My Aruban Adventure

Because of the pandemic, it had been more than a year and a half since I was able to take a vacation and I had to get away. I wanted to go somewhere warm to escape the winter cold and I wanted to go somewhere I could sit out in the sun, read a book, and not have anyone telling me what to do or where do go. I didn't want a mountainous trip but also wanted to be able to go out on some day trip adventures to explore. I began looking at airbnb costs around some of the Caribbean islands to see what some of them had to offer. This was a solo trip and I ended up choosing Aruba. Aruba sounded fun, was considered a safe island, and the airbnb cost was relatively cheap yet the island offered some great photographic opportunities. Once I really began to dig in and do my research of what Aruba offered, I began to really see how interesting the island was. There is a
ton of history and adventurous activities to be found!

I stayed in this studio, hosted by Chris and Elisa. It was very affordable, in an exceptional location, and offered the amenities I needed for five nights, just myself!

During the trip, I was able to put together an itinerary of some trips, tours, and dives that fed a bit of my adventure need while allowing me plenty of time for relaxation. I will share some pictures and give a brief summary of what I was able to find! These are in no particular order, just some things I did and saw.

Flamingo Beach

Flamingo Beach is a private beach located on private Renaissance Island, owned by Marriott Resorts, and just offshore from the capital, Oranjestad. There are two sides to the island: Iguana Beach is family friendly and offers a full restaurant and restrooms while the Flamingo Beach is (mostly) adults only. It is unique in that while you are relaxing on the beautiful sands by the turquoise waters, Flamingos wander around where you are able to photograph them while they mingle around. With just a quarter, you can get a cup of their feed and are able to feed them right out of your hand in the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea.

Skydiving

Skydiving is something that I had never done but always had been something I wanted to try. It isn't a cheap hobby or adventure, so I hadn't wanted to dive over the mundane Washington DC suburbs near where I live. I wanted to do the jump somewhere fairly special. When I saw there was a skydive operator working there, I signed up right away. Skydive Aruba runs a very fun small business. These guys love what they do which helps calm any nerves. The views over the tiny Dutch island are incredible and you're even able to lookout in the distance and see Venezuela.

The Beaches

Photographing the Dunes

Tucked up in the very northern tip is the Arashi Dunes and Westpunt Beach. These may be the most interesting to visit during golden hours as the rising/setting sun casts its golden light on the variety of sand patterns and the boulder strewn landscape. If I had more time, I would have been at this location multiple times for sunrises and sunsets as it is a haven for composition opportunities.

Arikok National Park

Snorkeling

The last adventure tour I partook in on my Aruban Adventure was snorkeling. If you're going to be visiting a Caribbean island, you have to explore some under the sea life, right?!? Like Arikok, there are numerous choices of Tours for you to choose from. I chose the Champagne Breakfast & Lunch tour. You'll be fed, which is always something I am looking to do, and there is an open bar on the boat to enjoy adult beverages. This cruise takes you to two coral locations and what I found most interesting, the SS Antilla WWII shipwreck. I will admit however, the snorkeling wasn't my favorite. The crowds are larger which does make it tough to swim around without bumping into people. If I had time, I may have explored learning to SCUBA. I personally wanted to be able to get right out into the water which was why I chose the snorkeling.

Final Thoughts

I loved Aruba and it is a place I would certainly go back again to visit. I felt like I had gotten a fairly good grasp on the larger beaches and would love to go back to explore some more of the hidden spots on the island. I chose Aruba because of the airbnb affordability. Flights to the island were easy to find and once there it was fairly easy to navigate. You don't need special phone plans and the food is very much the same to what we eat in the States. The landscape is what really highlighted the trip. Cacti right next to the white sands and turquoise Caribbean Sea made for a unique experience, for me!