Aruba is a small island located in the Caribbean Sea. As a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Dutch culture has certainly influenced it. It’s located less than 30km off the coast of Venezuela in a safe and protected spot outside the hurricane belt. Aruba is a desert island, making the landscape a unique mix of tropical greenery and flat terrain full of cactus and aloe plants. Of course it’s also covered in beautiful white sand beaches, along the crystal clear blue waters of the Caribbean Sea. The warm and dry climate, gorgeous scenery, and relaxed island culture make it a great destination to visit. We loved our time there and can’t recommend it enough! Keep reading for our full lesbian guide to Aruba.
What To Do
Enjoy the Beautiful Beaches
There are so many gorgeous beaches on Aruba, you may not even have time to visit them all! All of the beaches on the island are public, and they have the most incredible soft white sand and turquoise waters. Some spots to definitely check out are Palm Beach and Eagle Beach on the West side of the island, Arashi Beach and Catalina Beach further North, Divi Beach, Drulf Beach, and Surfside Beach near Oranjestad, and Baby Beach, Rodger’s Beach, and Boca Grandi on the East side. Enjoy!
Explore the Desert
Aruba’s desert landscape makes it an incredibly unique island. It’s definitely worth taking a break from the beaches to head to the centre of the island to explore some of it’s interesting desert terrain. We recommend visiting the Ayo Rock Formation, as well as the Casibari Rock Formations, which are huge rock clusters in the middle of Aruba. There are trails going through the formations as well as beautiful viewpoints, and they are definitely worth a visit. In the same area there is Hooiberg, a dormant volcanic formation that sits 165 metres high. You can hike up to the top and enjoy the stunning 360 degree view of the island.
Visit the Capital City of Oranjestad
The capital of Aruba is called Oranjestad, and sits about halfway down the island on the South coast. It’s a charming town with a beautiful marina and seafront. It also acts as a cruise ship port and has many shops and boutiques, as well as waterfront restaurants and eateries. Be sure to spend some time exploring the area!
Discover the National Park
The Arikok National Park takes up nearly one fifth of the island, and is home to plenty of unique attractions. Plan a visit here if you would like to see caves, cultural heritage sites, a natural pool, secluded bays, and different rock formations. There is a small entrance fee to the park that goes toward conservation and educational programs, but there is definitely plenty to see! Be sure to have a vehicle that is up to the task if you plan to drive yourself. You can also take guided tours of the park, and some areas have very rough terrain and can only be accessed by a 4X4.
See the California Lighthouse
A major attraction on the island of Aruba is the California lighthouse. Sitting at the Northwest tip of the island, the lighthouse was named after a ship that crashed nearby in the late 1800’s. It’s a gorgeous place to watch the sunset, or just take in the incredible views.
Go Snorkelling
Aruba is a great place to go snorkelling and appreciate the sea life in the clear blue waters. There are plenty of snorkelling tours on the island, or if you have your own gear, you can snorkel off of several beaches on your own. Be sure to keep your safety in mind, as the water can be quite rough with strong currents in some places. Some of the best beaches for snorkelling are Arashi Beach, Boca Catalina, and Malmok Beach.
Where to Stay
There are some great options for accommodations on Aruba! If you’re interested in staying in a hotel or resort, most of them are located in the Palm Beach area on the Northern coast of the island. This is an excellent spot to stay if you’re looking to be right on the water, with easy access to some of the most beautiful stretches of beach. There are also some hotels in the capital city of Oranjestad which is close to all of the shopping, as well as many cafes and restaurants. You can expect both of these areas to be pretty lively! They would be great choices if you like to be near all the action. If you’re looking to book hotel accommodations in these areas, our favourite tool is Hotels.com. It’s easy to search within a certain price range, and filter for the amenities that you like. They also have a great reward system – for every ten nights you book, you receive one night free. The other option for accommodations in Aruba is Airbnb. Many of the listings are also in the Palm Beach area as well as Oranjestad, but offer some very affordable alternatives to the big hotels and resorts. If you’re wanting an Airbnb in more of a local neighbourhood, a great spot to look is Noord. It’s close to Palm Beach but much quieter, and easy driving distance to everywhere you will want to go. There are also some Airbnb listings in the more remote areas of the island, if you’re looking to be somewhere more secluded. If you plan to rent a vehicle, Airbnb can be a great option as it allows you to stay outside of the busier tourist areas. We stayed in a beautiful apartment in Noord, because we wanted a local experience. It was a short drive to all of the beaches we wanted to visit, and very central to everywhere that we planned to explore. If you enjoy using Airbnb like we do, it’s definitely worth taking a look to see what’s available! Our one bedroom apartment had a full kitchen, and an adorable backyard patio for only $45US/night in the low season. If you’ve never used Airbnb before, click here to set up a profile and save on your first stay!
Where to Eat & Drink
We were incredibly impressed with Aruba’s food scene! Not only does it have plenty of adorable beach shacks, cafes, and healthy daytime eateries, it also has some truly amazing fine dining. We were especially impressed with how many diverse cuisines were offered, and plenty of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free options. If you have any food sensitivities or eat a plant-based diet like we do, Aruba is extremely accommodating! Our favourite spot for breakfast or lunch was Eduardo’s Beach Shack on Palm Beach. Be sure to stop by for beautifully crafted smoothie bowls, as well as plenty of baked goods and healthy lunch options! Another great casual daytime option is One Happy Bowl in Oranjestad. Some other spots that really impressed us were Fishes & More in Palm Beach, and Papillon a French/Caribbean restaurant in the same area. Elements at Eagle Beach does an incredible lunch and dinner, and also offers beautiful beach views. Faro Blanco is an Italian restaurant located next to the California Lighthouse and is a must-do for the best sunset on the island! Hadicurari offers great beachside ambiance, and Ike’s Bistro is a wonderful choice for a romantic meal. We also loved Yemanja and Cuba’s Cookin, both in the capital city. Be sure to try as many cafes and restaurants as you can, as well as have a drink at one of the many beachside bars. There is so much to discover in Aruba, and there is truly something for everyone. Enjoy!
Lesbian Friendly
Aruba has some of the most progressive LGBTQ+ laws in the Caribbean, making it a great travel destination for lesbian women and couples. Same-sex sexual activity is legal, and there have been discrimination protections in place since 2012. The island doesn’t yet recognize same-sex marriage, but same-sex registered partnerships have been legally recognized since 2016 (the Aruban parliament being the first in the Caribbean to legalize same-sex unions). You can check out our full post on how lesbian friendly Aruba is here. The public’s attitude toward the LGBTQ+ community has come a long way, and now the official Aruba tourism website excitedly welcomes LGBTQ+ travellers, claiming that the island celebrates diversity. We had a very positive experience visiting Aruba as a married lesbian couple, and had no issues being open around the locals and other travellers. We held hands, showed affection, and kissed in public without anyone giving us a second glance. We also booked an Airbnb apartment with a local host as an open lesbian couple, and he welcomed us warmly. We really enjoyed our time on the island and would highly recommend it as a lesbian friendly destination in the Caribbean. While there isn’t a lot of gay culture, all hotels, bars, and other establishments call themselves LGBTQ+ friendly. There is a designated gay bar in the capital city of Oranjestad called 7 Club Lounge, and everywhere on the island feels safe and welcoming. When speaking with some locals, we were told that other same-sex couples and members of the community have no issues living on the island and going out with their partners. We got the impression that it’s quite an inclusive culture in Aruba!
How to Get Around
Walk
Different parts of the island are quite walkable, such as the capital city of Oranjestad as well as the Palm Beach area. If you’re staying in one spot during your trip, you won’t have any trouble getting around on foot. If you do plan to do more exploring, you’ll want to look into additional modes of transportation.
Rent a Vehicle
If you want to have the freedom to explore the entire island during your stay, we highly recommend renting a vehicle! We rented a car for our week long stay, and we’re so glad we did. It gave us the opportunity to explore the busier tourist areas, as well as the more remote locations on Aruba. We drove into the desert, along the entire South coast, and all the way to the beaches on the East side of the island. If you plan to stay on the paved roads and just visit the main sights, a regular car is all you’ll need. If you want to drive into the national park and on the dirt roads up on the North part of the island, you’ll need a 4X4 or ATV.
We rented our car from Tropic Car Rental and had an amazing experience. The owner, Hans made the process as easy as possible. He sent over all the paperwork in advance and had someone waiting to bring us to our car when we arrived at the airport. We highly recommend renting a car with Tropic!
Taxi
There is no ride sharing in Aruba, so taxis are your only option if you’re looking for car service on the island. The taxis in Aruba are fairy expensive, with a starting rate of $6 USD, and on Sundays and holidays there is an additional surcharge of $3 USD. The taxis don’t have meters, so be sure to ask for the fixed rate before your journey. Hotels and restaurants in the resort areas and in Oranjestad are always happy to call you a cab, and taxis are easy to hail in the busy areas.
Public Transportation
The public bus, Arubus is a great way to get around if you’re sticking to the resort areas and the capital city. Buses run from 5:45am to 11:30pm daily, and service is every 15 minutes until 6pm and every 40 minutes from 6pm-11:30pm. Rates are affordable at $5 USD for a round trip and day passes are available for $10 USD.
How to Stay Connected
Roaming charges on your cell phone can really add up while travelling. One thing we like to do when we visit a new country, is buy a local SIM card. The pay-as-you-go mobile plans from local service providers are typically much less expensive than roaming plans and travel SIM cards. In Aruba, it’s very simple to get a SIM card and get connected right away. If you fly into the Queen Beatrix International Airport, you will find a kiosk for the national service provider Digicel when you exit the baggage claim area. Bring your passport and phone to the kiosk and select the plan you want. The customer service representative will get you all set up, and you’ll be connected immediately. We got week long unlimited talk, text and data plans for $28 USD.
Has anyone else fallen in love with Aruba? Let us know in the comments!
2 comments
Great Post!!! I truly believe that there is much more to explore new places. The world has incredible beauty which makes us visit new places for sure.
Thank you, I absolutely agree!