Wanderlissa

After being lucky enough to spend over a month in Aruba, I’ve gone ahead and rounded up my “must sees” all over the island!

Westpunt Beach

• Drive along the very scenic northern coast on Aruba’s rugged roads to find this gem.
• Here you’ll find pink sand, yes pink sand I couldn’t believe how pretty it was!
• It’s a very rocky terrain, but very picturesque.
• The waters are rough so it’s not necessarily swimmable, but still gorgeous!
• You’ll most likely have his beach to yourself.

California Lighthouse

• Located at Hudishibana, near Arashi Beach on the northwest tip of Aruba.
• Go for the 360 degree views or Aruba.
• There’s a food truck (school bus) and coconut stand next to the lighthouse. Grab yourself a fresh coconut. You won’t regret it!
• Climb to the top of the lighthouse for only $5.
• Have a romantic sunset dinner at the beautiful Italian restaurant, ‘Faro Blanco.’

Tres Trepi

Tres Trapi is a great snorkeling spot in Aruba. If you’re lucky you can see starfish, sea turtles and fish here!

If you plan on snorkeling here, here’s what I read:

• Starfish to the left
• Fish to the right
• Sea turtles straight ahead. (Over the grassy areas) You have more of chance seeing them early in the morning before boat tours start!

When I went I only saw a lot of colorful fishies.

Boca Catalina

This is another popular snorkeling beach where excursions stop.

You can find it just past Tres Trapi and few minutes away from the California Lighthouse.

Eagle Beach

Eagle Beach is easily my favorite local beach in Aruba. This beach has plenty of free palapas, the softest white sand and the clearest water I’ve seen on the island.

They also have water sports you can rent.

Mangel Halto

• Also known as the “Stairway to Paradise.”
• A great place to go when you’ve had enough sun or want a great view 🙌🏼 
• This beach has plenty of shade from all the mangroves and free palapas. 
• Perfect for snorkeling or kayaking.
• Get there early because it’s a popular spot with the locals.

Natural Pool (Conchi)

• The Natural Pool is also known as ‘Conchi’ (meaning bowl)
• It’s located in Arikok National Park.
• There’s an entrance fee of $11p to enter the park.
• You’ll need a 4×4 vehicle to get to the Natural Pool (no cars or ATV’s allowed).
• The trails are VERY VERY rough! If you don’t feel comfortable driving, there are several tours available.
• Bring drinks and snacks, it’s a long day and there’s no food or drinks at the pool.
• Bring your snorkel gear. There are tons of colorful fish and even octopus!
• Wear water shoes, the rocks surrounding the pool are slippery.
• Make sure you climb up to see the mini natural pool too!

Quadirikiri Cave 

I felt like Indiana Jones with this cinematic lighting and tiny bats flying around the Quadirikiri Cave.

• Quadirikiri Cave, can also be spelled Guadirikiri.
• It’s lit only from the sunlight through the holes in the roof of the cave.
• There are tons of tiny bats that live in the darker coves of the cave (they’re harmless).
• The cave extends about 100 feet deep.
• Wear sneakers! It’s dark and uneven walking in.
• Bring a flashlight to help you see where you’re walking.
• Make sure you walk to the second cave for the surprise carving.
• The cave is located in Arikok National Park and you’ll need to pay ($11 pp) to enter.
• You can get there by car but a 4×4 is HIGHLY recommend!

New Natural Pool (Cave)

This ‘NEW Natural Pool (Cave)’ is different from the ‘Natural Pool (Conchi)’ in Arikok National Park. Don’t get these two confused because I did! 

• This one is free to enter and accessible by car. 
• Located next to the ‘Bushiribana Ruins’
• Was said to be discovered by locals and kept a secret for a while. Now tourists know about it and there are several tours available.
• You can also drive there yourself (4×4 recommend).
• To access the caves there’s a very handmade wooden ladder down, just over the cliff.
• Wear water shoes, the rocks are slippery.
• There are 2 pools to chose from (one deeper than the other).
• You’ll find beautiful pink hues in the cave.

Bushiribana Ruins

Located right next to the ‘New Natural Pool (Cave)’ you’ll find the Bushiribana ruins. Which was once the gold mill in nineteenth century.

You can climb to the top of the ruins and take pictures through the remains windows with picturesque views of the ocean.

Fun fact: gold was first discovered in. Aruba in 1824

Overall, I highly suggest traveling with snorkel gear and water shoes at all times! Aruba’s natural terrain is very rocky and sometimes slippery. Also, splurge for a 4×4 rental if you can! There are a ton of off-roading paths you can take to the beach’s and shorelines.

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If you have any questions about travel to the island of Aruba, don’t hesitate to ask in the comments below!

Also, check out my Instagram highlights for more! 

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For more photos/videos from my trip, visit my Instagram page!

@wanderlissa_

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 *All photos are mine, unless otherwise stated