Excursions in Curacao and Aruba

[soccer2010]

This May, we'll be doing the Irie Tour for the 3rd year in a row. An open bus hat takes you around the Island, stops for a while at the Aquarium Beach and has free drinks on the bus … cost around $25.

 

Aruba, we've always gone to Reflections but this year we may rent a car and drive around. Car rental is very reasonably priced.

[iambumbo]

I've been to Aruba 3 times.

1. First time I snorkeled and have since found other ports with much better coral/fish.

2. Second time we rented a car drove all around the island, which is a great idea. Relatively cheap to do, small island you can't get lost, and you decide where to go and what to see. Highly recommend driving through Arikok Park, just wandering wherever you like. All kinds of interesting things to see there. The rock formations and crashing water on the rough east coast of the island are unlike anything you'll see and incredibly picturesque. Casibari rock formation has a great view too.

3. Third time we did a horseback riding tour through Gold Mine Ranch. Highly recommend this as well-- very scenic, nice horses, good tour guides, and great at matching you to skill level.

 

In Curacao I booked the Breath of Curacao tour. Great tour for a half-day. It takes you all over the untamed parts of the island and still leaves you time to wander through the city afterward.

 

Two great islands!

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Anyone have any ideas for excursions in Curacao and Aruba ?

 

 

I checked the port of calls and doesn't seem like much help on there. and my roll call is pretty quiet. I don't care if it is an excursion threw royal. I just want to see as much of these islands as possible.

 

when we went to Aruba a couple years back we used Sonny Binns to take us on a tour of the island. Stopped at different locations for photo ops etc.

 

http://www.sonnytoursaruba.com/

 

Bill

[Kissmya63]

We were just at both of these islands in May/June. In Aruba we did the trikes. So much fun! Great tour of the island! I would love to go to Aruba and spend a week to see more of the island.

 

On Curacao we splurged a bit. We went with VIP Tours and it was a private tour in a comfortable car with just me and DH. We went all over the island. We are more nature lovers than city people. We went to Christoffelpark and Shete Boka where the sea was rougher and you can watch the waves crash onto the rocks. It was so beautiful!

 

We wanted to have a taste of local culture and food and our tour guide took us to a restaurant call Jaanchie's, I think in Westpunt. There was no menu. The owner comes and sits down at your table and verbally tells you what is on the menu that day. He puts a little bit of humor in it too! He recites the menu almost like a poem. After he's done you tell him what you're interested in and he makes his suggestions too. The food was spectacular! I had garlic shrimp with what he called a Caribbean rice if I remember and something that was kind of like cole slaw. It was so good. It's like a open air restaurant. There are birds right outside the open air windows that keep you entertained. Our tour guide was going to sit at the bar while we ate lunch but we insisted he sit with us and have lunch on us. When we went to pay the bill we were told that tour guides eat for free. I wish I could remember his name. He was fabulous!

 

He also took us to the Tula Museum where you delve into African history on the island from slavery to present day.

 

We saw the salt lakes where we were able to see Flamingoes, and took us to several beaches for photo ops.

 

Talking about it makes me want to go back real soon!!! :p

[bigque]

Hello,

 

Do you recall the restaurant you had Lobster and fried Shrimp in Aruba, I would love to take my Mom there for lunch or dinner when we cruise in March

 

Lobster most definitely. I remember seeing grilled shrimp on the menu but don't really remember fried being on there.

[Tomnsgirl]

Lobster most definitely. I remember seeing grilled shrimp on the menu but don't really remember fried being on there.

 

Hello,

 

I must of misread your Adventure review 2015, you don't mention the name of the restaurant in Aruba where you enjoyed the Lobster. If at all possible can you recall the name of the seafood restaurant.

[cookiersmom]

It was a number of years ago but we really liked the UTV. We got to drive and our teen age kids loved it. You DO get very dusty!.

In Curacao, the BEST dolphin swim anywhere. This is not a small, concrete swimming pool, this is a HUGE natural lagoon and only 5 or so people in the water for 30 minutes with the dolphins that swim along side you, and love to interact with you. We've been to other dolphin swims but NONE were like the one in Curacao.

(to be fair, it was over 10 years ago, but I would think it is still terrific)

Pricey, but so worth it!

[billybob123]

My kids and I loved the donkey sanctuary in Aruba. You have to rent a car or take a taxi but entirely worth it. I'd go back Jan a heartbeat.

[RCcruisinfamily]

Going to these islands in March. Advice Welcome. Already book Woodwind snorkel tour a yr ago! I had to have been the first!

Anyone have any ideas for excursions in Curacao and Aruba ?

 

 

I checked the port of calls and doesn't seem like much help on there. and my roll call is pretty quiet. I don't care if it is an excursion threw royal. I just want to see as much of these islands as possible.

[Syracruisin]

We just got back from these islands on the Navigator. In Curacao, we did the Surf and Turf Tour through Irie Tours. For $55, they took us on an open-air school bus to Hato Cave, stopped to photograph flamingos on the salt lake, to an artist gallery (10 minute purely shopping stop despite the description of it being about a "haunted plantation" on the website), and to the beach. Price included beer, soda and water, and entrances to the cave and beach. I think the price is great compared to cabbing it to any of those places and paying entrance fees on your own. We still had plenty of time to walk around town when we got back. I'd probably try to do the West Side short island hopper tour first ($75 tour) because it goes to more places and the stop at Nena Sanchez's gallery, while interesting in its own right, is just a stop to buy her art and not of any historical or other interest.

 

In Aruba, we did ABC Tours' UTV tour. It was a blast. We traveled across mild dirt "off-roads" and up much more intense "no road" rocky paths. We stopped at the lighthouse, natural bridge/baby bridge, gold mill ruins, and a beach. Due to the weather, we couldn't swim in the natural pool so the beach right down the shore was a worthy alternative where we stood and had waves crash upon us. It was a little pricey ($100 apiece), but they offer a discount if you book in advance. They also offer jeep safari tours for those who want to go off-road but not as crazy as the UTVs that went up and down rocky hillsides.

[PHXscuba]

Another idea for Aruba that we absolutely loved: a Segway tour!

 

We did it through http://dannys2wheeladventure.com (formerly Segway Tours Aruba) and we had a blast. Four of us tourists (max of 6) and Danny, all along the coastline up to the lighthouse. Such a better view than a rental car or bus. The Segways are very user-friendly.

 

Danny picked us up just outside the cruise terminal gates in a van and took us to the location near Mambo Beach. After the tour we stayed at the beach for a couple hours, then Danny took us back to the port.

 

PHXscuba

Edited January 20, 2017 by PHXscuba