Gretchen Stuppy CarlsonWhen people think about Aruba, they usually think about long stretches of beaches and casinos. You can absolutely find these both in Aruba, but there is an off the beaten track side to the island that is worth exploring whether you are looking for an adventurous day or want to plan you whole vacation around the wilder side of Aruba.
We visited Aruba with the goal of exploring as much of the island as possible and below you can see our favorite and more adventurous things to do in Aruba.
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Quick Overview of Aruba
Aruba is an island located in the very southern part of the Caribbean just off the coast of Columbia and enjoys a dry and hot climate. The island is very interesting geologically and has gorgeous whitesand beaches as well as dark areas with more recent lava. The island is generally flat with some hills in the western part of the island. The furthest drive on the island is from the north tip to the south tip and takes an hour.
Since the prevailing winds in the area are from the northeast, the eastern coast is rugged with big waves while the western coast is where you will find calm waters and all the resorts.
Quick Look at: Adventurous Things to do in Aruba
Below you can see details on the most adventurous things to do in Aruba, but if you are looking for a quick snapshot, here is a sneak peak:
- Explore Arikok National Park: you’ll find rugged beauty, the Conchi swimming hole, gorgeous beaches (that aren’t swimmable), caves, and hiking trails
- Snorkel or Scuba Dive
- Visit beaches
- See Flamingos and Iguanas
- Visit the Natural Bridge
- Swim in the Cave Pool
- Go Horseback Riding
- Get on the water with a Boat Tour
- Take a UTV Tour
- Go Biking
- Try Kitesurfing or Windsurfing
- Visit the Northern Tip Dunes and Lighthouse
Most Adventurous Things to do in Aruba
Explore Arikok National Park
The top thing to do on the adventurous side in Aruba is to explore Arikok National Park. This park in the eastern part of the island is so different from the calm white sand beaches in the east. In general you will need a 1/2 day to explore the park. There are many tours you can book to visit the park, but if you have a car, the best way to visit Arikok is to drive yourself. The tour that was recommened to us is this jeep adventure.
If you have your own car, start your visit at the visitor center. There is some good information here and you can get a map. When we visited in 2024, there was a $20 fee per person to enter the park. There are a few small hiking trails from here although we were more interested in visiting the trails by the water.
If you plan to hike at the park, I strongly recommend getting an early start. Aruba is HOT and by mid-morning, the sun is intense and too hot for long hikes.
Start your visit to the park by driving along the road through the park. You can choose the best places to stop along the way. We liked doing a few of the short coastal walks through the sand dunes and down to the wild beaches. Continuing along the coast, you will come across 2 interesting caves to explore. Our favorite was the last cave along the road: Quadirikiri Cave. This is a much bigger cave with some holes in the roof to let in light.
One of the most popular things to do in the park is visit the Conchi swimming hole. This swimming hole can be reached in a few ways. In general, you can’t drive your rental car to the swimming hole due to the rough road. You can visit as park or a jeep or UTV tour, horseback riding tour, or you can hike. Hiking from the visitor center is very long, so if you are planning to hike, we recommend parking at Daimari Beach and doing the shorter and easy hike from here.
Snorkel or Scuba Dive
There are lots of places to snorkel and scuba dive around Aruba. Some of the best spots can be reached right from the beaches, but others are best to get to by booking a tour on a boat. You can find some of the best snorkel spot in this article.
You can find excellent tour companies offering tours for scuba dives or book through your hotel.
Visit Beaches
Aruba is known for it’s beaches and it does not disappoint! There are long sandy beaches with calm water, dark sand beaches, beaches with massive crashing waves, and rocky beaches. The best beaches to visit are generally found on western coast of the island. Here is a list of the some of the top beaches:
1️⃣ Eagle Beach – Known for its pristine white sands and crystal-clear turquoise waters, Eagle Beach is consistently ranked among the top beaches in the world. It’s the perfect spot for relaxation, sunbathing, and swimming.
2️⃣ Palm Beach – This lively beach is lined with high-rise resorts, restaurants, and shops. The calm waters make it great for swimming, while the bustling atmosphere offers plenty of options for water sports, dining, and nightlife.
3️⃣ Baby Beach – Located on the southeastern tip of the island, Baby Beach is a family favorite. Its shallow, tranquil waters make it ideal for kids, and it’s a great spot for beginner snorkelers.
4️⃣ Arashi Beach – Situated near the California Lighthouse, Arashi Beach is a beautiful, quiet spot with gentle surf. It’s a popular place for both sunbathing and snorkeling, with clear waters and plenty of marine life.
5️⃣ Mangel Halto Beach – This secluded beach is surrounded by mangroves and offers some of the best snorkeling on the island. With its calm, shallow waters, it’s also a peaceful spot for swimming and relaxing.
6️⃣ Hadicurari Beach (Fisherman’s Huts) – A windsurfing and kitesurfing hotspot, Hadicurari Beach is perfect for adventure seekers. The steady winds and shallow waters make it one of the best places on the island for these activities.
7️⃣ Boca Catalina – A small, quiet bay, Boca Catalina is perfect for snorkeling and relaxing. The clear waters and vibrant marine life make it a favorite for those looking to explore Aruba’s underwater world.
Our favorite beaches were Baby Beach and Arashi Beach.
See Flamingos and Iguanas
You’ve likely seen photos of flamingos in Aruba. These iconic birds can only be found at Flamingo beach that is part of the Marriot’s Renaissance Wind Creek Aruba Resort. The beach is on an island where you will find Flamingo Beach and Iguana Beach. You can visit the island if you are staying at the resort or purchase a day pass (these are limited so check the website for details).
These birds are stunning and walk freely around the island, although they do have clipped wings so can’t fly to leave the island.
Visit the Natural Bridge
While we really enjoyed Arikok National Park, there is another section of the eastern coastline just north of the park that is worth a visit. This part of the coast has several natural bridges, the Bushiribana Ruins, the Swimming Cave, and miles of hiking and biking trails. The roads are dirt but generally drivable for most cars.
The Natural Bridge is free to visit and there is a large welcome center with bathrooms and a gift shop. From here we enjoyed a walk along the coast where you pass a few beaches and a 3 way sea arch.
Swim in the Cave Pool
If you have to choose between the Conchi swimming hole and the Cave Pool, choose the Cave Pool. This is a stunning little pool nestled into the cliffs and protected from the crashing waves from large rocks. To get to the cave pool, you will need to descend a ladder and walk along very sharp rocks. It is definintely a little sktchy getting to the cave so use caution but is so worth it!
Definitely plan your visit early in the morning or later in the day as we had the pool to ourself around 8:30. By 10 there was a line to get to the pool.
Go Horseback Riding
There are several tours that offer horseback riding along some of the rough paths and roads on the eastern side of the island. Many of the tours end at the Conchi swim hole.
You can find a few tours, but this hourseback riding tour was the highest recommended.
Get on the water with a Boat Tour
One of the best ways to see the island is getting out of the water for a sailing, fishing, kayaking or boating tour. These tours generally operate on the west coast of the island and you can find half day or sunset tours. Many of these tours involve snorkeling.
Take a UTV Tour (or jeep tour)
This might be the most popular type of tour of Aruba and is the best to see some of the most popular sites in the east of Aruba. You can find so many different type of UTVs or if you aren’t comfortable there are also jeep tours.
These tours zip around the dirt roads and are an exciting way to the see the island. Viator offers so many different tour options that you can find exactly what you are looking for.
Go Biking
We were surprised how many of the road and trails were set up for biking in Aruba. You can find rough trail rides and easier road rides over most of the island. There are several rental companies on the island that rent electric and standard bikes.
See more about renting a bike in Aruba.
Visit the Northern Tip Dunes and Lighthouse
On our first day in Aruba, we headed to the north part of the island to Arashi Beach and the lighthouse. The California Lighthouse is on the tallest hill in the north and offers a nice view of the island. As you drive up the road to the lighthouse you will see signs for Sasariwichi Dunes. We decided to make an unplanned stop here are were so glad we did.
There are several pulloff with dirt roads that take you to the very pretty coast. There are several short trails along the coast in this area making it great for walking or biking.
Try Kiteboarding or Windsurfing
Aruba is a kiteboarding destination. We saw the most kiteboarding along the southeast coast near Baby Beach. You can learn more about kitboarding here on Kiteboarding Aruba.
Map of the Adventurous Things to do in Aruba
This map can be added to your own google account and saved.
Things to Know About Visiting Aruba
Once you have a sense of all the things to do in Aruba for adventurers, it’s time to plan your trip. Below you can see some of the details for planning a trip to Aruba.
How to Get Around Aruba
If you are visiting Aruba and just want to get out for a single day of adventures, your best bet is to book a tour. There are so many excellent tours that let you see the best sites on the island.
If you have more than a day, then we recommend renting a car. Car rentals are on the expensive side on the island and while you don’t need a 4×4 for most of the activities above, it’s best to get a car with high clearance to get down all the dirt roads. Many of the roads are not well maintained and are very bumpy!
Where to Stay in Aruba
Most of the hotels and resorts are on the western part of the island near the calmer waters and pretty beaches. We found many options through booking.com and ultimately spent time at two different Marriot Resorts.
We stayed at the Renaissance Wind Creek Aruba Resort specifically to get to Flamingo Beach. We enjoyed our visit here and stayed on the Ocean side of the resort. The resort has a pretty pool and taxis out to their private island.
We also stayed at the Courtyard Marriot. This hotel is is a good location near Eagle Beach. The hotel has a very pretty center courtyard around the pool and nice rooms. We enjoyed walking to dinner and the beach directly from the hotel.
Best Time to Visit Aruba and How Long should we stay
Aruba is a year round destination unlike some of the place in the northern Caribbean that get cooler in the winter. There are generally lots of direct flights to Aruba from major airline hubs in the US making it an easy destionation. Of course a week is a good amount of time to visit, but you can also enjoy Aruba if you only have a long weekend. You need at least 4 days to see most of adventurous things to do in Aruba
