Things to do in Aruba
Clear water, steady trade winds and a rugged interior make Aruba made for active days. Choose your element.
Island highlights drive
A self-drive day loop around Aruba: California Lighthouse, Alto Vista Chapel, the Bushiribana gold mill, Ayo and Casibari rocks, Hooiberg, Arikok and Baby Beach.
6–8 h
Oranjestad walking tour
A self-guided walk through Aruba's capital: Fort Zoutman and the Willem III Tower, Wilhelminastraat's restored façades, Main Street and the free downtown streetcar.
2–3 h
San Nicolas street art walk
A self-guided walk past the murals of San Nicolas, Aruba's former refinery town, where the Aruba Art Fair has left dozens of large works on its walls since 2016.
1–2 h
Under the surface
Top snorkel spots from the shore
Arashi Beach
Calm, shallow north-west beach below the California Lighthouse, with free palapas, easy snorkelling on the left side and west-facing sunsets.
Baby Beach
Sheltered, waist-deep lagoon at Aruba's south-east tip: the island's best beach for small children, with free huts and snorkelling near the inlet.
Boca Catalina
Small, calm sandy bay on the Malmok coast with clear water and easy shore snorkelling, five minutes north of Palm Beach. Little shade.
Malmok Beach
Rocky coves with very clear, calm water on the north-west coast, popular with snorkel boats; offshore lies the Antilla, a German wreck scuttled in 1940.
Not sure where to start?
Our ready-made itineraries mix beaches, activities and sights into realistic days.