Palm Beach

We've been to Aruba some fifteen times. So we know the territory well. This is an island where you want to go and get settled in the hotel, then with your rental car, start exploring the Arubian countryside like crazy. And you can keep doing that for a week and still see new things each trip. That's how awesome this place is. Yes, it was plagued a few years ago by a case of a teen who vanished - but that could happen anywhere. Aruba is not the problem.

When you land in Aruba, you just have to admit there's a part of paradise located here. And the best beaches are on the southwest coast of the island, where constant trade winds keep you cool. Palm Beach, Aruba's "Best Fun Beach" is our first stop. So how did Palm Beach merit this name?

Well, every opinion about "best" is subjective. But this one is the winner, hands down. What's more, you won't have to go far. If you on an Aruba vacation, this is the beach that is probably located in front of your hotel.



Palm Beach runs along the best high rise resort hotels and time shares on the island. When you arrive, surprise yourself and look out your hotel window. You'll have one of the most spectacular views of beautiful Palm Beach and the turquoise waters of the Caribbean.

What to do on the best beach of the island?

Since Palm Beach is home to the high-rise hotels, you can definitely get in some people-watching here. Just next to Hadicurari Beach, Palm Beach Aruba is great for swimming, tanning, fishing, sailing, and snorkeling. You can spend over an hour walking from one end to the other. Now, what's fun about this is that you'll be able to stop at the high rise hotels for refreshments. Each resort opens their property to the beach and have everything from snack bars to open bars. A few have beautiful gardens and waterfalls complete with animals.

And if you're the more adventuresome type, several places along Palm Beach Aruba offer water sports. Hotels and resorts offer Hobie Cats, jet skis, windsurfing, scuba, beach shelters, toys and more - plus, they offer instruction in each of these areas.

Here's a tip: Because Palm Beach is located in the center of the action on Aruba, it can get crowded. It's busier, noiser - but some find that fun! However, note that the less crowded areas are to the north, toward the Marriott, and south, near the Divi Phoenix. Two side notes; the Marriott is constructing a timeshare near their hotel - beware of the noise, and some say the wind down near the Phoenix is powerful.

If your hotel is not on Palm Beach, make sure you visit on your Aruba vacation. There is parking along the road in front of the hotel and resort strip. You can park at some of the hotels. Best time to visit is during the mid morning for sun bathing, late afternoon for walking and enjoying the views.

Palm Beach - Aruba - Beach Guide:

• Sand - medium grain white powder, soft, very clean, groomed daily
• Facilities - lies along the major hotel and resort strip
• Shade - mature palm trees
• Sports - all water sports
• Notes - can get crowded around major hotels

Want to learn more about Palm Beach in beautiful Aruba? Check out our blog entry on Palm Beach!

More beaches grace this sunny isle in the Caribbean! See them all - Next! >>

Arashi Beach - Aruba

Is is unbelievable clear? Yes. Is it really that color? Yes. Can you see anything snorkeling here? Yes. It is Arashi Beach Aruba and one of our favorite beaches because you can lay in the sun on the sand and snorkel about from the same location. Baby Beach is like this - Arashi Beach is bigger and sweet.


Calm surf and a mostly sandy bottom make Arashi Beach one of the best swimming sites. At Arashi Beach, you'll find the best of both worlds. If you like to lay in the sun and take a dip in the cool ocean in the afternoon, but your partner likes to snorkel, Arashi Beach and Baby Beach are two recommended spots.

Arashi is near the California Lighthouse, and California Point. As you may know, almost all of the beaches on Aruba are on the west side of the island. Arashi will be the furthest one north.

Arashi means "storm" in Japanese, and we're not sure how this beach got its name. There certainly isn't much Japanese in the native Arubian language.

For sun worshipers, the white sand is soft, but look for pebbles and stones. If you arrive early, you may just be in luck to command one of the few beach huts which will provide welcome shade after a few hours of soaking in that vitamin D.

From here you can look back to Aruba Palm Beach and the windsurf rentals and school. And there are some really cool (expensive) houses out in this area as well. Rumor has it that some underworld kingpins live in this area, so be careful who you snorkel in to. Here you will see plenty of squid and tropical fish when the surf cooperates. The sea bed here gradually tapers off into darkness - sand all the way. You can see a good 150 feet or more on a normal day. Also, check out the view of the surf off the Aruba California Lighthouse point. It can whip up some pretty knarly waves.

There are no facilities as Arashi Beach, and a trek back to the high rise hotels will take you a good 15 minutes. Keep that in mind.

Coming up, Arashi Beach is a snorkeler's paradise! Come find out the best time of day to get the clearest water. Next! >>

More great photographs of Arashi Beach, Aruba.

Arashi Beach - Snorkeling

Certainly one of the best beginner snorkeling beaches on the island, Arashi Beach is perfect for the cruise ship crowds. If you're on the island for a week, make sure you find out when they will be there. Best visibility is mid-morning, mid-afternoon, especially when the wind and rain are at their lowest. Check low wave action as well.

First, the best snorkeling near Arashi Beach is toward Malmok Beach. You'll notice that between the two, there's a large outcropping of rock. And rock is good. Fish and coral love it.

For fish, it's just what they need to thrive in the nooks and crannies of the rock. For coral, less runoff from rain enters the ocean in rocky areas so they do quite well without the silt that runoff brings. Silty water smothers coral, which is why so many of the great reefs around populations are now history.

At Arashi Beach, put in to the left and hug the shoreline, but not too close. Depending on the tide, the depth here will be anywhere between five to ten feet. The shore slopes slowly to about 50 yards, and then goes gradually deeper. No canyon or walls here.

As you make your way to Malmok, look for the staghorn and brain coral, quite prominent between the two beaches. Around 10 to 15 feet, keep a sharp eye out for squid which generally travel in pods, or schools.

Closer in, as you approach Malmok Beach, which is rocky even right off shore (watch your bare feet, and if you're snorkeling with flippers, don't kick or stand on any coral or rock - make it sand), you'll find tons of sea life in the shallows.

Quietly flip over a few rocks and try to find starfish. The spindly kind are popular here and look like underwater spiders as they once again find shelter. And a upturned rock normally brings in fish, looking for any unsuspecting sea critter for lunch.

So when is the best time to snorkel here? Try high tide, or as the tide is moving in. Your swim will be the clearest during this period. And, if you can time it right, mid-morning is a great time to watch fish. They are still out hunting their next meal.

Enjoy your snorkel at Arashi and Malmok, but don't forget to visit the other superb snorkel spots on the island of Aruba.