Island Adventures reflect Aruba's amazing and diverse landscape. Touring and exploring Aruba's unique terrain is both fascinating and fun. This small desert island contains vast contrasts including a leeward coast of marshmallow-soft beaches lapped by calm Caribbean waters, a rugged brush-covered desert interior, and a northeast wind-whipped coastline punctuated by inlets and cliffs and beaten by angry surf.
South of the airport on the way to San Nicolas are the beaches of Savaneta and Mangel Halto where shallow and calm mangrove-covered lagoons front narrow sandy stretches. Mangel Halto is a small beach among the mangroves of Pos Chikito and its nearby canals and small bridges.
Passing through San Nicolas on the way to Seroe Colorado is a landmark coral-colored anchor. Turn right and you enter what was once a gated colony during the bustling half-century of the Lago Refinery. Baby Beach is a half-moon sandy expanse in a calm shallow lagoon. Where the bay opens out to the sea, snorkelers will behold a colorful kaleidoscope of coral and tropical fish but should watch out for strong currents. From the narrow powdery white strip of Rodgers Beach, you can sometimes see the coast of Venezuela; fishermen anchor their boats here, protected by the bay.
Arikok National Park is a nature preserve covering almost one-fifth of Aruba's surface area, contains historical sites as Aruba's three geological formations: the Aruba lava formation, quartz diorite formation, and limestone formation that extends inward from the coast. It is on the great granite rocks of Arikok that the island's earliest inhabitants left their mark. Painted by Caquetio Indians, the drawings are at least 1,000 years old. Twenty-one miles of well-marked hiking trails are a great help.
The park encompasses Mount Jamanota, Aruba's highest point reaching 620 feet, underground Indian caves and everything in between. Sand dunes and limestone cliffs ornament the coast. Wildlife includes the cascabel (local rattlesnake) and santanero (cat-eyed snake). The shoco (burrowing owl), prikichi (Aruban parakeet), kododo blauw (whiptail lizard) are among its residents. Iguanas and many species of migratory birds live in the park as well, and goats and donkeys graze on the hills. Among the desert vegetation in the park, are divi-divi trees, rare and exotic cacti, aloe plants, and colorful tropical flowers.
Cunucu Arikok is a restored farm that recreates life in the early days. The tiny, two-room house of mud and grass adobe, cas di torto, is surrounded by stone walls and cactus fences. Miralamar, a complex of gold mines and trenches, was active during the first decade of the 20th century. Masiduri served as an experimental garden in the 1950s. Prins Plantation, a complex of abandoned adobe structures, witnessed the cultivation of hundreds of coconut trees as recently as the 1960s. Hofi Fontein (fountain garden) is the only place along the north coast with a freshwater spring; Chinese immigrants grew vegetables here.
Because of strong undertow and crashing waves, swimming on the windward side is not recommended. But the beaches on Aruba's wild coast do afford tranquility, privacy and magnificent natural phenomena. Boca Grandi is a semi-circular reef-protected cove with on-shore winds that make it a popular windsurfing spot. Boca Prins is a small secluded cove amidst rugged limestone cliffs fringed by snow white sand dunes.
Fuente is a rocky cove pounded by surf. Dos Playa features two coves carved out of the limestone bluff; wide sandy beach attracts sunbathers and is perfect for picnics. The Natural Pool is protected from the rough sea by surrounding rocks; it is said that the pool was once used to hold sea turtles before they were sold.
The adventurous will enjoy exploring the caves along the northeast coat. The largest and most accessible is Fontein. Here drawings left by Amerindians and graffiti etched by early European settlers ornament the walls and ceilings.
Quadirikiri is a short distance away, on a similar ancient sea cliff. Openings in the ceiling provide natural light for the five hundred foot-long cave, making it a perfect spot for picture-taking. The bats residing here are quite harmless.
The Huliba Cave and Tunnel of Love (Sabana Sulu), named for its heart-shaped entrance, are part of the same cave system, about 100 feet below the surface. Prepare to negotiate a dark underground maze and do some climbing.
Aruba's above-ground rock formations are of mysterious origin. At the Ayo Rock Formation, you can meander through stacks of giant quartz diorite boulders of curious shapes and sizes. In the center of the island is the Casibari Rock Formation. Climbing through piles of strangely-shaped rocks, a narrow path leads up to the top, affording a panoramic view of the countryside. At ground level is a large desert rock garden.
For this Aruba vacation, be sure to bring plenty of drinking water, snacks, hats, sunglasses and sunscreen. Sturdy shoes are recommended to protect against sharp corals, rocks, and uneven terrain. The sun's rays are especially strong from 10 am to 3 pm.