First Timer!!

[AXE]

Hello to all! Sorry it has taken me so long to introduce myself and say hi... I have just been sitting back and soaking up all your wonderful information since I am new to this site and will be new to ARUBA!!

My name is Alex and this summer I will be proposing to my girlfriend and taking her to ARUBA to celebrate! We will be there for a couple weeks staying at the surf club. We are both young twenty somethings and love to do high adventure/active things but we also love to hang out by the pool/beach with a cocktail and go the spa for massages.

So far I have learned.... and PLEASE correct me if I am wrong.
-don’t rent from royal... or even the "USA chains" but rather somewhere like Amigos.
-be sure to go to jolly pirates and the kukoo kunuku and Tattoo
-rent kayaks from Aruba water sports
-go to natural pool (and drive yourself {with a 4x4} if your looking for an adventure... and we are)
-go to pretty much all the beaches (especially baby, arashi, eagle, and palm.)
-be sure to do lots of snorkeling
-be sure to windsurf with Aruba active
-don’t go to the paddock
-do go to Madame Jeanette, wacky wahoos, and old man
-do go fishing and bring it back to Moomba to have it cooked up.
-shop at ling and sons
-bring your own alcohol from the departing airport duty free shops.
-material goods are not always cheaper then the states


But I have a few more questions... it seems people are mixed on horse back ridding. It’s always been my girlfriends dream to ride horses on the beach and in the water... and that’s what the pictures show. But it seems some of you say that doesn’t happen. Also we want to run on the horses and stuff we have done enough follow the leader at a snails pace. And lastly I have also heard that they a very skinny and not healthy looking... my girlfriend would cry and be so upset and it would ruin our whole day if we showed up and that was the case... and my money would be lost because she wouldn’t get on them. So please help me with the horse back ridding info!

Next we love to just hang out by the beach at a beach bar with reasonably priced drinks and good bar food like fish tacos and nachos and burritos and salads and just you know informal tasty food and drinks. Any suggestions on places like that... especially near the surf club. (It sounds like Moomba is like that, am I wrong)

We don’t really like to be tied down with pre booked excursions and usually prefer to just book them as we decide to do them... are there any that are a must to pre book? I also don’t like to take too many excursions i.e. snorkel, natural pool, and national park. Because there are usually a lot of other people and you’re on there time and if you just went on your own it would have saved you a bunch of money. One reason I picked Aruba for this trip is because the island is so small and I assume we should be able to find just about everything on our own. Anyone see this being a problem and I am completely miss lead? Please be honest and let me know your true opinions.

Does anyone know if I can find a road map while I am there? I can not find one here and even the one from AAA isn’t good.

I will gladly take all your input as this is my first time there and want to make the best of it. Also if any of you have or know where I can find a list of restaurants with a pricing of low-moderate-high. It would be very helpful and much appreciated.

Thank you in advance for all your help and I look forward to your replies.
ALEX

[Andrea J.]

some of my thoughts are in the BOLD type ....

Originally Posted by AXE

Hello to all! Sorry it has taken me so long to introduce myself and say hi... I have just been sitting back and soaking up all your wonderful information since I am new to this site and will be new to ARUBA!!

My name is Alex and this summer I will be proposing to my girlfriend and taking her to ARUBA to celebrate! We will be there for a couple weeks staying at the surf club. We are both young twenty somethings and love to do high adventure/active things but we also love to hang out by the pool/beach with a cocktail and go the spa for massages. welcome. i saw that you had signed up last month .....but you have not posted til now!!! HI.

So far I have learned.... and PLEASE correct me if I am wrong.
-don’t rent from royal... or even the "USA chains" but rather somewhere like Amigos. OR TROPIC and maybe AVIS or OPTIMA
-be sure to go to jolly pirates and the kukoo kunuku and Tattoo
personally i prefer Tranquillo snorkel/sail as it is quieter and more serene than JP.
-rent kayaks from Aruba water sports
-go to natural pool (and drive yourself {with a 4x4} if your looking for an adventure... and we are)
-go to pretty much all the beaches (especially baby, arashi, eagle, and palm.)
-be sure to do lots of snorkeling
-be sure to windsurf with Aruba active
-don’t go to the paddock Gotten bad reviews lately
-do go to Madame Jeanette, wacky wahoos, and old man
-do go fishing and bring it back to Moomba to have it cooked up.
-shop at ling and sons
-bring your own alcohol from the departing airport duty free shops.
-material goods are not always cheaper then the states
good boy, you have been paying attention.


But I have a few more questions... it seems people are mixed on horse back ridding. It’s always been my girlfriends dream to ride horses on the beach and in the water... and that’s what the pictures show. But it seems some of you say that doesn’t happen. Also we want to run on the horses and stuff we have done enough follow the leader at a snails pace. And lastly I have also heard that they a very skinny and not healthy looking... my girlfriend would cry and be so upset and it would ruin our whole day if we showed up and that was the case... and my money would be lost because she wouldn’t get on them. So please help me with the horse back ridding info!contact Rancho LaPonderosa. It is a good place. Do their gold Mine ruins tour and there will be cantering along the beach and paths. Opt for the private tour...just you 2 and the guide. The horses are a very sturdy and small breed paso finos and paso fino x. I am a horseperson and Aruba Amy is too and we both agree that the riding is good and the horses are good and cared for appropriately.

Next we love to just hang out by the beach at a beach bar with reasonably priced drinks and good bar food like fish tacos and nachos and burritos and salads and just you know informal tasty food and drinks. Any suggestions on places like that... especially near the surf club. (It sounds like Moomba is like that, am I wrong) Moomba is your choice

We don’t really like to be tied down with pre booked excursions and usually prefer to just book them as we decide to do them... are there any that are a must to pre book? I also don’t like to take too many excursions i.e. snorkel, natural pool, and national park. Because there are usually a lot of other people and you’re on there time and if you just went on your own it would have saved you a bunch of money. One reason I picked Aruba for this trip is because the island is so small and I assume we should be able to find just about everything on our own. Anyone see this being a problem and I am completely miss lead? Please be honest and let me know your true opinions.
you will be there 2 weeks you will have tons of time to book maybe you should prebook your Old Man and the Sea, snorkel sail and Madam Janettes



Does anyone know if I can find a road map while I am there? I can not find one here and even the one from AAA isn’t good.there is a good map that you will get in the aruba experience book upon arrival

I will gladly take all your input as this is my first time there and want to make the best of it. Also if any of you have or know where I can find a list of restaurants with a pricing of low-moderate-high. It would be very helpful and much appreciated.

Thank you in advance for all your help and I look forward to your replies.
ALEX

welcome alex!

andrea

[Andrea J.]

A REAL GOOD MAP of ARUBA!
http://borch.com/englisch/produkte/detailed/342_10.html

andrea

[swagmaster]

I just bought the Borch, looks like a real good map. I'll be fire selling it after I get back.

[AXE]

Thank you Andrea! I ceratinly appreciate all your input and will be taking you up on your advice to go ridding with Rancho LaPonderosa. Anymore advice, input or help that your or anyone else has will be greatly appreciated!

Let me pose this question to you and anyone else who wants to reply.
-If you were to arrive in Aruba in the morning and only get 24 hours to pick your favorite things to do and places to go how would your day go?

Thanks,
ALEX

[yogabrit53]

Hi Alex,
foremost do not bother with the horse riding. The horses are nags and will be a BIG disappointment. Believe me I had 2 horses that I pampered.
The high rise area around palm beach is very commercial and crowded with narrow stretches of beach and the sea although turquoise and warm is spoiled by the glue like slimy feeling as you wade in. Not sure of the reason for this.

Much preferrred the wide open sands of eagle beach by far.Right across from Mangos there is a bar called Passions right on the beach were they have happy hour from 4 to 6pm with 2 for 1 drinks.

Most of the restaraunts in PB are chains and I was not impressed. be prepared to pay $$$ in the high class hotels for quality meals.

Would highly recommend Wacky wahoos off the tourist track a little inland from PB were they serve the best sea food at a reasonable price, locals go there so that's a good sign.

Do pick up some duty free. Take half the clothes you think you will need, you will not wear them. It is VERY casual. Pack a few snacks instead or all your cash will go on food.

definately take a catamaran snorkling tour, worth every penny.
You will have an absolutely fabulous time, Enjoy

[Tom and Karen]

We use the map from the "Aruba Experience". If you would like one, PM your address to me & I will mail it too you.

[Arubalisa]

If you were to arrive in Aruba in the morning and only get 24 hours to pick your favorite things to do and places to go how would your day go?

If I only had 24 hours to spend on the island, and there have been times on a cruise been there on 8 hours or so, ALL my time is spent on the beach.

If you forced me to do an activity, in no particular order:
Tranquilo
Jolly Pirates
Island Helicopter Tour
Private Island tour with Kini Kini

[Andrea J.]

I would chose to spend the day at the beach and pool, eat dinner at madam janettes and then head to the marriott casino.



andrea

Originally Posted by AXE

Thank you Andrea! I ceratinly appreciate all your input and will be taking you up on your advice to go ridding with Rancho LaPonderosa. Anymore advice, input or help that your or anyone else has will be greatly appreciated!

Let me pose this question to you and anyone else who wants to reply.
-If you were to arrive in Aruba in the morning and only get 24 hours to pick your favorite things to do and places to go how would your day go?

Thanks,
ALEX