Let’s Beach It In Aruba
For most of my solo budget travel career I’ve overlooked the Caribbean in pursuit of the rest of the world. I guess it just seemed so close and familiar to American culture, and I definitely assumed it was overly saturated by cruise liners. And honestly that didn’t appeal to me in the same way a road trip around the Andes or the Alps or the Balkans would.
Well, I can assure you I’m not sleeping on its rich collection of culture and paradise anymore. Is it still a haven for party cruisers and resorts? Absolutely. But that doesn’t overshadow all the good on offer for the different type of traveler ready to welcome some challenges in the novelty. After nearly ten holidays on the Caribbean Sea I can officially say I’m a fan of the island life.
This trip was the most significant yet because my favorite Tennesseean was at my side. You may have heard the expression, “God works in mysterious ways”? Well let me tell you I’ve been living it. Earlier this year an angel named Anabel walked into my life at the most unexpected time, and to say I’m a very lucky man would be grossly understating my fortune.
Initially we tossed around some destination ideas…Iceland and Greece are both on our radar. But ultimately a previous beach extravaganza I did on a nearby island was inspiration enough to settle on Aruba as our first journey together on foreign land.
Work schedules only permitted us about four full days, but fortunately from Raleigh it only requires a few very palatable 2 hour flights to Oranjestad…and we sure did make good use of our time soaking up the sun and eating all the good food we could find!
It’s also important to note that Aruba is quite a small island…literally just 20 miles long and six miles wide! So if you’re like us and want to see as much as possible, then a four day window is definitely enough time to do it.
The condo we rented was ideally located between Eagle and Palm Beach…a very popular area for visitors. On arrival to the property we were surprised with a very unusual welcome tour of the condo. This place was far too small for that, and it created some real awkwardness. Let’s just say we were overwhelmed by the flamboyance. But aside from that experience our stay was great.
We wasted no time getting into swimsuits and heading towards the beach. On the way, Anabel’s uncanny animal radar dialed in some crazy looking iguanas. We weren’t quick enough to snap a good pic, but we sure appreciated that unexpected encounter with the edgy island creatures.
Our time at Eagle beach involved a whole lot of beach chair lounging with good music and locally made seltzers…and of course the occasional dip in the ocean for some temperature and bladder relief. Don’t pretend like you don’t do it too.
This first day had a very early start so after the beach we settled on ordering take-out poke from the condo complex restaurant and relaxing on our balcony. We watched the sunset behind a plethora of storm clouds, cargo ships, and an oil rig.
Our second day commenced in the only way Anabel knows how…with some coffee. We found this cool little place called the Organic Bodega Cafe. It’s unusually tucked away on the second floor of a women’s department store, but believe me it’s worth a visit…you will love their açai bowl.
Most of the day was spent soaking up the sun at Arashi Beach. Initially the cloud overhang was a bummer, but I’d say it was a blessing in disguise. This white skin can’t handle four straight days of Caribbean UV rays that close to the equator. For context, the Dutch Caribbean islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao are just a short ways off the coast of Venezuela.
That evening we found an awesome Peruvian restaurant for some of their most famous culinary specialties, Ceviche and Aji de Gallina. But I think we both agree that the Pisco Sours were the best thing on the menu! Great way to end the day.
Another thing I’m confident we are in agreement about is that the third day was our best day, and the animals are responsible for that. After some coffee, smoothies, and a granola bowl we hopped in the rental car for a short drive to Baby Beach in the south of Aruba.
The research we did detailed Baby Beach as one of the best snorkeling locations on the island, and that is accurate. If you’re open to suggestions I’d recommend bringing your own snorkel gear…and don’t forget to fuel up on some spicy plantain chips. What an awesome little beach snack.
We perused the coral reefs for a while and encountered fish of several shapes and colors. But honestly we both had turtles in our hopes. Yet again God was good to us, and soon after Anabel spotted a Loggerhead. I was thrilled for her! That was special for us both, and for the next few hours we swam around smitten by the handful of sea turtles that our Creator placed around us.
Words really can’t describe what it is like to swim alongside these peaceful creatures. I thought my Galapagos snorkel experience would be impossible to beat, but sharing it with someone you love hits different. We savored every bit of that moment and reveled in the curiosity of how much better it’ll get in heaven.
Vibes were so high on the trip back that we serenaded each other with our best rendition of a Britney Spears classic…and that incredible day ended with a stroll through the Palm Beach entertainment district for dinner and some of our favorite shareable, ice cream.
On our last full day we desperately tried to find more snorkeling magic but the waves were just too strong for any good visibility at Malmok Beach. Also, one of us was a little unnerved by the cloudy view underwater and maybe felt a little less inclined to explore. I won’t say which of us it was!
Rather than let the waves be a hindrance to the fun meter, we reclined those beach chairs and laughed through the spontaneous dousing brought on by the power of the ocean. When we had enough, the party moved to a sports bar at Palm Beach for the Packers game. It didn’t take long to see this wasn’t a good Sunday for America’s team so us cheeseheads headed back to relax on the balcony for the last night. (Of course Anabel embraced the opportunity to wear the green and gold!)
We loved Aruba and think you will too. This special little island surely allowed us to connect deeper in the love God has blessed us with. It’ll be hard to find a better way to celebrate the next birthday!
