As Told by Ali

It’s been three weeks since I returned home from One Happy Island, and everyday I’m reminiscing on its beauty, the people and the relaxing atmosphere of the island. My choice to visit Aruba came from convenience with the operation of a direct flight from Antigua, as well as interest from social media. This trip was also a celebratory one for my birthday and although short, it was memorable with plans of returning for a part two or three. Given my experiences, I’m here to share my Aruba itinerary with you and offer other ideas for places to visit or things to do on the island.

Day 1: Travel Day

Flights to Aruba from Antigua are available on Sundays and Thursdays on British Airways, therefore we left Antigua on a Sunday and returned the following Thursday. The flight on Sunday was delayed until after 5 p.m. due to the passage of Hurricane Tammy the previous day. It’s a short, quick flight which only lasted an hour and a half. Therefore, we arrived in Aruba around 7 p.m and given it wasn’t a full flight, the process was pretty easy going through customs and immigration.

For this trip we decided to split our stay between an apartment and hotel. The first two days we stayed at The Lizard Inn located in Bubali then transitioned to the Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort and Casino on Tuesday. After “checking in” to our apartment, we needed a few personal items so we walked to a nearby supermarket. We also wanted to grab a bite to eat and the taxi driver recommended the Palm Beach strip which hosts a variety of restaurants to choose from.

Lola Taqueria

From all the vlogs I’ve watched, I had an idea of what to expect on the Palm Beach strip therefore I decided to head to Lola, a Mexican eatery. If you know me, you know I love tacos. It was a hard choice choosing from the menu selections but I decided to try the Caribbean Lobster tacos. They were smaller than expected but definitely flavourful. We had some cocktails then took a walk on the strip before heading back to the apartment. Menu

Day 2: Sail Away with Palm Pleasures

For our first full day, we decided to take things slow. We slept in for a bit then headed back to the Palm Beach strip to grab breakfast and wait for our afternoon tour. This tour was actually booked the night before because our first option was sold out, but I still wanted to do a catamaran tour to see Aruba from a different point of view. Following breakfast we walked around on the strip then chilled for a bit at Palm Beach.

Breakfast: Salt & Pepper

Another recommendation from our taxi driver was Salt and Pepper for breakfast which is also located on the Palm Beach strip. It is a tapas bar and restaurant with your customary breakfast options. I went for the French toast and eggs, with a side of sausages. The vibe of the restaurant is pretty chill and to keep with their brand they had various assortments of salt and pepper shakers. You could even donate a set and get a free cocktail. [Menu]

Palm Pleasure Afternoon Delight

Tour Details
Boarding Time: 2 p.m.
Duration: 3 hours
Cost: USD $75.00
Included: open bar, snacks, snorkelling gear

This tour had one of the most reviews on Trip Advisor so I decided to give it a try. The timing also worked out well for us, as most of these boat cruises either happen in the early morning or at sunset. We checked in at the store on De Palm Pier, got our boarding passes and awaited the time to board the boat. Once all seated the guides gave a run down of what to expect and what all is available aboard the boat. They had a wide range of drinks which was all included in the open bar, however they only offered snacks which were sandwiches, hotdogs and fruits. 

The music selection for the trip was good and it was breathtaking see the views of the island from a different perspective. The waters were incredibly blue and clear. The tour did two stops for snorkelling, one at Antilla Shipwreck and another at Catalina Cove. There were so many fish to see and my only wish is that I could swim to enjoy the full experience. They do have life jackets and the guides are also pretty helpful and attentive when it came to ensuring persons were having a good time and being able to enjoy the tour.

Snack: Gelatissimo Bus

From the first day I saw this I knew I had to try it. They had a wide range of flavours and were priced reasonable. I loved how the retrofitted the bus to also offer a place to sit and enjoy your gelato. 

Dinner: Amore Mio Pizzeria

One thing about me is when I have too many options I can get flustered, so it was a bit difficult choosing where to eat from on the strip. This night we settled on pizza and this restaurant came recommended. To me, it wasn’t anything special. The decor and restaurant setting was nice which is how most places are designed. I had a Margherita pizza with chicken while he had the shrimp pasta which looked underwhelming. 

South Beach Aruba

This is a club in the palm beach area with an open atmosphere, DJ, hookah and bar service. The vibes didn’t get as hype as I’ve witnessed in vlogs and on TikTok, but then we were also here during the week and not on a weekend. The DJ also played more older R&B and Pop songs. We came here two nights during the trip and I’d say it was just average for me. 

Day 3: Hang with our pink-feathered besties at Flamingo Beach

What’s advertised as a must-do activity when visiting the island is spending a day at Flamingo beach which is located on a private island operated by the Renaissance Hotel. If you’re staying at the hotel, you’re free to visit the island any time you’d like, however, if you’re not a guest, they do offer island day passes. From my research, these passes go very quickly. They’re made available on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. for the upcoming week.

Day Pass Details
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Cost: USD $130
Booking Link: Ren Aruba
Includes: USD $25 food and beverage credit

I enjoyed the experience and seeing the flamingos, but do I think it was REALLY worth it? Nope. The island is divided into two sections, Flamingo Beach and Iguana Beach. Iguana beach is larger of the two and is open to everyone including families, Flamingo Beach on the other hand is adults only. It’s also the smaller of the two which we realized just as we were getting ready to leave. The main restaurant is located on Iguana beach but you can still order from their menu and have it delivered to you on Flamingo beach which is what we did. In addition to more variety in the menu items, it also helped us to stick within the food and beverage credit (which really isn’t much).

We used our credits on lunch and just decided to purchase the drinks. I had a passion fruit margarita which was really good and only $10 USD. Ended up having two plus a glass of water given how hot the day was. Overall, the food and drinks were really good; I had the renaissance burger and it was cooked perfectly. The atmosphere and vibes were pretty chill; at first I thought it was a lot of people but people came and left as the day progressed and there was ample seating. Shade was lowkey minimal so we did have to be on the lookout for a good spot.

Feeding the flamingos and snapping a few pictures was obviously the highlight of the day, although they hardly went into the water. I also believe they were tired of people because after awhile they started refusing food. P.S. the black birds will try to steal the food. Also important to note is that the flamingo food is sold on the island in a gum machine, so you’d need US quarters to purchase. We didn’t have much interaction with the iguanas but you do see them roaming around.

Dinner: The Sunset Grille

We had dinner at the hotel restaurant which was booked prior. The seating outside by the waterfalls and the service were the highlight. I had the steak with asparagus and lobster mac and cheese. The steak was delicious and had a nice char to it. I also enjoyed the mashed potatoes which my boyfriend had. I do find the prices to be bit high but it was our one night of fine dining for my birthday. 

Day 4: Ridin’ Dirty, UTV Tour

The one activity I was looking forward to the most. This would be my first time doing any sort of UTV or ATV ride, so I was excited. It also gave us an opportunity to see more of the natural landmarks and sites the island is known for in a different way. This tour was booked in advance using trip advisor, and came highly recommended from the reviews as well as through a TikTok I saw. The only thing I didn’t like was that it didn’t include snacks or any other drinks besides water. From the stops along the way there are opportunities to purchase items, but I believe for the price something additional could have been included.

Exploring the Northern Treasure

Tour Details
Company: ABC Tours
Duration: 3 Hours
*Cost: USD $220 for Double Occupancy
UTV Insurance: USD $20
Includes: water, face mask, snorkelling gear (The morning tour includes food and costs a bit more)

*The tour is a bit cheaper directly on the company’s website 

Tour Stops

• Blackstone Beach
• Tripod Bridge
• Natural Bridge: gift shop and snack bar, $1 to use the restroom
• Bushiribana Gold Mill Ruins: food trucks stationed here
• California Lighthouse: restaurant nearby and drinks sold in the area
• Tres Trapi

The guide was extremely knowledgeable about the places we visited and it was cool learning about the history. Our first stop Blackstone Beach is a historical landmark and the only black sand beach on the island. There’s also a natural forming bridge nearby (Tripod Bridge) which was cool to see how they connect. On our drive from Blackstone Beach to the California Lighthouse which is in the most northern end of the island we saw a lot of secluded beaches and rock formations. It was interesting to see that even these secluded beaches had signs with their name, location and rules. 

I did purchase a snack at the shop by the natural bridge which was a locally made popsicle, and it was delicious. By the time we got to the lighthouse I was starving but they were only selling drinks. I got a cocada and it was the best coconut milkshake I ever had. I love how much supporting local is promoted on the island. Even the cups the drink was served in was made locally. The last stop on the tour was Tres Trapi which translates into three steps as that’s how you’ll access the water. This spot is great for snorkelling and spotting turtles near the seagrass beds, however I didn’t get to experience that as I’m not a swimmer and life jackets weren’t available. At the end of the tour we got a ride back to our hotel from our lovely guide.

Day 5: Stroll around the City

We took a bus down to the downtown Oranjestad (the capital) area with the main intention of strolling around and doing a little window shopping. This area is also where the cruise dock, so in addition to souvenir vendors and duty free shops, there’s also some high-end stores and popular American brands. You’d find most of the high-end stores within Renaissance mall which forms part of the hotel. There’s also a Starbucks where I grabbed a Pumpkin Spice Frappe as it is the season. If I had more time (and funds) I would have explored more of the stores in this area, but given the hotel checkout time, we had to head back.

The Pastechi House

Determined to try some local food, while downtown we were on the hunt for the famous Pastechi House. Pastechi is a popular local snack, which reminds me of a pattie but 10 times better. The crust is so soft and then they’re filled with all sorts of yumminess. I had the cheese, beef and chicken. My favourites were the chicken then beef. Prices ranged between USD $2 – $5 with multiple filling options.

Departure

Thankfully, the flight out of Aruba back to Antigua is later in the day so it left just enough time to stroll around the city and do some shopping. Our ride back to the airport felt a little lengthier than our arrival, but we arrived with enough time to pop by Panda Express for a bite to eat, and go through security. We checked in online earlier in the morning to make the process smoother for us, and we also didn’t have any checked luggage. I wouldn’t say there’s much to do at the airport and I’d also advise buying any souvenirs in the downtown area or on the Palm Beach strip.

Information to Note:

• Exchange rate: Their currency is the Aruba Florin; $1 USD = $1.75 AWG
• Car rental: renting a car would make things a lot easier as you can move on your own time. From my observations, I didn’t see any street lights, but they do have a number of round-a-bouts as well as two-lane roads. They also drive on the right-hand side of the road. 
• Bus ride (Palm Beach strip to the bus terminal in Oranjestad): USD $2.50 
• Taxi from airport to Bubali USD $31. Taxi fares are structured and range differently on weekends versus during the week.
• Aruba has an online immigration form which should be completed prior to checking in at the airport.

Other Activities to Check Out

Since returning home and posting a few TikToks, I’ve seen more content on Aruba that I wasn’t aware of before, which made me wish I could have stayed longer. So to reduce your time spent on research, I’ve included a few other activities that you may find of interest on the island.

• Alto Vista Winery 
• Mixology Class at Taste my Aruba
• Aloe Farm Tour
• Beach Hopping (Arashi beach, Mangel Halta, Baby Beach)
• Atlantis Submarine
• Parasailing
• Quadirikiri Cave
• Arikok Natural Park
• Butterfly Farm
• Renaissance Marketplace 

Check out the Aruba website for more help planning your visit to One Happy Island!

Until my next adventure,