Aruba -the Caribbean island is famous for its warm sun, white sand, clear water, and exciting fauna. If you’re a fan of the water, Aruba’s many sun-kissed beaches can offer you a little bit of everything. Whether you’re looking to relax with a swim in a private cove, sweat it out with some extreme aquatics, or explore the sea life in a coral reef, Aruba’s many beaches will have something for you to truly enjoy.
Andicuri
Got a craving for somebody boarding or bodysurfing? This hidden beauty on Aruba’s north side is an often-overlooked gem with waves perfect for a day in the surf. While getting to it can be tricky, requiring you to either use a GPS or take an off-road tour that counts this beach as part of its itinerary, the view is worth it. This secluded beach offers wind-swept teal waters and a clear view of the Natural Bridge, a naturally formed coral-limestone arch that finally succumbed to erosion in 2005.
Boca Catalina
With water as clear and cool as glass, Boca Catalina is the perfect place to head out on a snorkeling excursion with the family. Despite the beach’s popularity it is still home to calm, shallow shoals that house a large number of fish and crops of coral. It is easily accessible by car or bus, with ample parking and beach huts to offer a shady place to read. The beach itself is made of soft white sand, perfect for sunbathing.
Renaissance Island
Aruba’s only privately owned beach, Renaissance Island, is owned by Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino and offers exclusive access to that resort’s two high-class hotels, the Renaissance Marina Hotel and the family-friendly Renaissance Ocean Suites. The private beach is split into two parts: family-friendly Iguana Beach and the adult exclusive Flamingo Beach. Both sides boast clear, shallow waters perfect for wading and swimming, a number of hotel amenities such as a restaurant and equipment rental, and, of course, local fauna-iguanas and flamingos in particular. Guests visit free, but otherwise there is a $100 cover.
Baby Beach
This man-made lagoon is one of Aruba’s most famous and popular beaches, so named because the waters are so peaceful even a baby could swim there. (Be warned, though: this only applies to within the lagoon itself. Once you swim past its boundaries, you risk being caught up in a very strong current and swept away.) A perfect swimming and snorkeling location, its waters are filled with angelfish, parrot fish, eels, and even squid. The beach itself hosts a number of shady huts and sun chairs, as well as a bar, restaurant, and equipment rental.
Hadicurari
Also known as “Fisherman’s Huts” for the number of small shacks found along it, this beach was once the home to Aruba’s fishing population. Today, its location and wind conditions make it the ideal spot for windsurfing and kite-boarding enthusiasts. In fact, this rocky strip of beach is home to the Aruba Hi-Winds Pro Am Windsurfing tournament-theCaribbean’s largest windsurfing tournament that is held annually in late June or early July. The beach is also located near several resorts, as well as the famous Hadicurari Restaurant, which buys its stock from the local fishermen that day.
