Plainly, Aruba is one of the beach capitals of the Caribbean. Few destinations in the region can match the quality — and number — of world-class beaches on this Dutch Caribbean island.
Indeed, Aruba’s brilliant white sand, calm waters and wide coastlines make for truly spectacular beaches — and with so many beautiful stretches of sand, an Aruba vacation is a beach-hopper’s delight.
But while their beauty is universal, Aruba’s beach product is rather diverse, from beaches that are great for windsurfing to reef-filled strands perfect for shore snorkeling.
It’s not easy to choose a favorite Aruba beach, but these five are our top picks right now.
Boca Grandi Beach in Aruba.
Boca Grandi Forget what you know about Aruba’s beaches. Because this is the frontier, the untouched gem, the raw, striking beach that will be the highlight of your trip. Set on Aruba’s wild eastern coast, this beach, popular with kitesurfers for its high winds, is among the most spectacular in the whole Caribbean. Its relatively remote location means you’ll often have it all to yourself – and that includes the wonderful Tortuga Beach Bar.
Eagle Beach in Aruba.
Eagle Beach For pure beach bliss, this impossibly wide white-sand strand is hard to beat, particularly its widest stretch near the Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort. Perfect for hours of sunbathing and bring-your-own rum punch, it’s an idyllic, quiet and just plain lovely beach to visit. (And at night, make sure you head across the road to Aruba’s best restaurant, Chef Erwin Husken’s marvelous Screaming Eagle).
Baby Beach The town of San Nicolas, set on Aruba’s far southern coast, has quietly become a new Caribbean culture capital, with a thriving community of local artists and an impressive array of street art. But if you make the trip out here, you don’t have to forego the beach. Enter Baby Beach, a crescent-shaped beach at the very southern tip of the island with serene turquoise waters and a funky, awesome beach bar called Big Mama Grill. The diving here is great, too, so if you want to explore the water here check out the JADS Dive Center.
Arashi Beach, Aruba.
Arashi Beach This beach just across from LG Smith Boulevard on Aruba’s northwestern coast is great for two things in particular: great snorkeling and lazy afternoons under a palapa. It’s part of a wider stretch of great snorkeling spots like Boca Catalina and Malmok, but it’s got the best facilities, the best palapas and one very good beach bar to boot.
Palm Beach is just about perfect.
Palm Beach Arguably the most popular beach in Aruba, Palm Beach is home to the island’s biggest concentration of large resorts from the Hilton to the Marriott to the Hyatt — and there’s a reason they’re all located there — this beach. Palm is a shimmeringly white stretch of sand with brilliant turquoise water and an overwhelming calm that makes it feel like you’re in some kind of magical swimming pool (it’s great for paddling, too).