6 Aruba beaches you’ll never want to leave
One of the main draws of Aruba will always be its beautiful beaches. Considered to be among the cleanest, largest and most glorious in the Caribbean, Eagle Beach and Palm Beach easily rival some of the best in the world.
Surrounded by the Caribbean Sea, Aruba has many stunning beaches that make it one of the best destinations in the Caribbean for a relaxing holiday. Whether you're travelling as a couple, with your friends or with your family - you're bound to find a beach to suit your tastes.
Typically, the beaches in Aruba along the south-east side of the island are generally calmer, wider and sandier. In comparison, those along the north-west tend to have rougher seas and stronger winds. This means that both sides have their own reasons for being among the local's and visitor's favourites, depending on the surrounding environment.
Due to the north-west's rough and ready coastline, it's often quieter - meaning on low season it could just be you, your travel companions and your picnic basket! Whereas the beaches on the south-east are bordered by glitzy hotels, specialist restaurants and beach bars, where the colourful cocktails and white sands are more well-known. Find a cabana or beach hut and you could be set for the day!
With this in mind, it makes picking a 'best beach' incredibly hard, everyone has their own favourite. So, we wanted to find a handful of the top beaches in Aruba, as reviewed by you on TripAdvisor, and collect together why they're so popular.
This is what we found…
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Caribbean & Mexico
Eagle Beach
Eagle beach is arguably one of Aruba’s most magnificent. Famous for its soft white sands, Fofoti trees, and sparkling turquoise waters, it’s the perfect place to enjoy a picnic among the beach huts (or a private cabana if your hotel has them) and try your hand at a range of water sports or beach tennis tournaments on the weekends. You can rent anything you may need on the beach itself. If you’re an animal lover, then Eagle Beach is one of the best places to watch turtle nesting during certain times of the year – with nests marked out by red and white markers to protect them. Each nest can contain up to 80 eggs, from Green and Leatherback to Hawksbill and Loggerhead turtle varieties - each make their journey to the water’s edge. If you find yourself peckish in the evening, then take a 2 minute walk inland to one of the many Italian restaurants. Away from the tourist area, you’re bound to find a wood-fired pizza that could rival Italy’s own! Food trucks are also fairly sporadic in this area if you’re looking for something a little different.
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Manchebo Beach
One of the best and trendiest places for enjoying a refreshing cocktail on the island as the sun goes down; Manchebo Beach is a honeymooners dream. The widest and one of the quietest on the island, this breath-taking beach has always been a favourite with visitors and locals alike. It’s perfect for a lazy day spent together on coral sands, relaxing under the warming sunshine, taking a mid-afternoon snorkel or taking advantage of one of the spas in a nearby resort. Sit back and enjoy, without the crowds.
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Palm Beach
Home to renowned high rises, water sports enthusiasts, beach bars and local boutiques, Palm Beach is one of the more busy beaches in Aruba. Backed by a two-mile strip, if you can remain undistracted from the affordable local entertainment, then this is one of the better beaches for swimming and snorkelling in the Caribbean Sea due to its calmer waters. You may even find a sunken wreck to explore. Take a walk or a run at dawn along the sand and you won’t be alone, as many of the locals come out to exercise and partake in some quiet reflection before the beach hits its midday peak. If you’re after nightlife, this is definitely the beach for you. As soon as the sun has set, the nearby clubs and bars come alive, offering a buzzing nightlife.
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Baby Beach
A true Caribbean beach paradise, Baby Beach is set in a calm lagoon and made up of some of the softest sand on the island. A favourite with families and normally busier in comparison to the other beaches, the sparkling waters here are shallow so children can still ‘touch the bottom’ at a further distance. Not just for younger visitors, experienced snorkelers can head towards the Caribbean Sea, away from the bay, to behold an array of tropical fish and coral reefs a real treat for seasoned snorkelers. Make sure you take a handful of bread, granola or bananas for the local sea life too! Divers will also feel at home in the local dive shop – complete with a bar and grill after a long day’s dip. Offering windscreens, beach beds and water sports equipment for a rental fee, there are also complimentary options if you’re visiting as a family to protect against the midday sun. As the beach is a crescent shape, there’s also natural shade from the surrounding trees.
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Malmok Beach
Known in the local area as a hot-spot for hiking and biking, what could be better than relaxing on a spectacular beach afterwards? Malmok Beach is one of the narrower on the island, and fringed by a limestone terrace but its translucent waters are the ideal place to snorkel, as well as enjoy a daytime sail just off the coastline. Once you’re out on the boat, why not discover Aruba’s rainbow-coloured reefs and sunken shipwrecks, great if you have a sense of adventure. This beach is normally so quiet; you could even have it to yourself at quieter times of the year!
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Arashi Beach
The most narrow and quiet of all the beaches on the island, Arashi Beach is a local’s hidden gem. Peppered with makeshift beach huts, gentle currents and an abundant sea life – this makes it one of the best places in the Caribbean to snorkel or dive. You’ll be able to spot starfish, groupers, octopi and sun fish but you’ll also have to take your own equipment, lunch and towels though as there are currently no facilities available. If you’ve had your fill of clear waters and colourful underwater sights, you can always take the winding road up to the majestic California Lighthouse where you’ll find one of the most spectacular views of the island.
Aruba holidaysInspired?
With a range of charming and colourful colonial-style hotels to stay in and unique, rugged National Parks to explore. Aruba is ideal if you’re a couple or a family looking for seemingly unending sunshine, shallow blue waters and soft sand beaches.