Aruba Beaches

[toban]

Our ship will be in Aruba in January and would like to make it a beach day. Can someone tell us which beaches are nicest for swimming/sun bathing and how far are they from the ship pier? Thanks.

[lolitasal]

The best beaches are either Baby Beach (the water is really calm) or by the high-rise hotels. The beaches by the low rise hotels were really pretty, but rocky. So if you head there, bring some water shoes. I'm not sure how far the beaches are from the pier. I was in Aruba on my honeymoon, but not on a cruise. Hope this helps.

[Arubalisa]

There are no beaches within walking distance of the pier. You can take a 10 minute taxi ride to Palm Beach. Here there are a large variety of watersports operators, powder white sand beach with calm waters and quite a few resorts which offer facilities, food and beverages.

[doree]

Go to Palm Beach...it is up by the nice hotels. Taxi there from pier about 10 min. Baby Beach if you want to snorkel.....but let me tell you, it is a LONG ride!!!!!!!!! Also by the oil refinery....we did not care for it...JMHO Can also snorkel at the old shipwreck at the northern end of the island. We have been to Aruba sev times (Radisson) and were there on our S. Carrib cruise last Jan. We taxied to the Radisson and beached between the Radisson and the Aruba Grand -- alot of the ships crew were there also. You can rent chairs, umbrella's and there is a watersport place there. Very nice beach and there is a very nice concrete walk along the beach by all the hotels...nice beach bar/restaurants, etc along the way.

[smoothdancer]

Doree,

You have to be the first person that stated they did not care for Baby beach...Everybody raves about it, and I agree with you.. I dont see the attraction. Myself, I prefer the beaches in the lowrise section. I guess I like the quiet as opposed to lots of activity such as Palm Beach.

 

We were in Aruba in November, and the low rise beaches were not rocky at all...Yet the next week as the weather changed, I understood the beach was quite rocky....

[Arubalisa]

We were in Aruba in November, and the low rise beaches were not rocky at all...Yet the next week as the weather changed, I understood the beach was quite rocky....

Depends too which part of the "low rise area" to which you refer. The area of the Tamarijn, Divi tend to be rockier than say the Bucuti.

 

You have to be the first person that stated they did not care for Baby beach...Everybody raves about it, and I agree with you.. I dont see the attraction.

I agree also, Baby Beach is not worth the distance. For beauty, IMHO, if you want to go all the way down there, Rodgers Beach the next beach over from Baby Beach, is much more beautiful (as long as you don not directly face the oil refinery). For snorkeling, head to the north end of the island and Arashi Beach. No swimming, just walk right in to the "fish tank"...:D

[cruislovin]

Go to Palm Beach...it is up by the nice hotels. Taxi there from pier about 10 min. Baby Beach if you want to snorkel.....but let me tell you, it is a LONG ride!!!!!!!!! Also by the oil refinery....we did not care for it...JMHO Can also snorkel at the old shipwreck at the northern end of the island. We have been to Aruba sev times (Radisson) and were there on our S. Carrib cruise last Jan. We taxied to the Radisson and beached between the Radisson and the Aruba Grand -- alot of the ships crew were there also. You can rent chairs, umbrella's and there is a watersport place there. Very nice beach and there is a very nice concrete walk along the beach by all the hotels...nice beach bar/restaurants, etc along the way.

Are the hotels' facilities available for use or do they hassle you if you are on a cruise? We want to go to a beach that has the beautiful white sand we saw a few years ago, not too strong waves, and possibly some ratnals for watersports. Is the Radisson and Aruba Grand a good location? What are some other options?

[NorEaster]

What we do is go the the Hyatt, if you don't walk up to the pool with your cruise ship beach towel and you walk around like you are staying there they don't seem to bother. I used the pool and showers all day.

[cruislovin]

What we do is go the the Hyatt, if you don't walk up to the pool with your cruise ship beach towel and you walk around like you are staying there they don't seem to bother. I used the pool and showers all day.

 

That sounds good. Are there watersport rentals near the Hyatt? Can you use beach chairs, umbrellas, etc.? Can you snorkel at this beach?