Exploring the countryside during one day in Aruba

Aruba is a small island in the Caribbean. So you expect it to have sunny days, beautiful crystal clear water lapping beaches with white sands, fresh seafood to enjoy and a vibrant capital city with great shopping and nightlife. And that is exactly what I got when I spent one day in Aruba. I was on a cruise, sailing from Southampton, England to Sydney, Australia and one of the stops was in Aruba. Only having the one day I ensured I booked onto the tour that enabled me to experience the best things what to do see and the best things what to do in Aruba. Here is how I spent my 1 day in Aruba from cruise ship Belorussia.

When is the Best Time to Visit Aruba?

If you are wondering the best months to visit Aruba, I have heard Aruba has great year-round weather. This means if you want to spend your days on the beach and nights fine dining, then anytime is a good time to visit Aruba. However, the island has some season events and celebrations that you may choose to attend. If you are travelling on a budget the best times to visit Aruba is during the low season of May to November when flights and accommodation are cheapest. However, beware of the hurricane season June to November though I’m told, Aruba is rarely affected by storms due to its location. I had no choice of when to visit Aruba. My cruise ship was sailing through the Caribbean in late November. And I was treated to perfect weather. Not to hot, nor cold.

About Aruba – Where is Aruba?

Aruba is found in the southern Caribbean Sea, just north off the coast of Venezuela, which, by the way, you can sometimes see on a clear day. Aruba is divided into different districts: The capital Oranjestad, Noord, Paradero, Savaneta, Santa Cruz, Pos Chiquita and San Nicolas. I was able to visit all the areas as Aruba in a day, well actually about 8 hours because the island is 21 miles (33km) long and 6 miles (9km) wide and easy to travel around. 

One Day in Aruba Itinerary

My one day in Aruba itinerary included all the best bits of Aruba and I organised it onboard my cruise ship. After disembarking from the ship, our bus was waiting for us on the dock to whisk us away. Things we saw on my Aruba itinerary included:

Natural Bridge

The original Natural Bridge in Aruba before it collapsed

When it was standing before it collapsed in 2005, the original Natural Bridge stood 23 feet high and 100 feet long amongst the stunning ocean cliffs. I was lucky enough to see it when I visited Aruba for one day, it hadn’t collapsed but we were warned while there, to be careful, because it was suspected it might collapse one day. But don’t worry, you can still appreciate this area on Aruba and visit the Baby Bridge which is about 25 feet long and stands 3 feet above sea level.

Aruba Aloe Factory, Museum and Store

What is Aruba known for? I discovered on my tour around the island of Aruba that it is one of, if not the world’s largest exporter of aloe. Wow! The 15-minute tour of the Aruba Aloe Factory is free and provides a great opportunity to learn about the history of aloe cultivation on Aruba, as well as discovering its present-day production. Next, hit the souvenir and gift store for plenty of aloe products. I stocked up on a few aloe creams as aloe can help cool and soothe the skin if sunburnt. And being on a cruise I had been in the sun.

Discover the Beaches of Aruba

If you are wondering what to do in Aruba, one of the best ways to spend time in Aruba is at one of the beaches. I only had time to dip my toes in the Caribbean Sea while on my day trip around Aruba. We visited a number of the beaches including Eagle Beach popular for its blue coloured water with long stretch of white sand punctuated with trademark wind-bent trees. Apart from spending a lazy day on Eagle Beach there are plenty of water sports to enjoy from jet skis, banana boats and parasailing.

If you have time during this one day in Aruba, you could visit other beaches such as Palm Beach or Surfside Beach. You could visit the privately owned Renaissance Island owned by Renaissance Aruba Resort Hotel for a day Aruba trip and spend your time on Flamingo Beach to spot some of the beautiful pink flamingos. I believe it is quite expensive to do this and you need to reserve a spot for about $125.

Arikok National Park

The ruggedness of the landscape on Aruba is very diverse – from desert to beaches

Arikok National Park comprises almost 20% of the island of Aruba. Apart from the Baby Bridge you will see touring Aruba you will enjoy gorgeous vistas of rugged terrain. This terrain is desert-like hills filled with tall cacti, Divi Divi and Fofoti trees – not what I was expecting being on a Caribbean island! But magnificent all the same.

Explore Oranjestad

My day trip around Aruba ended back at the ship dock. To which, a number of us walked the 1km into the capital city of Oranjestad. We visited Fort Zoutman, Aruba Historical Museum which is the oldest building in Oranjestad and had plenty of information on the history of Aruba. Adjacent to the fort is Willem III Tower. Great views can be had from the top of the tower. There is an entrance fee of about $5 to do this. We then walked some of the streets and looked at the colourful, and no so colourful buildings of the town. We also jumped onto Aruba’s streetcar system that took us through downtown Aruba and back to the cruise terminal.

Shop Till You Drop

After discovering the history of Aruba it was time to shop till we dropped. Oranjestad is the shopping Mecca on Aruba where you will find four main shopping zones. Main Street with its luxury retail stores and boutiques. Royal Plaza that has three levels of shops and dining. Renaissance Mall with over 60 fine retail luxury shops and Renaissance Marketplace that has an array of shops, dining and live entertainment. I also discovered the Wharfside Flea Market on my return to my ship and scored some bargain souvenirs which I had to haggle for. There were t-shirts, hats, crafts, local arts and some traditional souvenirs like tea towels.

Is One Day on Aruba enough?

How many days in Aruba is enough? One day on Aruba is enough to see the highlights of Aruba that I have mentioned above. However, if you want to spend time at one of the many beaches and truly get to know Aruba, I would think a week in Aruba would be wonderful. Then you can have a base and do Aruba day trips.

How to Spend Your Time in Aruba for One Week

If I had a week to spend in Aruba, there are still plenty more things you could see and do. Including visiting the Bushiribana Gold Mines, the Quadirikiri and Fontein Caves and the Avo Rock Formations. And of course, spend plenty of time enjoying beach pursuits – relaxing, stand up paddle boarding, paragliding, swimming and snorkelling.

Is Aruba kid-friendly?

If you are wondering if you should travel to Aruba with kids and want to know if it is kid-friendly, well, what kid doesn’t love a beach holiday. I think everything on my list I saw you could do in Aruba with kids.

Where to Stay in Aruba

If you are spending more than one day in Aruba you will need accommodation for the length of your stay. There is something for every budget including:

Hostel & Budget Hotel: Pista Q Hostel and Apartments is located in Oranjestad making it easy to reach everything on the island. Also only 700 m from Surfside Beach, has a pool plus loads of other things available in more expensive places. Great value for solo travelers to Aruba. Get availability and book a room here >> Pista Q Hostel and Apartments.
Mid-Range Hotel: For hotel room on the beach check out the Wonders Boutique Resort. Get availability and book a room here >> Wonders Boutique Resort.
Splurge Hotel: Live in luxury at Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort along Palm-Eagle Beaches. Get availability and book a room here >> Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort.

For more accommodation options including options for a family with kids, check out Booking.com.

How to Get Around Aruba

As you know, I was on a cruise tour of the island of Aruba but it is easy to get around on public transport. You can go around the island on the local public buses, grab a taxi or rent a car. Because of the size of Aruba you can drive from one end to the other in about 45 minutes. And don’t forget the Streetcar.

Are You Ready to Spend a Day on Aruba?

I hope you enjoyed reading about my day on Aruba. There was more to see and do on the island than I expected and I hope to return one day to explore longer. But one day on Aruba was enough to discover all its highlights. So off to my next stop on my relocation cruise – the Panama Canal. Have you been to Aruba? Or planning a visit to Aruba? I’d love to hear.

Want to know how you can visit Aruba – check out the official website here.