After the year we all had, it just made sense to get away for Christmas. My family decided to spend Christmas in Aruba!
I want to preface that we did our research and decided that Aruba was the safest option for international travel. We felt SOO safe during our stay in Aruba. They have a 3% positivity rate, and their rules in place had everyone’s safety in mind. In order to travel to Aruba you had to present a negative COVID test no later than 72 hours and purchase travel insurance for each day you were there. We got asked to see our test and health screening documents a total of 4 different times.
Our flight had maybe 30 people on it, so we felt extremely safe. We each had our own row and had no one in front of us or behind us. It was quite ideal!
Now, I also want to preface that this will not be your “normal” Aruba travel guide. Yes it is was beautiful, the water was so blue, and the weather was amazing, but as far as a normal travel destination for me I would have never considered it. Aruba is extremely commercialized and at times it felt like I was not even in a different country. The amount of Starbucks, American brand restaurants, high rise hotels is just not my thing! When I travel I like to be as immersed in the culture as possible.
So in that case if you are looking for which resorts are the best, and other things like that, this is not that travel guide! However, if you are looking for a way to get the most out of the culture that Aruba has to offer, and some off the beaten track activities – then this guide is for you!
Where We Stayed
If you do not stay at a big resort in Aruba, there are not too many options, but my family wanted to be more secluded because at the big resorts masks were required pretty much all the time, even swimming. That didn’t sound appealing to us.
We stayed at the Banana Apartments on the north side of the island. It is owned by the greatest Dutch couple, and it was exactly what we were looking for. There are only 6 units, and the most beautiful backyard pool that truly makes you feel like you are on a Caribbean island. Each apartment had a kitchen, so it was great for making breakfast and snacks in-between all of our activities!
What We Did
We like to pack our vacations with fun activities that we all will enjoy. For as much as possible we tried to book private tours to ensure that we were social distancing when possible and being as safe as we could. When we go on vacation as a family, we each get to decide an activity that we want to do! It is really fun because each person gets a day!
Renaissance Flamingo Beach
My pick for Aruba was the infamous flamingo beach. Flamingos are one of my favorite animals so one of the main reasons I wanted to go to Aruba was for the flamingo beach!
Renaissance hotel is one of the big resorts, so you either can stay at the resort or buy a day pass for the flamingo beach. They have their own island that you take a boat too. They only sell 30 day passes a day, but leave it to the Bakkum’s to figure out a way to ensure we can experience the flamingos. If you book a spa package, it includes a day pass, lunch and a drink. So we booked 3 massages and were on our way to see the flamingos.
I was a little disappointed because there are only 8 flamingos on the beach, they are not native, and their wings have been clipped. But it was still awesome to be so close to one of my favorite animals. You can pay a quarter and get some flamingo food so they will get up close and personal. Maybe a little too close. They do bite and peck at you! Being completely terrified of birds I was actually really scared to get close to them!
Aruba Walking & Food Tour
This was probably my favorite thing we did in Aruba during our whole vacation! We booked with Aruba Walking Tours and ended up having a private tour. It was just us, and our amazing guide Beach! We opted for the nighttime tour that was devoted to 80% FOOOOOOD (5 restaurants) and 20% light history, fun Aruba facts, and stories.
It was SO MUCH FUN! It was extremely intimate as we got to know Beach really well as he guided us through the streets of Oranjestad while we stopped at 5 local restaurants for food, and had 4 drinks. By the end of the night our stomachs were full, and we had more of an appreciation for the Aruban culture! I highly highly highly recommend this tour! It made for a lovely evening!
ABC UTV Tour
Aruba is a desert. It is a total juxtaposition to see the bluest of blues Carribbean amongst the driest of dry desert. There are thousands of cacti on Aruba. It is unlike any other island I have visited.
But because the desert is so prominent UTV/Jeep Safaris are popular. We picked ABC-Aruba because you got to drive your own UTV through the desert.
All I am going to say is thank goodness that Blake drove! It is SOOO bumpy and the terrain was so rocky it was like we were on Mars, but it was so fun! I definitely would have crashed or killed myself if I tried to drive. It was crazy fun zipping through the desert taking in the scenery.
We drove to an abandoned goal mine, a natural bridge, cliff jumped, visited a chapel and went to a natural pool in volcanic rock. It was a great tour, and our guide, Eduardo, was amazing!
Deep Sea Fishing with Driftwood
Blake’s pick of the trip was to go deep sea fishing. I, as most of you know am not a fisherman, but enjoyed my time with Driftwood charters. I also wouldn’t call it fishing because we trolled around while our deck crew had about 12 poles in the water. As soon as one pulled, you ran to the chair they handed you the pole and you reeled it in. It was fun because you didn’t have to do all the hard work, but still got to catch fish! Our crew, Anthony, Jose, and Raymond took great care of us!
The best part was, that after your charter you got to go to the Driftwood Restaurant and they would cook up the fish you caught! We caught Mahi-Mahi and Tuna and they prepared each in such delicious ways! For the Mahi-Mahi they fried it, sautéed it in garlic, and grilled it! It was my favorite! For the tuna, they blackened it and grilled it as well. It was really cool to actually eat the fish we caught earlier in the day!
Beach Hopping/Snorkeling
One of the best parts of Aruba are the beaches. There are the big beaches like Palm Beach where all the resorts are, but we took pride in finding the little beaches that have some of the best snorkeling the island offers! I’ve listed out our favorite beaches on the island!
Arashi Beach
This was hands down our favorite beach on the island. It is on the northern end of the island, quiet, offered cheap chairs and umbrellas, and had our favorite snorkeling! It is definitely more of a local beach which we like! There is also a beach shack that provides snacks and drinks.
Mangel Halto Beach
Not only is this beach secluded with the areas of mangrove trees, but it’s a more relaxed beach. We saw about a total of 3 families while here. There are parts of the beach where the mangrove trees grow that are perfect for wading. We also found some fun ladders into the deeper part of the water. The snorkeling was good as well!
Andicuri Beach
This hidden gem will allow you to retreat far from other tourists. Rugged and natural-looking, Andicuri Beach is truly stunning; the rocky cliffs provide the perfect backdrop. It is called the 3 step beach, because the only way to get into the water is by these wooden steps carved into the cliff, or just jumping in (just be careful for the rocks and look before you jump!).
You won’t find places to eat or drink on Andicuri Beach, which adds to its well-preserved charm. Just pack a picnic for the day to snack on. If you’re thinking of heading out for a swim, beware, the currents are strong here, and it’s not a place for novice swimmers. There are lots of starfish along the rocks if you are looking to snorkel!
Baby Beach
Baby Beach is on the southern side of the island and is relaxing with few people and crystal clear waters. It is quite shallow for a long time, so it is like a big sand bar. There are a few Palapas and huts throughout, plus plenty of shaded trees to hang out under. The best part is this is where sea turtles are regularly spotted. We didn’t see and turtles, but we did bring Cheeto puffs in the water with us and saw swarms and swarms of colorful fish!
Another note: the food here is quite expensive and not that good in my opinion, so I would recommend bringing your own lunch or snacks!
Where We Ate
The food in Aruba is traditional Caribbean, and we got our fill our fresh seafood!
Barefoot: We ate here Christmas Eve, and it was very special because they put the tables right on the sand, so you can take your shoes off and wiggle your toes in the sand while you eat! We watched the sunset and I had an amazing grouper with mango sauce!
Faro Blanco: We enjoyed authentic Italian food while enjoying the sunset on their gorgeous massive patio overlooking the ocean and the lighthouse.
The West Deck: A great lunch option for some fresh seafood. The coconut shrimp and a cold Balashi beer (local beer) was perfect after being on the beach!
Papiamento: Surrounded by a lush garden, around a turquoise, sparkling pool with twinkling lights in the tree branches, the setting is magical. The food did not disappoint either!
Aruba was a great place to spend Christmas, and would be a great Caribbean getaway!
Brittany, your travel guides are so refreshing and beautifully written. I see you as a very special girl, with super talents, I read before what you have gone through in your life, and I think God has blessed you highly. I’m glad to have met you, and hope to see you again, your friend, Sue
God has blessed you through your strength to overcome all the hard times,