One day in Aruba

Day by day

1. Day 1: Eagle Beach and Palm Beach

   Eagle Beach, Palm Beach, Arikok National Park and Conchi natural pool, then Palm Beach strip in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Eagle Beach

      Arrive early to claim one of the public palapa shelters, and keep clear of roped-off turtle nests. Allow Half a day.

   2. Late morning

      Palm Beach

      Walk to the northern end near the piers for slightly clearer water and easy access to the snorkel boats. Allow Half a day.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Keshi yena

      Local restaurants in Oranjestad and Noord that serve Aruban home cooking.

   4. Afternoon

      Arikok National Park

      Go early in the morning with plenty of water; there is very little shade and the midday sun is fierce. Allow Half a day to a full day.

   5. Late afternoon

      Conchi natural pool

      Wear water shoes for the rocks, and do not swim if waves are breaking strongly over the edge. Allow 2–3 hours including the drive.

   6. Evening

      Palm Beach strip

      Beach bars, hotel lounges, casinos and late-opening restaurants within walking distance of the high-rise hotels.

If it rains

• Swap in Fort Zoutman and Willem III Tower (Oranjestad): Pair it with a walk along Main Street and the National Archaeological Museum, a few minutes away.
• Swap in National Archaeological Museum Aruba (Oranjestad): A good choice for the hottest part of the day or a rare rainy afternoon.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 11–15 hours of visiting over one day, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 11.4 hours in December to 12.9 hours in June.

Getting between stops: Bus. Arubus runs frequent services from the main terminal in Oranjestad along the hotel coast to Eagle Beach, Palm Beach and Malmok, with routes to San Nicolas and Baby Beach.

More or fewer days

• 2 days in Aruba
• 3 days in Aruba
• 5 days in Aruba

Questions travellers ask