-1517 |
|
|
|
Giannis |
|
586-7794 |
|
|
|
B-55 (A) © |
|
|
Very near drive-in movie; @55 Balashi |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
GOOD, WOULD GO BACK |
|
|
|
|
|
Amazing (Sunday Brunch) |
MON |
730-9500 |
San Nicolas |
|
|
Astoria (Sunday Brunch) |
|
584-5132 |
San Nicolas |
|
|
French Steakhouse |
--- |
582-3444 |
|
|
|
Screaming Eagle |
SUN |
587 8021 |
|
|
|
Tulips © |
|
587-0110 |
|
|
|
Gasparitos (A) |
SUN |
586-2444 |
|
|
|
Alfredos (@ Adventure Golf)© |
|
587 6625 |
|
|
|
Pam Pam © |
none |
587-7710 |
|
http://www.visitaruba.com/attractions/bynight/restaurants/international/index.html#pampam |
|
Osterich Farm (lunch) |
--- |
585-9630 |
|
http://www.arubaostrichfarm.com/bar_restaurant.html |
|
Salt & Pepper © |
--- |
586-3280 |
|
|
|
Old Man and The Sea |
SUN |
735-0840 |
Near Flying Fishbone |
http://theoldmanandthesearestaurant.com/Welcome.html |
|
Rumbas |
--- |
588-7900 |
|
|
|
Bella Luna |
--- |
586-0644 |
|
|
|
Bingo © |
--- |
586 2818 |
|
|
|
The Turtle's Nest (Dinner) |
none |
583-3000 |
At Costa Linda |
http://www.visitaruba.com/turtlesnest/ |
|
Nos Cunucu © (A) |
|
582-7122 |
|
|
|
Driftwood |
TUE |
583-2515 |
|
|
|
Boca Prins Bar (lunch) |
|
|
|
|
|
Linda's Pancake (lunch)© |
SUN |
586-3378 |
|
|
|
Passions (Mangos on beach) |
|
527-1125 |
|
|
|
Peanuts © (A) |
|
583-4343 |
End of Main Street |
http://wsm.ezsitedesigner.com/share/scrapbook/41/412934/Peanuts.pdf |
|
Iguana Joes © |
SUN |
No reservations |
|
|
|
Taj Mahal © |
SUN |
588-4494 |
|
|
|
Mangos (Inside)(Tuesdays) |
--- |
587-1492 |
|
|
|
Pizza Bob's © |
--- |
588 9040 |
|
|
|
Pirates Nest |
|
583-1100 |
|
|
|
The Old Fisherman |
|
588-3648 |
|
|
|
Wacky Wahoo © |
|
586-7333 |
Didn't live up to rep |
|
|
Ruinas del Mar (Sun Brunch) |
|
523-4203 |
At Hayatt |
http://aruba.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/entertainment/index.jsp |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
DISAPPOINTING, compared to the many better ones |
|
|
||
|
Cuba's Cookin |
|
588-0627 |
Overpriced now |
|
|
Chalet Suisse |
SUN |
587-5054 |
Impersonal & sterile |
|
|
Elenoras Crazy Open Grill |
|
586-9313 |
So-so |
|
|
Wei Taai © |
|
|
Typical Chinese, just OK |
|
|
Marina Pirata |
|
585-7150 |
Food dry & plain |
|
|
Charlie's Bar (lunch) |
|
584-5086 |
Too expensive! |
|
|
Sawasdee Thai © |
|
586-8071 |
Bland flavor |
http://www.toptable.co.uk/venues/restaurants/?id=7498&refid=ggl05&gclid=CNj_wP_mzpQCFQGbnAodj1DKpw |
|
Destiny |
|
586-1100 |
Pretty expensive |
|
|
Aqua Grill |
SUN |
586 5900 |
Deserted; sterile |
|
|
Texas de Brazil |
--- |
586 4686 |
Overpriced, quality eeh |
|
|
Smoky Joes |
--- |
586 2896 |
Nothing special |
|
|
Buckineer |
|
586-6172 |
Food dry & plain |
|
|
Hung Paradjis |
|
|
Not to our liking |
|
|
Pirates Nest (Bucuti) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NIGHT ACTIVITIES
Well, I don’t have much experience with night life on Aruba. We usually eat dinner and return home, play cards or read and go to bed early (in order to get up early to walk the beach at sunup).
There is sometimes a show nightly at the Crystal Casino in Oranjestad. It changes its format. However we have not been there. The Comedy Club at the Westin in Aruba Resort (586-4466) gets good and bad reviews from posters on the Aruba bulletin boards. Comedy shows or magicians are changed every few weeks. We spend a little time at that resort in 2006, and it was a pretty swinging place in the evening and full of activity all the time. But there are bad reviews too, like: “I was at Comix Cafe in July. The comedian I saw was horrible. Only 15 people at the show.” Check shows at http://www.comixcafearuba.com “
Of course you can go to the casinos at night.
If you want to relive your wilder days I can suggest the following for the young at heart:
Carlos & Charlies for drinks, dinner and pickup. This is where Natalee Holaway was last seen. It is in Oranjestad, close to where the cruise ships come in. Lots of stuff going on. (check: http://www.carlosandcharlies.com/ ) They have changed their name to Senor Frog but are keeping their same format.
Tattoo. Dinner and dancing cruise. Very noisy. $40 per person. Call 586-2010. Lotsa dancing. Three decks, rope swing, Fun evening I understand, but I have never done it.
Kukoo Kunuku. Dinner and Barhopping tour. Call 586-2010 $59 per person. They pick you up at your resort or hotel, and you go bar hopping across the island. First drink in every bar is “free.” They deliver you home at 2:00 in the morning. You are all on a big multi colored bus, and make a lot of noise going from one bar to the other. Everybody waves at you when you go by. For the young and restless it is a blast. Discount coupons from Little Switzerland. Their website is: http://www.kukookunuku.com/
Black Hog Saloon. Supposed to be a swinging place. Easy to get to. $39 per person all you can drink, BBQ dinner on Tuesdays (or maybe Wednesdays). Harley rides, bar stool racing, miniature golf, paddle boats, etc. Their website is: http://www.blackhogsaloon.com/
Moombas restaurant is in the middle of a lot of young people activity. It is on the beach in the high rises. Food isn’t great, but you can meet people and enjoy yourselves. Check them out at http://moombabeach.com/component/
Mambo Jambos. Haven’t been there, but it is always on everyone’s list of active places at night. They get going at 11:00pm. Royal Plaza Mall # 126 Website at: http://www.mambojamboaruba.com/index_flash.html
IN ARUBA WITH CHILDREN
There are many activities in Aruba for children. All the tours I document above are great with kids. They love the pools, the ocean, and yes, you can take them to MacDonalds because that’s one of their favorites. Maybe even pizza if they promise to be good. They will love climbing Hooiberg. They will love the rough 4x4 rides and getting stuck in the sand. You can take them bottom fishing. You can fish off shore (just bring some line, hooks, and a couple of sturdy balloons and buy some shrimp for bait). You can hike with them and look for shells with them. Take them snorkeling with the Jolly Pirates or Captain Anthony. Take them to the Ostrich farm and the donkey sanctuary and the butterfly farm. Or play tennis with them. A water park is being built, but progress on that construction is slow. There are a lot of activities for children during the Carnival season, January and February.
Speaking of MacDonalds and children and restaurants, one bit of feedback from a reader of this e-booklet suggested something that worked for her: going to MacDonalds for a takeout meal for the kids then taking it to your restaurant of choice and having the kids there with you eating their Big Macs while you dine yourself. Well, its American franchise…but…I’ll allow it! LOL
And if you want to escape at night you can arrange for a babysitter with your hotel front desk. The following is a babysitting website: http://www.arubababysitting.com/ Check the Aruba Bulletin Board for babysitter advice. There is a lot of material there on that subject.
DEPARTURE FROM ARUBA
Alas, it is time to go home. Never mind—I know you will decide to come back. Some important things for getaway day:
Get to the airport three hours earlier than your flight leaves. As you drive into the airport follow signs to Departures and drop off your luggage with those that came with you. Circle all the way around the airport again and follow the signs to Rental Car Return. Be sure not to get into the Parking lane. It is a little difficult getting OUT of the airport parking lot. (You have to go inside the airport and pay in a machine and then come out and exit.) Anyway, after turning in your car, don’t forget to return your cell phone to Fast Phone Aruba. Then join the others waiting in line with your luggage.
The Aruba airlines in the airport are very picky about the weight of bags. EVERY time we are in the airport we see people opening their luggage and switching stuff from one bag to another. In June, 2008, our daughter had one suitcase that weighed 51 pounds and one that weighed 48. They (Jet Blue) made her move one pound of clothes from the heavy suitcase to the other. Why? I have no idea. Stupid, if you ask me. So be careful when you are packing at home in the States before you leave for Aruba that your luggage isn’t too heavy (ie. more than 50 pounds). Remember you probably won’t have a scale in Aruba to use to balance out your suitcases.
Aruba has a complicated check-in process, because US customs is done in Aruba, not in the US. US security is done in Aruba, not in the US. So this is the process:
1) Check your luggage with your airline and get your boarding pass and US customs form.
2) Complete your US customs declaration form in that same building. Look for some tables. Bring your own pen.
3) Go outside the building to the left where your boarding pass, passport and the bottom part of your immigration card are checked.
4) Go inside the next building where the same things are checked (again).
5) Go through Aruba security (placing your stuff on the X-ray machine roller, etc).
6) RECLAIM YOUR CHECKED LUGGAGE at a carrousel, and go through US customs with all your luggage and carry ons.
7) Deposit your luggage on another roller. You are now done with it in Aruba.
8) Go through US security (placing your stuff on the X-ray machine roller, etc.)
9) Go to your gate and wait for your plane.
It all seems a bit overwhelming at the time, but remember you are going through Aruban and US security and US customs. When you get to your destination in the States, you will have no customs or security to contend with. It will be just like a domestic flight: get your baggage and exit the airport.
MISCELLANEOUS
The following are some websites that you might find useful:
Interactive map http://www.wikimapia.org/#lat=12.578565&lon=-70.042691&z=16&l=0&m=a&v=2
Aruba airport: http://www.airportaruba.com/
Aruba time & weather http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/city.html?n=689
Aruba webcam http://www.camcentral.com/camviewer.php?script=listings&task=list&item=category&show=Sandy_Beaches&page=1&id=5101
Birds of Aruba http://www.arubabirds.com/
Aruba Tourist Information http://www.arubabound.com/packing/firsttime.htm#dining
US State Dept Aruba Info http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/22491.htm
GOOD LUCK!
I hope you have a wonderful time in Aruba! Remember to do the things I have suggested before you leave home: make your rental car reservation, order your map, make your cell phone reservation.
I would love to hear from you, either before you leave with questions or after you get back with your experiences. Of course I would like to know if this booklet has been helpful. Email me at: ArubaKid3@Yahoo.com
I hope you have been on the Aruba Bulletin Board with questions too. And when you come back you can get on the bulletin board and help ANSWER questions that the next freshman class of newbies will have.
Aruba is a great place. More and more people are finding that out. I hope you will be one of them…er…one of US!
Masha Danki (Thank you very much), and Bon Voyage!
APPENDIX
PREPARING FOR YOUR NEXT TRIPS
I TOLD you you would be back to Aruba many times. And now it is happening, just like I said. You are preparing to go on your second, third (who is counting?) trip to Aruba. Well, you should prepare for these trips a bit differently. You have no doubt settled into some Aruba “traditions,” things that you look forward to doing each trip: a favorite restaurant and waiter, your best snorkeling place, your favorite beach, a fun trip, etc. And that’s good. But its time to branch out and do some new things. Things that maybe pull you away from your hotel to some different activities. The following are some things that you should add to your list of things you enjoy in Aruba:
New places to stay: If you are hopelessly hooked on Aruba and know you will be returning often, you should arrange for the nicest accommodations at the cheapest price. In my opinion, this means TIMESHARE! Yes, staying at a timeshare is like buying a house instead of renting an apartment. It is a much thriftier way of paying for an abode in the long term. You might arrange to rent a timeshare for a visit or two to see which timeshare you like best. (We like Costa Linda Beach Resort.) For a 2 bedroom unit you might have to spend $600 - $800 a year maintenance fees for a one week unit. You can sleep 2 or 3 couples in that unit, costing about $50 - $60 a night per couple. MMmmmmm! Yes, you have to come up with $7,000 - $15,000 purchase price, but you can get that back when you sell it. Check it out. We did in 2004, and are SO glad we did.
More adventurous activities: Rent that 4x4 and do the wild side tour and go to natural pool. Rent bicycles, rent ATVs. Go snorkeling at new places. Go fishing. You will be expanding your Aruba activities slate and enjoying these activities as you add to your list of favorites. Go on the tour of the aloe factory and the Balashi beer brewery; visit the numismatic museum; visit the caves when you tour around; go on the Arikok hike; walk around Crystal Mountain. No, these aren’t things the first time visitors would do, because there are easier activities to do close at hand. But you should do them after a trip or two. Venture further away from your hotel. Go to San Nicholas to Charlie’s Bar and Amazing restaurant. Go to Seroe Colorado and Baby Beach and Rogers Beach. Go to the Flying Fishbone restaurant. Get out and away. You will round out your Aruba experience and enjoy it as you do so.
Bring visitors: Now you’re cooking! Bring you friends and relatives to Aruba with you! YOU will be the expert, and your visitors will look up to YOU for advice and suggestions. Plan day trips, tours, dinners. Your friends will love you for it, and you will feel a sense of satisfaction for bringing them into the relaxed Aruban atmosphere. Get on the Aruban bulletin boards and offer up your experiences to the freshmen visitors at that time.
Miscellaneous: The advice I gave you about acquiring a phone (from Fast Phones) was offered because of its simplicity for first time visitors. There are other ways to get cell phone service in Aruba which include bringing your cell phone from the states. Check with customer service for your cell phone network. If inserting a new SIM card is involved for your cell phone, Fast Phones can do that for you right at the airport.
To prevent fogging in your goggles when snorkeling, I suggested rubbing in saliva and rinsing in sea water. Now that you are a pro, there are better ways to prevent fogging: 1) Rub a raw potato on the inside of your goggles and rinse, or 2) buy a product, called sea gold, from www.mcnett.com Click on “Dive Products.” Their anti-fog gel is very good.
To repeat: I would love to hear how you liked Aruba and how this booklet may have helped you. Email me at: ArubaKid3@Yahoo.com
Brief Trip Reports
JANUARY 4 – JANUARY 18, 2008
We had one of the best trips to Aruba this time. We took three other couples, one for the full two weeks and two couples for one week each. We stayed in a 3 bedroom unit at Costa Linda on the fourth floor. Beautiful view! Yes I arranged ahead of time for the unit, a car from Hertz, another 4x4 from American, and our cell phone from Fast Phones. (We already had our Borch maps.) The weather was absolutely PERFECT the whole two weeks. No rain except a little one night.
I won’t present a day-by-day itinerary, but I’ll just give you a summary of our activities. We took all the day trips I mentioned above: The Baby Beach trip (twice), the Hooiberg trip, the Boca Grande trip, and the Wild Side trip (twice). Great fun! We played tennis at Costa Linda twice. We watched NFL playoff games and the college national championship game; they were on Costa Linda’s channels. We shopped, we snorkeled three times. We went bottom fishing with Olympic. We took the Balashi Brewery tour (again!) and ate lunch at the brewery. I took a lot of pictures of pelicans. We went to the Balloon Parade in San Nicholas, and I got some colorful pictures there too. Of course we had plenty of time to relax at Costa Linda--on the beach, at the pool, and on our huge patio overlooking the beach and water. See, I take my own advice.
The restaurants were just great. The new ones we tried were: Matthews, Sawasdee, Pam Pam, Wacky Wahoo, Amazing, and Screaming Eagle. Old favorites were: Cuba’s Cookin, Salt ‘n Pepper, Amsterdam Manor, Marandi, Papiamento, Giannis, and Madame Janettes. The one outstanding surprise was the relatively new restaurant in San Nicholas called Amazing. We went for Sunday brunch. All you can eat (smallish portions; you can order and order all afternoon), AND all the mimosa you can drink too. What a deal! All for $27.95 per person fixed. Matthews was a great new restaurant too. Thirteen restaurants and--no pizza! LOL (Are you surprised? See, I take my own advice.)
One adventure I must tell you about: We went to Natural Pool at the end of one of our Wild Side trips. I had rented a 4x4 especially for that day. Well there really isn’t a road to Natural Pool, just faint trails where other vehicles have gone. It was VERY difficult getting to the pool. We got stuck twice. The first time there were about 15 people trying to help us to no avail. We finally got it going. Coming back we had to back up (not easy) and retrace our way. I even entertained thoughts about what we would have to do in case the vehicle got permanently stuck. Not a big problem, with so many helpful Arubans, but not a good way to end a fun day. So we finally did make it, and that is now one of the highlights of the trip! The Natural Pool swim made it all worth it.
See my pictures of the trip at: http://www.pbase.com/scsnapper/arubajan2008
JUNE 20 – JULY 4, 2008
We came directly from 2 weeks in Africa (7 days on safari) to Aruba this time. After 19 hours in a plane from Johannesburg we turned around in the Atlanta airport and caught our plane to…well, you know where. And it was a great, relaxing stay on “the rock.” We spent the 14 days with our daughter, her husband, and their 7 year old daughter, Samantha.
We repeated a lot of traditions: picnicking at Baby Beach (3 times), snorkeling at Malmok, taking pictures of pelicans, walking Eagle beach each morning (yes, 14 times), having our exit lunch at Linda’s Pancake, car rental, Fast Phones, Ling & Sons for groceries, etc. Something new: we had lunch and the tour at the Ostrich farm. The lunch was fine (we had ostrich bergers), and the tour was OK to do (once). Samantha rode an ostrich. Great fun.
We ate at many “old” restaurants: Alfredo’s, Matthews, Le Dome (for Sunday brunch), Gasparitos, Turtle’s Nest, Giannis, Pinchos, Amazing (for Sunday brunch), Papiamentos, the Flying Fishbone, El Gouchos, and of course Madame Janettes for our last night’s dinner. New for us were Brisas del Mar (very nice; we look forward to going back), Yamanja (VERY nice), and Peanuts in Oranjestad (local and cheap and good).
One interesting happening: a turtle nest hatched on Eagle Beach early one evening. About 30 turtles scrambled out of their nest and made their way down the beach to the water. Lots of people crowded around to see them, and gave them a big hand when each one “made it.” There is a big constituency of “turtle people” on Aruba, people who make sure that mother turtles lay their eggs in peace and that baby turtles make it to the water. It was a lot fun to witness.
Oh, and we bought 2 more weeks at our timeshare, Costa Linda. Couldn’t resist!
See the pictures of this trip including ostrich riding, and turtle hatching at: http://www.pbase.com/scsnapper/2008junaruba A more extensive pictorial comparison of Palm Beach and Eagle Beach is included in these pictures. And of course my pelicans. Check out those pelican pictures! Hope you enjoy them all.
JANUARY 2 – JANUARY 16, 2009
We took guests to Aruba for the first week, and my wife and I spent the second week by ourselves. Both weeks were delightful. We stayed at Costa Linda, of course. The weather was beautiful. It rained once, as we and our guests were enjoying a great Sunday brunch at Windows On Aruba overlooking the Divi 9 hole golf course. It rained VERY hard, and as the rain started I said, “In 15 minutes the sun will be out and everything will be dry.” I set my watch. After 5 minutes the rain had stopped, the sun was out, and in less than 15 minutes the golfers were out playing again. I apologized to our guests for the interruption in sunshine. LOL
I am running for a seat on the Board of Directors at Costa Linda Beach Resort, so I spent time campaigning during this trip. I stocked and resupplied trays with campaign cards on them located throughout the resort. I talked to many Costa Linda owners about the issues of the day. It was interesting. I hope I am elected; I look forward to serving.
We ate at some familiar restaurants: El Gouchos, Yamanja Woodfired Grill, Giannis, Madamme Janettes, Salt & Pepper, Prominade and Marandis. New for us was The Old Man And The Sea, where the tables were on the sand. Best setting of any restaurant on Aruba, but the food was not as good as the beach setting. New for us also was the Pirate’s Nest at the Bucuti, but it was a disappointment We ate at two new Sunday Brunch restaurants, the Hayatt, and Windows on Aruba. “Windows” was outstanding, and the Hayatt was good too. A very good local restaurant was B-55, near the drive-in theater. A Dutch owner/chef filled our plates! The Prominade for all you can eat tapas was a winner too. We will return there often.
We did the usual activities this trip: picnics, shopping, day trips, the ostrich farm, the donkey sanctuary, up Hooiberg (well, not all the way), and early beach walks every day. We did more than our usual amount of relaxing on the beach—reading, snoozing, sipping and just listening to the waves. MMmmmmmm!
Papiamento Lesson
What follows is lesson one in your use of Papiamento, the local language of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao (the ABC Islands). If you want more details check out the website: http://www.papiamento.com/ or http://www.xs4all.nl/~rvjansen/papiamen.html
English Papiamento English Papiamento
Thank you danki Thank you very much masha danki
Good afternoon bon tardi Good evening bon nochi
Yes si Good day Bon dia
No no I am fine mi ta bon
How are you? Kon ta bai? What time is it? kuantor tin?
Very good masha bon Welcome bon bini
Please por fabor See you later te awero
Food kuminda Cheese keshi
Money sen Kiss sunchi
Hot kajente Boy mucha homber
Big grandi Girl mucha muher
Cold friew I love you mi ta stimabo
Beer serbes I’m hungry mi tin hamber
Party fiesta Sweetheart dushi
Small chikito I am happy mi ta kontentu
Sun solo Love amor
Fat gordo Beautiful bunita
Wine bina I love Aruba mi stima Aruba
To Pack Or Not To Pack
The following are important reminders regarding baggage and packing. Don’t forget that on your RETURN, all airlines leaving Aruba will make sure you do not exceed your 50 pound limit per bag. They will make you switch items from a heavy bag to a light bag, and they will charge you if you are overweight.
When you leave for Aruba, don’t forget your map. Don’t forget your email confirmation of your car rental and your cell phone. Don’t forget your driver’s license. And don’t forget: you now need a passport to travel to Aruba from the States. In addition, the following are some other suggestions for things to bring:
Laptop: Some people can’t be without their internet access (me). Others want no part of “normal life” while in Paradise. There is an inexpensive internet café located in the lobby of the Renaissance Hotel in Oranjestad. It is near where the boat docks there in the lobby. You can check for emails, etc. Wireless internet service is available in some form in most hotels on the island. Lobby computers can be free or available at a small charge. You can purchase internet access for your wireless configured laptop; this costs about $35.00 per week. Bring laptops in your carryon, though, NOT in your checked luggage (for security reasons and to guard against damage). A laptop tip: Burn a CD at home with all your Bookmarks on it. You can take it to Aruba and use it on your laptop or even on an internet café PC. In this way you have readily available all the websites you usually visit at home. (Don’t forget your passwords.)
Bug spray: The little biting insects do come out when the wind stops—which doesn’t happen often, but you might as well be prepared.
Soft ice chest: If you have room and if you are picnic-oriented, a soft, folding ice container is very handy. For the beach too. Almost wherever you stay will have ice available.
Cards and board games: Not for the beach (because of the wind), but to relax in your room with the beach and sea in sight.
Camera: There are so many scenic places in Aruba to use as background for your family shots. The same locations provide great scenes for pictures outright. Bring extra batteries for everything.
Wine bottle opener: You never know…
Insulated mugs: For coffee in the morning on the beach or for happy hour drinks in the afternoon on the beach. I have mine! Course you can buy mugs in Aruba too, but you might not go shopping for a couple of days after arrival.
Copies of documents: A good habit to get into when traveling overseas is to make copies of your passport (just first 2 pages), tickets, driver’s license, and credit card information like credit card numbers, customer service numbers to call from overseas. Put this in your safe when you get into your room. We always have someone else have a copy of this information too, in case our copy goes missing. This has helped us and others several times over the years. Another way to accomplish the same objective is to take pictures (or scan) your passport and other documents and email them to yourself as attachments. Then if you are in a jam you can access them via email, print them out, and have documents to present for quicker processing.
Bags: Bring some net bags for transporting stuff on day trips in your rental car. If you go on picnics or tour the island, you will want to tote stuff. The net bags are ideal for this.
Small bills: I always bring 50 five dollar bills and 50 one dollar bills for tipping and for small purchases.
Meds: Of course you would bring your prescription drugs with you; bring them in your carry on. I would recommend bringing your favorite brands of over-the-counter medication too. There are good drug stores in Aruba, but they do not have the variety of drugs you are probably used to.
Some things you do NOT have to pack:
Jackets for men: Jackets are not necessary for dinner anywhere on Aruba. Bring one if you want to be nicely dressed, but they are not necessary.
Rain gear: It rains only about 20 inches a year in Aruba, mostly in November through January. Umbrellas are tough because of the wind. We don’t bring any rain gear at all.
Hairspray for women: The wind will wreck havoc with anything you do, so you might as well let it go…