Can you purchase inexpensive inflatable rafts/floats in Aruba? Where?

Does Aruba have any drugstores or convenience stores, like CVS, Walgreens, or Rite-Aid, or like the ABC stores in Waikiki?

Check grocery stores for rafts or hmmm...priceright...?? forgot exact name. sort of like a BJ's or costco. Also drug stores are called Boticas. No CVS or riteaid etc. there is one by hospital and one behind the royal plaza mall downtown.

Pack them with you. Expect to pay 2x what they are at home if you buy them there. The blow up tubes at home 2.99 target, 7.oo aruba. They don't take up much space. Same thing with those long flat rafts. You can buy noodles there (if thats what you are looking for) and obviously those are tuff to pack. You will find most hotels are happy to blow them up for you. Surf club has a "station" to blow the tubes up. Most little convienent stores sell them, but honestly bring one from home.

check out www.intheswim.com
it has "blow up noodles" that are easy to pack

also too we have friends that pack 1 regular foam noodle in each piece of their checked luggage. the noodle bends nicely and it fits into a large suitcase right before it is zipped closed.

prior to us using the timeshare storage (when we checked luggage) we always carried 1 or 2 foam noodles in our checked bag.

the pricing at the smaller shops in aruba is high.
i am sure the department sotres downtown have better pricing thann the swim shops at the resorts.

andrea

As others have mentioned. IF you want one bring with you.

Just be aware if you use one in the water the wind will pick them up and blow them out to sea very easily. My wife and I have a contest guessing how long it will take before it is gone.

"El Muchacho De Eagle Beach"
Eagle Beach Boy
Ontario, Canada

Absolutely correct. My lifesaving skills came in handy one day when I saw an Australian tourist take off with the breeze. Evidently no one with him were swimmers and stood by helplessly.

I never swam as fast as I did that day. Catch up I did and towed him back to shore. Everyone, please be careful! This story had a happy ending, not all of them do.

Aruba Bound! ~ Hoosier Kitties ~ Our-Cruises ~ Blogging to Aruba
Back to paradise Trip #18
Christmas & New Years Aboard the Queen Mary 2

They have something like a Costco's in Aruba? Might be good for buying food for BBQing, right? Do you have to be a member?

Eagle Beach Boy & Aruba Lisa,
I am thinking of the long flat rafts you lay on--you would blow away even if you were laying on them? I guess I mostly get concerned with the current, but the wind can take you away too I'm sure.

>>>> "Just be aware if you use one in the water the wind will pick them up and blow them out to sea very easily."
----- Just back and saw 2 heading for South America in that wind. Guess you could get like a 10 foot rope and tie the thing around your body. Again that might not be too bright to tie it to you.
Might want to be a excellent swimmer if using them. A board might be better.
>>>> "This story had a happy ending, not all of them do."
---- Ditto! A couple of years ago a teen was lost at sea on a jet ski.
>>>> "Evidently no one with him were swimmers"
---- In that wind I would not try. Might be safer to tell anyone to stay with float and have someone at resort call 911. Aruba now has their own hellicopter and have seen it many days flying along the beach. Also have seen it parked at their big fire department. On Eagle Beach there is even a rescue boat that tows in wind surfers that go out too far. Have seen a few of those that can't stay up in that wind and just drift out and out and out.

I suppose it would depend on how much one weighed. I feel safe on a foam float, but in comparison to a inflatible, I don't thick there is really any comparison.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomFrederick In that wind I would not try. Might be safer to tell anyone to stay with float and have someone at resort call 911.

This is very true and excellent advice. If I had not been an endurance swimmer who swam 500 yd - 10 laps freestyle throughout high school, and had my life guard certification I would have never ever attempted it.

Aruba Bound! ~ Hoosier Kitties ~ Our-Cruises ~ Blogging to Aruba
Back to paradise Trip #18
Christmas & New Years Aboard the Queen Mary 2