Our armchair travels took us through the South American countries and now we’ll be taking a look at the Caribbean islands nearby. Our first stop will be Aruba, so pull up your armchair, sit back and enjoy.
Aruba is a tiny Dutch Caribbean island off the coast of Venezuela. The island offers dry, sunny weather and lovely beaches. There are constant trade winds with cooling breezes and this causes the divi-divi trees to slope southwesterly. Languages spoken here are English, Dutch, and Spanish as well as the local tongue Papiamento.
Aruba offers lots of lovely beaches. Among the favorites are Eagle Beach and Palm Beach. You’ll find great swimming and snorkeling at Malmok Beach and secluded Arashi Beach. Other beaches are great for windsurfers and kite surfers.
For swimmers that are just beginning to learn a favorite is Baby Beach where there is a shallow basin and calm waters.
Oranjestad is a beautiful city, cruise port and the capital of Aruba. Here you can see impressive Dutch colonial architecture. There are many shops, restaurants, museums, and galleries to visit.
One of the main attractions is Wilhelmina Park on the waterfront. It is particularly lovely in June, September, and October when many plants are in bloom.
King Willem III Tower at Fort Zoutman was built as a lighthouse and a vantage point for spotting pirates. It is home to the Aruba Historical Museum that displays artifacts about the history of this island.
Other highlights of the city include the National Archaeological Museum, Aruba Aloe Factory, Access Art Gallery, Butterfly Farm, Numismatic Museum and the harbor market.
A wonderful place to visit is the Arikok National Park with cacti-covered landscapes, caves, sand dunes and unusual rock formations. Visitors can see large boulders with Indian paintings.
The Casibari Boulders are strewn about the dry shrub.
Wave erosion carved the 30-meter Natural Bridge at Anicouri. It is a wonderful place for picnics.
On the picturesque waterfront, you can see the Bushiribana Ruins. These are the remains of a 19th-century gold smelter.
Within the park, you can see creatures like parakeets, goats, lizards, snakes, and iguanas. Visitors can explore the park hiking the many trails, horseback riding or by jeep.
Near the Fontein Cave and Blue Lagoon is an impressive stretch of coast with huge sand dunes. It is a wonderful place to picnic but swimming is too dangerous.
California Lighthouse at the northern tip of the island is pictured on many Aruban postcards and tourist brochures. The lighthouse was named for the S.S. California, that sunk off the coast here.
The surrounding area is rugged and you can see sand dunes, cacti, and grazing goats. The lighthouse is an amazing site but is closed to the public. A lovely time to visit is during sunset. You can dine at the nearby restaurant.
A well-known Aruba landmark is the small Alto Vista Chapel also known as the Pilgrim’s Church.
This chapel was built in 1750 by the Spanish missionary, Domingo Antonio Silvestre. Alto Vista translates to “highest view” in Spanish. The chapel sits high on a hill offering fantastic views. The Stations of the Cross mark the road to the chapel.
Aruba is known for its great wreck diving. Divers can see many sunken vessels from tugboats to cargo ships. The Antilia Caribbean’s largest wreck can be seen between Arashi and Malmock. Other popular wrecks include the 250-foot former concrete freighter Jane Sea and the oil tanker Pedernales. There are many coral reefs to delight in.
Visitors can board the Atlantis Submarine to view marine life, coral formations, and shipwrecks.
The Natural Pool is a protected swimming hole. Here visitors can swim and snorkel. The swimming hole is best accessed by four-wheel-drive vehicle down a rugged road. There are horse riding and ATV tours available.
Rancho Daimari offers scenic horseback tours. The ranch is by Daimari Beach which is the site of a former coconut plantation dating back to the 17th century.
The non-profit Phillip’s Animal Garden is a sanctuary and rehabilitation center for over 52 species of animals. There are snakes, kangaroos, monkeys, and ocelots.
This has become a popular tourist attraction. There are educational and interactive tours available. Visitors can touch and feed some of the animals. All the fund go to the welfare of the animals.
De Palm Island is just a five-minute ferry ride from the mainland. Here visitors can swim, snorkel and zip around on banana boats.
On land, they can enjoy beach volleyball, basketball, bingo, salsa lessons and card games. Families with children can enjoy the small water park.
http://www.planetware.com/tourist-attractions/aruba-aru.htm
Google images safe search
yamarella 
Leave a Reply