The Best Beaches in Aruba, From Crystal-Clear Water to Sublime Snorkeling Spots

You can travel across the Caribbean and back again and find it hard to find a more beautiful collection of beaches than the ones you get on the Dutch Caribbean island of Aruba. The destination is known for its beaches, and with good reason: they’re pristine, spectacular and, most importantly, numerous. The island is just filled with great stretches of sand. 

So what are our favorite beaches in Aruba? Caribbean Journal’s team of experts considered factors like ease of access, quality of facilities, views and, most importantly, that unmistakable Aruba blue. Of course, on an island like Aruba, just about every beach passes the test. For this story, though, we focused on the southern and western coast of the island. While Aruba’s rugged east coast is home to some fantastic-looking beaches (Boca Grandi, we’re looking at you) they’re not quite as appropriate for a classic toes-in-the-sand, rum punch in hand Aruba beach day that’s such an essential part of the “One Happy Island” ethos.

Here are our favorite beaches to visit in Aruba right now (you can see them all in our latest original video at the top). 

Eagle Beach The Grande Dame of beaches in Aruba, Eagle is a full-fledged wonder, almost impossibly wide, with sugar-white sand, sparkling turquoise water and a glorious abundance of space. It’s also home to some terrific places to stay, led by the beloved and award-winning Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort. It’s also home to an in-development adults-only Iberostar that we’re really excited about. 

Manchebo Beach Some consider Manchebo an extension of Eagle Beach, but we like to think of it as its own discrete corner of sand, where it’s anchored by the great Manchebo Beach Resort. 

Hadicurari Beach/Fisherman’s Huts You may not realize that Aruba is a seminal place in the world of windsurfing, and the history of windsurfing on the island begins at this lovely curve of sand just at the edge of Palm Beach, where you’ll find an energetic breeze and deliciously shallow water. 

Arashi Beach You fall in love with this beach on Aruba’s northwestern coast just about the moment you arrive and see the palapas lining the sand. And the on-site Arashi Beach Shack, one of our favorite beach bars in the Caribbean, will make it very difficult to leave.

Palm Beach The unofficial capital of Aruba beaches, home to the island’s popular high-rise hotels (some of our top picks? The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba and the fantastic Boardwalk Boutique Hotel just across the main road from the sand). Filled with beach bars, terrific hotels and a fun-loving vibe, Palm Beach is an all-day party, whether you’re sunning in a floating water hammock or just bobbing around in the blue. 

Malmok The Malmok area features a string of stunning, mostly pocket-sized beaches rimmed by ironshore. But in Malmok, the biggest story isn’t above the water. It’s the undersea world, where you’ll find some of the best snorkeling anywhere on the island. 

Baby Beach In recent years, the southern corner of Aruba has been experiencing a renaissance, led by the cultural rejuvenation of Aruba’s onetime capital, San Nicolas. But in-the-know travelers have been making their way down to the bottom of the island for years to savor the crystal waters and soft sand of Baby Beach. Just make sure you grab a cocktail at Big Mama while you’re here.