Aruba review- Part 1 (restaurant review tom'w)
ARUBA REVIEW
Bret and I left on September 10th and returned September 23rd. What an UNBELIEVABLE trip! I’ve been to many islands, but nothing like this. September is the off-season so if felt like we were the only ones on the beach or in the pool. We had a time share- I think it’s a little busier at the hotels (although, not much). You actually don’t have to get up at 8am to get your own hut on the beach! I’ll give reviews of the resorts and then the activities. Then I’ll give you guys a few tips! I’ll post the restaurant info tomorrow. There is so much to recommend!
La Cabana (Eagle Beach)- You have three pools to choose from and a couple jacuzzis. One pool has a crazy slide and the other pool has hardly anyone there. The busiest pool is the one closest to the ocean, but at most there were 10 people in it at one time. There are a few different places to eat, but nothing special. Dunkin Donuts is right there and so is a casino and a spa. Le Petit Café is next door also. It’s a really nice place. I think it’s the biggest resort on the island. TELL THEM YOU’RE ON YOUR HONEYMOON. They’ll give you a card which gives you tons of discounts and free wine at many restaurants.
Aruba Beach Club- What a nice place! Our room was huge and we had a view of the ocean. This is on Manchebo Beach and the water was a little rougher. It’s definitely not LI rough, but not close to as calm as the water at Eagle Beach. Definitely use the facilities at Casa del Mar next store.
Now for the good stuff!!
Be prepared to see tons of iguanas! They’re harmless and EVERYWHERE. It’s nuts.
Hold on to your hats! It’s windy there! It’s nice to have a continuous breeze though.
Pick up all coupons and tourist books- there are a lot of deals such as free glasses of wine or $$ off spa treatments. Skip the free souvenir from the Kuku Kunuku trip. It’s a mini maraca.
As for activities, Bret and I did three things:
1. Kuku Kunuku bus
2. Watapana Jeep Tour
3. Snorkeling (Pelican tour in the evening)
There are a ton of things to choose from- parasailing, scuba diving, etc. but Bret and I pretty much just wanted to stay at the beach. If you have your own snorkel or can out an buy one before you leave, I definitely suggest it. People were snorkeling all day long in the ocean at the hotels. You can always see fish because the water is so clear, but it would’ve been nice to have snorkeling equipment.
KUKU KUNUKU- this is crazy! You call to make a reservation and they give you a pickup time. It’s $90 for the two of you for the night. A party bus picks you guys up at your hotel and you go from hotel to hotel while the music is blasting and you shake your maracas as you fill up the bus. Don’t even bother doing your hair that night. The wind is too much to handle!
You’ll go to the lighthouse for a champagne toast, to a beautiful house for dinner (the dinner isn’t so great) and then bar hop to three local bars. The first two were pretty empty, but the last place- Carlos and Charlies- was very crowded. We had a great time because we love to dance. The only thing I didn’t like is the fact that they put on some American music when we got to each bar. Who wants to hear YMCA in Aruba? When you enter Carlos and Charlies, someone is standing on a chair and stands above you and pours a shot in your mouth as you enter. It was fun, but at that point we were exhausted. I recommend doing this or the Banana bus. It looks like they may even serve drinks on the Banana bus. With either one, you get one free drink each at every bar and then more drinks are pretty inexpensive. You’ll also learn the Bacardi, lemon, coca-cola dance! The bus then drops everyone back at their hotel at night.
WATAPANA JEEP TOUR- this was by far the most fun we had the whole time we were there. Other companies offer the tour as well- ABC Tour and DePalm- and I think any of them would be good. Make sure they have automatic if that’s what you’re looking for! They pick you up in a bus and bring you to the jeeps. They let you pick your own, so get ready to claim your favorite. Here’s a tip- pick one with a roof. I know it won’t seem fun in the beginning without it open, but I would have LOVED to have a roof after the first half hour. It’s hot out there in the desert and the sun is STRONG. For $50 extra you can request your own jeep. We went for it. We wanted to be the only drivers—it’s the best part about the trip—and we had the Aruba radio stations blasting. We loved it! You’ll pretty much see the whole island with this tour. If you think you want to rent your own and find baby beach on your own, think again. It’s not going to happen unless you’ve been before. You’ll go to the lighthouse and then off the road along the rocky side of the island. You’ll go to the natural pool- it is awesome! Definitely wear your bathing suit and sneakers- you do a lot of climbing, but also a lot of swimming. Anyway, be sure to ask your guide about the jacuzzi at the natural pool. If you climb up some rocks, there is a little pool on top. Then you get to dive or jump off the rocks!
You’ll go to the natural bridge- Bret stayed below and I ran on top and he took a picture. It’s breathtaking there. After that is when it really gets rocky and crazy. We got a flat tire! Thank goodness for our guide.
You will see a chapel, see a place where they used to store gold, and drive through town and near the refinery. You’ll stop for lunch at a local place (remember to bring money for drinks!) and then go to baby beach. It’s a funny setting. You’re at a breathtaking beach with a refinery in the distance. If you have a snorkel, do not forget to bring it here!
Pack a towel, a hat, sunglasses, and some sunscreen. Wear clothes you don’t mind getting dusty and dirty. Have fun and buckle up!
SNORKELING- PELICAN TOUR-
This takes you on two stops- a coral reef and the shipwreck from WWII. The shipwreck is unbelievable. I couldn’t believe the size of it when I got in the water. They give you bread to bring in the water, but prepare yourself- the fish come by the hundreds! They’re little, colorful, and don’t bite, but it freaked me out a little bit when I put my mask on and saw them all eating from my hand! We went to each site on a huge catamaran and they provided drinks and some food. I’ve seen more colorful fish at other islands, but this 2 ½ hour trip was fun and I probably wouldn’t go much longer than that.
CASINOS
They claim the casino at La Cabana is the biggest, but it was the dirtiest and hardly seemed to be large. It’s hardly Atlantic City! The Crystal Casino in the city was pretty nice and Alhambra was pretty good too. If you have a honeymoon card (some hotels give these out), you will get free t-shirts if you show it to them at the casino. We lost $$ at the table, but I made some on the slots!
INTERMEZZO SPA
Since this was at La Cabana where we were staying, I got a massage. It was amazing! I got it the day after we arrived. It was pretty cheap too- $55 for an hour. I had a $10 off coupon I got in the lobby of La Cabana. Definitely pick up some of those coupons you’ll see at the hotel and in the little tourist books. You’ll get free wine at places and save $$. If you’re not staying at La Cabana, they’ll pick you up and drive you back to your hotel for free.
TAXIS
They all have the same fares and since the gas went up from $3 to $4/gallon when we were there, all fares have now gone up. The $17 fare from the airport is now $25. There are cabs everywhere- the drivers are honest, the cabs are clean, and the fares are set, though as of January 1st, all the cabs there will be metered.
Bret and I left on September 10th and returned September 23rd. What an UNBELIEVABLE trip! I’ve been to many islands, but nothing like this. September is the off-season so if felt like we were the only ones on the beach or in the pool. We had a time share- I think it’s a little busier at the hotels (although, not much). You actually don’t have to get up at 8am to get your own hut on the beach! I’ll give reviews of the resorts and then the activities. Then I’ll give you guys a few tips! I’ll post the restaurant info tomorrow. There is so much to recommend!
La Cabana (Eagle Beach)- You have three pools to choose from and a couple jacuzzis. One pool has a crazy slide and the other pool has hardly anyone there. The busiest pool is the one closest to the ocean, but at most there were 10 people in it at one time. There are a few different places to eat, but nothing special. Dunkin Donuts is right there and so is a casino and a spa. Le Petit Café is next door also. It’s a really nice place. I think it’s the biggest resort on the island. TELL THEM YOU’RE ON YOUR HONEYMOON. They’ll give you a card which gives you tons of discounts and free wine at many restaurants.
Aruba Beach Club- What a nice place! Our room was huge and we had a view of the ocean. This is on Manchebo Beach and the water was a little rougher. It’s definitely not LI rough, but not close to as calm as the water at Eagle Beach. Definitely use the facilities at Casa del Mar next store.
Now for the good stuff!!
Be prepared to see tons of iguanas! They’re harmless and EVERYWHERE. It’s nuts.
Hold on to your hats! It’s windy there! It’s nice to have a continuous breeze though.
Pick up all coupons and tourist books- there are a lot of deals such as free glasses of wine or $$ off spa treatments. Skip the free souvenir from the Kuku Kunuku trip. It’s a mini maraca.
As for activities, Bret and I did three things:
1. Kuku Kunuku bus
2. Watapana Jeep Tour
3. Snorkeling (Pelican tour in the evening)
There are a ton of things to choose from- parasailing, scuba diving, etc. but Bret and I pretty much just wanted to stay at the beach. If you have your own snorkel or can out an buy one before you leave, I definitely suggest it. People were snorkeling all day long in the ocean at the hotels. You can always see fish because the water is so clear, but it would’ve been nice to have snorkeling equipment.
KUKU KUNUKU- this is crazy! You call to make a reservation and they give you a pickup time. It’s $90 for the two of you for the night. A party bus picks you guys up at your hotel and you go from hotel to hotel while the music is blasting and you shake your maracas as you fill up the bus. Don’t even bother doing your hair that night. The wind is too much to handle!
You’ll go to the lighthouse for a champagne toast, to a beautiful house for dinner (the dinner isn’t so great) and then bar hop to three local bars. The first two were pretty empty, but the last place- Carlos and Charlies- was very crowded. We had a great time because we love to dance. The only thing I didn’t like is the fact that they put on some American music when we got to each bar. Who wants to hear YMCA in Aruba? When you enter Carlos and Charlies, someone is standing on a chair and stands above you and pours a shot in your mouth as you enter. It was fun, but at that point we were exhausted. I recommend doing this or the Banana bus. It looks like they may even serve drinks on the Banana bus. With either one, you get one free drink each at every bar and then more drinks are pretty inexpensive. You’ll also learn the Bacardi, lemon, coca-cola dance! The bus then drops everyone back at their hotel at night.
WATAPANA JEEP TOUR- this was by far the most fun we had the whole time we were there. Other companies offer the tour as well- ABC Tour and DePalm- and I think any of them would be good. Make sure they have automatic if that’s what you’re looking for! They pick you up in a bus and bring you to the jeeps. They let you pick your own, so get ready to claim your favorite. Here’s a tip- pick one with a roof. I know it won’t seem fun in the beginning without it open, but I would have LOVED to have a roof after the first half hour. It’s hot out there in the desert and the sun is STRONG. For $50 extra you can request your own jeep. We went for it. We wanted to be the only drivers—it’s the best part about the trip—and we had the Aruba radio stations blasting. We loved it! You’ll pretty much see the whole island with this tour. If you think you want to rent your own and find baby beach on your own, think again. It’s not going to happen unless you’ve been before. You’ll go to the lighthouse and then off the road along the rocky side of the island. You’ll go to the natural pool- it is awesome! Definitely wear your bathing suit and sneakers- you do a lot of climbing, but also a lot of swimming. Anyway, be sure to ask your guide about the jacuzzi at the natural pool. If you climb up some rocks, there is a little pool on top. Then you get to dive or jump off the rocks!
You’ll go to the natural bridge- Bret stayed below and I ran on top and he took a picture. It’s breathtaking there. After that is when it really gets rocky and crazy. We got a flat tire! Thank goodness for our guide.
You will see a chapel, see a place where they used to store gold, and drive through town and near the refinery. You’ll stop for lunch at a local place (remember to bring money for drinks!) and then go to baby beach. It’s a funny setting. You’re at a breathtaking beach with a refinery in the distance. If you have a snorkel, do not forget to bring it here!
Pack a towel, a hat, sunglasses, and some sunscreen. Wear clothes you don’t mind getting dusty and dirty. Have fun and buckle up!
SNORKELING- PELICAN TOUR-
This takes you on two stops- a coral reef and the shipwreck from WWII. The shipwreck is unbelievable. I couldn’t believe the size of it when I got in the water. They give you bread to bring in the water, but prepare yourself- the fish come by the hundreds! They’re little, colorful, and don’t bite, but it freaked me out a little bit when I put my mask on and saw them all eating from my hand! We went to each site on a huge catamaran and they provided drinks and some food. I’ve seen more colorful fish at other islands, but this 2 ½ hour trip was fun and I probably wouldn’t go much longer than that.
CASINOS
They claim the casino at La Cabana is the biggest, but it was the dirtiest and hardly seemed to be large. It’s hardly Atlantic City! The Crystal Casino in the city was pretty nice and Alhambra was pretty good too. If you have a honeymoon card (some hotels give these out), you will get free t-shirts if you show it to them at the casino. We lost $$ at the table, but I made some on the slots!
INTERMEZZO SPA
Since this was at La Cabana where we were staying, I got a massage. It was amazing! I got it the day after we arrived. It was pretty cheap too- $55 for an hour. I had a $10 off coupon I got in the lobby of La Cabana. Definitely pick up some of those coupons you’ll see at the hotel and in the little tourist books. You’ll get free wine at places and save $$. If you’re not staying at La Cabana, they’ll pick you up and drive you back to your hotel for free.
TAXIS
They all have the same fares and since the gas went up from $3 to $4/gallon when we were there, all fares have now gone up. The $17 fare from the airport is now $25. There are cabs everywhere- the drivers are honest, the cabs are clean, and the fares are set, though as of January 1st, all the cabs there will be metered.
