Welcome to Aruba
The Caribbean island of Aruba has recently been recognised with two significant accolades: the island was named one of ABTA’s top destinations to watch for 2024 and Eagle Beach was named eighth best in the world, in Tripadvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards.
Aruba has a vibrant and eclectic mix of sights and sounds, an array of impressive restaurants and an exciting selection of activities to suit every traveller including scuba diving, hiking and water sports.
Here are six reasons to visit the ‘ONE Happy Island’ of Aruba:
Aruban beaches are the best in the world
The award-winning Eagle Beach is the widest on the island and is renowned for the quality of its white sands. It offers beautiful ocean views, with the famous fofoti trees that make a great Instagram shot. If laying on a sunbed isn’t for you, enjoy a variety of water activities from sailing to snorkelling and water skiing in the crystal blue waters.
Aruba has many great wreck dives to discover whilst scuba diving, such as the Pedernales, that is great for beginners at just 20 feet. For a more challenging dive, visitors can explore the Jane C. wreck dive, or the Antilla wreck
Discover the melting pot of cuisines that make up Aruba’s delicacies
Visitors can taste their way around the island sampling dishes that combine Dutch, Spanish and North American flavours. The mouthwatering fusions across the island are the result of a new wave of award-winning chefs using traditional and modern ways of cooking from all over the world.
The island boasts a plentiful supply of fresh seafood and many of the island’s specialities centre around the local fish, whether it be fried, grilled or cooked in a creole sauce.
The island also offers up hearty dishes with strong influences from across the Caribbean, such as an Aruban take on Jamacia’s iconic Curry Goat or beef stews featuring Caribbean favourite ingredients such as plantain and pumpkin.
Aruba offers a vibrant restaurant scene, with eight Chef’s Tables, giving visitors the chance to savour both the rich flavours of traditional dishes alongside modern dishes that are being championed by young chefs wanting to put Aruba firmly on the culinary map.
Get stuck into the thrilling sporting events that the island has to offer
The island of Aruba is home to the Hi-Winds windsurfing competition, the longest-running annual sporting event in the Caribbean. The calm waters of Fisherman’s Huts, where the event is held, make it accessible for amateur athletes. The 2024 edition of Aruba Hi-Winds is set to take place between 8-13 May.
Go beyond the beaches in search of adventure in Aruba
Whilst in Aruba, visitors can expect to enjoy both a rejuvenating break and an adventurous escape.
After a few days relaxing on the beach, travellers can ignite their sense of adventure by trekking through the Arikok National Park to discover the vast array of cultural heritage sites, including spectacular caves, original Indian rock drawings and unusual land formations made from lava, quartz diorite and limestone.
Aruba also has over 350 kilometres of bike trails that follow the north coast and offer scenic views of the island.
Aruba welcomes all
The island is extremely accessible for UK travellers as English is spoken freely, there are year-round weekly direct flights with British Airways and there is no visa needed to enter if staying under three months.
Aruba also prides itself as being a safe holiday choice for LGBTQ+ travellers, with an emphasis on making all visitors feel secure and welcome.
New Accommodation
British travellers will soon be able to book a stay at the St Regis (opening December 2024) , a luxury heritage brand oozing sophistication with guaranteed personal butler service, set to open in December, or alternatively a stay at the Iberostar (opening late summer 2024), a five-star resort situated on award-winning Eagle Beach which is forecast to open this summer.
For culture vultures seeking a stay at more intimate hotel with a difference, the Aruba Boutique and Art Hotel (opening April 2024) offers its own personal art gallery for guests to discover.
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