One of my favorite things to do is write, and if I had unlimited vacation time and an unlimited travel budget, I'd probably spend my days traveling the world and writing about it. Since that's not exactly in the cards, I'll happily stick with my day job and squeeze in adventures whenever I can.
After Jason and I celebrated our 25th anniversary with a
week in Aruba, so many people asked about our trip that I thought the easiest
way to answer everyone was to put it all in one place. I had so many people
asking the same questions: Where did you stay? Was it safe? Should we rent a
car? Was it worth it?
Rather than answer the same questions over and over, I
figured I'd put everything in one place. Everyone experiences destinations
differently, so if you’ve been to Aruba, you may have a completely different
opinion. These are simply two first-timers giving their honest opinion after
spending a week on what they call One Happy Island.
If Aruba is on your travel bucket list, here's everything
we'd tell you.
Why Aruba?
We didn't throw a dart at a map. We chose Aruba very
intentionally.
1. Safety mattered.
This was probably the biggest reason.
Aruba consistently ranks as the safest Caribbean
destinations, and the U.S. Department of State maintains a Level 1 travel
advisory ("Exercise Normal Precautions"). Their crime rate is very
minimal, and their unemployment rate is 2%. Their livelihood depends on
tourism, so they do everything in their power to keep it as safe and welcoming
as possible, and that was very evident on our trip.
I'll put it this way: we felt safer walking around Palm
Beach at night than we do in plenty of places back home.
That freedom completely changed our vacation. We never felt
trapped inside a resort because we were afraid to venture out.
2. The water is ridiculous.
The water is the brightest shade of emerald green you've
ever seen in a travel magazine, and the snorkeling is unbelievable. Aruba is
also unique because it isn't the lush tropical island you might picture. It's
actually a desert island filled with cacti, volcanic rocky coastlines and
landscapes that make you feel like you're on another planet.
3. Sharks.
Yes, I know. Most people don't choose vacation destinations
based on shark statistics, but I am apparently not "most people."
One of the things I loved was that shark sightings around
Aruba are extremely uncommon, with only one recorded shark attack in the island's history. I spent the entire week snorkeling without
constantly wondering what was behind me.
Peace of mind is priceless.
4. The people.
Aruba isn't called One Happy Island for nothing.
We never encountered one rude person.
The locals primarily speak Papiamento, but nearly everyone
also speaks Dutch, English and Spanish, making communication incredibly easy
for visitors.
Everyone, from restaurant staff to taxi drivers to tour
guides, treated us like family.
Where We Stayed
We stayed at the RIU Antillas, an adults-only all-inclusive
resort. "But if you planned to explore the island...why pay for
all-inclusive?" Great question.
For us, it came down to convenience and value.
The cost was actually comparable, if not cheaper, to several
non-all-inclusive resorts we considered. Since meals, drinks (and dranks 😉),
and snacks were already included, we could stay on the beach all day without
changing clothes and heading into town every time we got hungry.
If we wanted to eat somewhere local, we did. If we wanted to
stay at the resort all day, we did that too. Best of both worlds.
It also never felt overcrowded. We never struggled to find
beach chairs or an umbrella. They also had nightly entertainment, including
live music, karaoke, and shows.
And yes... No kids. I love children. I truly do. For this
vacation, we wanted a peaceful and relaxing experience, and that’s exactly what
we got.
We also loved staying on Palm Beach. Everything was within
walking distance, which meant fewer taxi rides and more spontaneous exploring.
If you're a first-time visitor who enjoys restaurants, shopping, and nightlife,
I honestly think Palm Beach is hard to beat.
As an added bonus, some of the best snorkeling we experienced happened directly off our own beach. We found a large starfish, pufferfish, parrotfish, and so much more right in our own backyard. Definitely invest in your own snorkel gear to bring with you.
Should You Rent a Car?
This was the biggest debate we had on the entire trip, and
it may be the most controversial answer compared to others' experiences. We
decided not to.
Partly because we wanted a vacation from driving. Partly
because once we left the resort, our phones didn't work. (We intentionally
skipped an eSIM because we wanted to disconnect.) And partly because everything
is a roundabout.
No stop signs. No traffic lights. No Google Maps. Considering
half the people back home still treat roundabouts like advanced calculus, we
decided to leave the driving to the professionals.
Taxis are government-regulated, so prices are standardized,
and honestly, some of our favorite conversations all week happened with our
drivers.
They became photographers, tour guides, gave us restaurant
recommendations, and were island historians. Worth every penny.
Don't Just Sit on the Beach
The island is only about 19 miles long and roughly 6 miles
wide, but it packs an incredible amount into that space. Also, don’t just go to
your beach. There are so many different beaches on the island with different
experiences. Venture out!
We booked everything through De Palm Tours right from our resort. Our adventures included:
🐠Snorkeling excursion🌅Sunset cruise
🚙UTV island tour
🌊Jeep island tour
🐚Submarine tour
For both of us combined, excursions totaled around $1,100. We made sure to budget for excursions, and they were each worth every penny. Even with all of that, we still managed four to five hours on the beach nearly every day, plus one full beach day.
Don't leave Aruba without seeing Arikok National Park, the
Natural Pool, the California Lighthouse, the caves, and the rugged side of the
island that looks nothing like what you’d expect.
Cash or Credit?
Bring both. Credit cards are accepted almost everywhere, and
I would highly suggest using a credit card over a debit card in any foreign
country. You will need to carry some cash, especially smaller bills, for taxis
and tips. And trust me, you will be tipping a lot, but it’s all hard-earned. There
are also casinos, if that is your thing, so you will need cash for those. Most
public bathrooms also cost $1 to use.
Random Things I think are important to know
If you know me personally, then you know I needed thoughts
and prayers. They only have Coke Zero. If you're a Diet Coke addict like I am, you
know it’s not the same. I survived, but it was the first thing I bought after entering
the airport.
Airport customs were easy.
Everyone told us to arrive three hours early for our flight
home, so we did. We went through the entire process in about ten minutes. I'd
still arrive early because you never know, but don't stress yourself out over
customs. As for the flights, we flew out of New Orleans to Orlando, and then Orlando
to Aruba with Southwest. The flight to Aruba was less than three hours, which
flew by quickly.
Pack tennis shoes and water shoes.
I honestly thought I'd live in flip-flops. Wrong. Very
wrong. There were many times I wished I had tennis shoes. Also, our water shoes
came in very handy on several of our excursions where you had to walk on rocks
and uneven terrain.
Don't overpack.
You'll spend most of your vacation in a swimsuit, even on excursions.
Take a couple of cute outfits for photos. The rest? Comfort wins.
The wind.
Lord, have mercy. The wind. You'll be thankful for it
because it's hot. You'll hate it because your hair has absolutely no chance.
Ladies: pack ponytails and claw clips. Don’t even bother
with a curling iron.
Guys: tighten your hat or prepare to donate it to the
Caribbean Sea.
Ironically, it was hotter back home in Mississippi than it
was in Aruba. The breeze makes all the difference. The natives kept apologizing
for the heat, and we had to constantly remind them that this was a breeze
compared to the heat and humidity back in south Mississippi.
Buy the aloe.
Aruba is famous for it for a reason. You'll see aloe stores
everywhere, and there is one conveniently located in the RIU. Their lip balm
may actually be the greatest Chapstick I've ever owned. It’s also a great idea
for purchasing gifts to bring back home. You can tour the aloe factory, but we
didn’t get a chance to.
How long to stay?
We arrived on Saturday and left on Friday. Although we
packed a lot in those six days, it will always feel like it wasn’t enough. We
could have stayed a month, and it wouldn’t have felt like enough time. We loved
it that much. If you make the decision to go, then my advice would be to stay a
full week to experience the most out of Aruba.
Final Thoughts
Some vacations are fun. Some vacations become part of your
story. Aruba became part of ours.
Now that we've seen nearly every landmark on our list, I
think our next trip will look a little different. We'll slow down, spend more
time discovering local restaurants and hidden beaches, and simply enjoy being
there.
Because that's the thing about Aruba. You don't really
understand why people keep going back until you've been.
Now we get it.
And yes, we'll absolutely be back.
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