This Part of Aruba Is the Fastest-Growing Destination in the Caribbean Right Now, According to Tripadvisor

The white sand. The almost-neon turquoise water. The kitesurfing. The palapas at Arashi. The northern corner of Aruba is a reason by itself to come to the island. And it’s proving to be a very compelling one, indeed.

Aruba is the top trending destination in the Caribbean for American travelers this summer, according to a new report from TripAdvisor. 

The travel giant’s latest data showed that the Noord area of Aruba (home to popular hotspots like Palm Beach and Arashi Beach) is the fastest-growing Caribbean hotspot for the summer, based year-over-year growth. 

Americans are flocking to the area, which has one of the region’s top new luxury resorts in the new St. Regis Aruba and a number of top hotels like the Ritz-Carlton, Aruba and the newly-adults-only Boardwalk Boutique Hotel (where I stayed recently and a terrific experience, thoroughly impressed with the quality, service and design). 

It’s not really a surprise, given Aruba’s continued growth and very creative, thoughtful tourism approach and its broad network of flights, including its just-launched US check-in terminal at Queen Beatrix Airport. 

So what was second? The Cap Estate area of St Lucia, which is home to the most-anticipated new golf resort in the region — the stunning Coore & Crenshaw-designed Cabos Saint Lucia golf course, along with boutique hotels like the luxe Cap Maison, home to what is almost certainly the best restaurant in Saint Lucia, at least in my view — Cliff at Cap. 

Two other regional destinations made the list: Lucea in Jamaica (the home of the island’s huge new dual-resort complex by Princess Hotels and Resorts (a family-friendly property called Princess Grand and an adults-only called Princess Senses The Mangrove. Both of those resorts opened last year, as we reported.

Another interesting name on the list? Small but fast-growing Bonaire, which has been seeing sizzling tourism numbers and, thanks to a new JetBlue route that launched late last year and the island’s first Hilton-branded hotel (the Delfins Beach Resort) it’s getting serious buzz with American travelers. 

So what about visiting Aruba this summer? Yes, it’s hot, but it’s also dry thanks to its position closer to the equator than many other Caribbean destinations (and place outside of the hurricane belt, another asset during the summer months), and it’s got a great constant breeze just about all over the island. 

That means it’s a great place to cool down, whether you’re sampling the island’s superb dining scene (here’s our recent edition of the 10 best restaurants in Aruba) or just lazing around at the lovely pools at the Boardwalk, where I loved two things in particular: the colorful, spacious “casitas” with outdoor showers, and the daily happy hour cart that appears poolside. It’s a place that’s so cool and so deliciously tucked away in Palm Beach that I called it “Narnia” on a recent visit.

You can find room rates at the Boardwalk for around $439 per night right now.