Palm Beach
Aruba is known for its blue Caribbean waters, soft sand, warm weather and incredible sunsets. As a tropical resort destination, nearly every day vacationing on the island is spent lounging by the sea and exploring one of the various beaches on the island. All of the most popular beaches in Aruba are on the west coast, and each beach is unique in it's own way with pros and cons.
In my view, all the beaches I'll mention are worth visiting at least once. During my two-month stay in Aruba, I revisited each of these beaches multiple times, selecting where to spend the day based on my preferences for activities like snorkeling, swimming, visiting beach bars, having a variety of dining options nearby, or engaging in water sports, among others. This is my guide to what each of Aruba's top beaches have to offer so that you can choose where to spend your time wisely for an amazing vacation experience.
The top beaches (based on popularity and personal opinion) in Aruba are Palm Beach, Eagle Beach, Arashi, Surfside Beach, Baby Beach, Tres Trapi and Mangel Halto.
Getting to the beaches
There are no ride-share apps in Aruba. To get to the beaches you can either walk, rent an e-scooter or e-bike, take a bus, take a taxi or rent a car. We rented a car every weekend from 'All Drive Car Rental' in Oranjestad and definitely recommend it as the cars were always clean, and they will drive you to their main office to fill out paperwork and get the car, and drop you back off after your rental is over. Their WhatsApp number is (+297)-734-0001 and you can message them to reserve a car. For busses, the central station is in downtown Oranjestad near the cruise port, and you can find the schedule here.
Taxis can be expensive in Aruba, so if you're over 20 minutes from your desired destination it might just be cheaper to rent a car for the day. Additionally, if you go to a more remote beach farther from popular towns it may be difficult to get a return taxi. However, they definitely do come in handy and I utilized the taxis quite often, especially for transport to and from the nightlife in Palm Beach. We used the following two taxi companies that we found reliable:
-'Aruba Taxi Driver' - WhatsApp number: (+297)-560-0895
-'Aruba Taxi Service' - WhatsApp number: (+297)-630-8550
One thing to know about the taxis is that if you are wet after the beach, be sure to tell them. If they don't know and you get in their car and leave a large wet spot they can charge you upwards of $100 USD. I believe it's because the salty water can stain the soft fabric seats, so let them know in advance.
Free Parking in Aruba
All beaches have parking in lots either directly behind the beach or very close by, and some also have additional street parking options. All parking lots are free with *sort of* the exception of Palm Beach. Near Palm Beach most of the main lots cost money (and usually can only be paid in cash) however there are still some side lots and street parking for free. I would often park either in the large lot behind MooMba beach bar & restaurant for free & walk to the beach from there, or park somewhere for free on the boulevard behind De Palm Pier.
1. Palm Beach
Pros: Palm Beach is the most lively in Aruba with a huge abundance of establishments and activities. There is so much going on at all hours of the day, so if you're looking for the most bustling spot on the island, this is it. There's a concrete walking path along the beach lined on both sides with palm trees (it's called 'Palm' Beach for a reason!).
Some of the businesses Palm Beach offers include:
-Restaurants & snack shacks
-Bars, some of which turn into nightclubs
-Casual umbrella/lounge rentals
-Beach clubs
-Water activities (boat tours, jet skis, banana boats, flyboarding)
Additionally, it is in such a central and vibrant area; on the street behind the beach there is the famous Palm Beach Strip. It's a few long blocks full of more restaurants & bars as well as shopping, hotels, resorts, nightclubs and casinos.
My recommendations on Palm beach and the Palm Beach Strip:
Restaurants:
-Eduardos Beach Shack
-The Beach Bar
-Yolo Restaurant Aruba
-All of the Giannis group restaurants (Giannis, Azia Restaurant & Lounge, Daniel's Steal and Chop, Garden Fresh Café)
Restaurants/Bars:
-Bugaloe Beach Bar & Restaurant
-The Vue Rooftop Aruba
-MooMba Beach Bar & Restaurant
Bars/Nightclubs:
-Kalibra
-Gusto
-South Beach
Cons: I don't enjoy swimming here as the sand in the water has a very 'mushy' texture where it feels like mud, and there was a lot of seaweed that kept touching me, so I wasn't a fan of that. If you aren't planning on renting chairs or umbrellas here, or spending the day at a beach club, it's a bit difficult to find space for your own set-up as the rentals take up the majority of the beach. It might take some time walking on the sand to find the perfect spot, especially if you're traveling in a larger group. Additionally if you're not planning on spending any money during your beach day I wouldn't recommend coming here, as there's too many temptations with all that's going on!
2. Surfside Beach
Pros: At Surfside, you can go 'plane-spotting' as the airport is behind the beach. If you're in the right spot, the planes will fly directly over your head which was really cool. There is a nice restaurant directly on the sand and one on a pier, two beach clubs, and a string of bars & cafes near the parking lot behind the beach. There is a slower, relaxing feel here as it's not too busy or touristy at any time of day.
This beach is located in a town called Oranjestad, the downtown area of which is beautiful, busy and where the cruise port for Aruba is located. Directly behind Surfside beach there isn't much going on, however connecting the square behind Surfside (called 'Plaza Turismo') to downtown Oranjestad is a scenic coastal promenade. The promenade is called the Linear Park Trail and runs for a little over 4 miles from the airport to the cruise port. To get downtown from the Plaza Turismo it takes around 20 minutes walking or an 8-10 minute scooter ride. There are a lot of electric scooter rentals around this area - we mostly used 'Bird' scooters. You can download the app ('Bird - Ride Electric') and use it to locate the nearest available scooters which was very convenient.
Restaurants:
-Barefoot (tables on the sand; delicious everything (food, drinks, deserts); amazing atmosphere; pricy but very worth it; definitely need a reservation & make one far in advance for sunset hours)
-Pinchos Bar and Grill (I didn't go here; on a dock over the water; nice location)
Beach clubs:
-Reflexions Beach Bar & Restaurant Aruba (my favorite of the two; you can get a drink or food and then use their lounges at no additional cost; good vibes and music; I only got drinks and they were great)
-Surfside Beach Bar (you can get a drink or food and then use their lounges at no additional cost; I only got drinks and they were great and cheap; closer to the landing planes for a decent view)
Cons: Similar to Palm Beach, I don't really like swimming here either, except in my opinion the seaweed situation is even worse at this beach. You can see dark spots in both photos above where the seaweed is. It's possible it was just the time period I was there (from mid-March to mid-May) however I went back to this beach a few times during my stay and it had similar conditions every time. Additionally there aren't too many places for natural shade on this beach.
The marina is on the far right side where Pinchos Bar & Grill is, the other restaurant and beach clubs are in the middle, and on the far left side is where you can get to the spot where airplanes fly right over your head. It's not hard to find the spot once you watch just one plane go by - all you have to do is make your way under it's flight path to be ready for the next. You can actually use the app 'Flightradar24' to know the planes exact time of arrival as well as where it's coming from, which is pretty fun!
However, the spot is a bit difficult to get too and you should wear water shoes or at least keep your flip-flops on. The sand is very mud-like and your feet can sink in as you're walking on it. Rest assured once you get to the correct spot the sand is harder and more pleasant. There's even a bit of snorkeling possible, however there isn't any land to set up chairs on so you have to sit on the rocks or just swim.
3. Arashi Beach
Pros: This beach is one of my favorites to spend the day swimming and getting happy hour cocktails. My complaints for the previous two beaches were that I didn't like the swimming; here, the sand is instead cloud-like and the water is calm and clear. There's always room for umbrellas and towels no matter what time you get there and if you're lucky you can score a free palapa to use.
There's a snack shack/bar on the beach called 'Arashi Beach Shack'. I don't recommend getting meals there such as burgers or baskets since they're a bit overpriced and not that good, but I do recommend getting little snacks such as the Jamaican beef patties or pastechis (they're delicious). Cocktails are great too and fairly priced, especially during happy hour in the evening, which I believe was around 5-7.
This beach is in a great location because it's only an 11 minute walk or 2 minute drive from Tres Trapi beach which is popular for snorkeling. I would go snorkel at Tres Trapi in the morning and then spend the rest of the day swimming and watching the sunset at Arashi!
Cons: There aren't too many cons when it comes to Arashi, but there's still some things I'd like to point out! This beach is in a location where you really can't just happen upon a taxi since it's set on the far north side of the island - it's the second-to-last stop along this road before hitting desert, the last stop just being the lighthouse. Because of this, if you take a taxi there you'll have to phone a taxi company to come pick you up for the return trip rather than just catching one. If you're going to the Palm Beach area or farther south it'll be a bit expensive.
Additionally, there's nothing 'going on' in the immediate surrounding area (i.e. shops, restaurants, bars) which isn't necessarily a con, just something to point out in case that's not what you're looking for. Lastly there is little-to-none in the natural shade department, so be sure to bring an umbrella.
4. Eagle Beach
Pros: I love swimming here and the sand is very soft and comfortable, similar to Arashi. The water is calm and theres no seaweed which is a huge priority for me (as you can probably tell by now!) It's in a beautiful area with nice restaurants both on the beach and on the street behind it. There is a palm-tree lined promenade between the beach and street for pleasant strolls. Umbrella and lounge rentals are readily available.
Nearby restaurant recommendations:
-Terrazza Italiana (delicious food and desserts on a rooftop overlooking the beach)
-Así Es Mi Peru (really great Peruvian food in a cute restaurant)
-Passions on the Beach (fancier restaurant on the sand; will likely need a reservation, far in advance if you'd like to go at sunset)
Cons: I don't have many cons about this beach either, aside from there not being too much natural shade available - the majority of it is on the far right side and there isn't much else elsewhere. As not necessarily a con but a side note, there is this 'famous' (I'm using this term loosely but if you've heard of Eagle Beach you may have heard of it) tree in the middle of the sand called the 'Fofoti tree'. In my opinion it's talked about (and even has google reviews of 4.7 stars) as if it's this huge extravagant thing - perhaps I expected it to be much bigger. I like trees, like, they're cool and I can admire a pretty tree, and it is pretty, but wow is there a lot of hype around it! I googled it, and one person described it as an 'icon of Eagle Beach'. I don't know, maybe I'm like Ben from Parks and Rec when it came to understanding Lil' Sebastian, but I just don't really understand the hype there! Lol!
The following 3 beaches are all snorkeling beaches. For more detailed information on a guide to snorkeling in Aruba, visit my blog post 'Snorkeling in Aruba: What You Need To Know Before You Go', but stick around for the pros and cons of these beaches, including what they have to offer other than snorkeling.
5. Baby Beach
Pros: As I mentioned it's a 'snorkeling beach' which means the waters are clear and there is an abundance of diverse marine life to look at. The water is very calm as it is set up like a large, shallow swimming pool where you can pretty much stand up throughout the whole 'pool', making it the perfect family-friendly destination. The sand is soft, some lounge chairs are for rent, there are a few palapas for the taking if you get lucky, and there are two restaurants/bars directly on the beach.
Near the parking lot behind the beach during lunch hours some food trucks pull up to sell their snacks and drinks, including my favorite snack-shack Eduardos from Palm Beach - I highly recommend grabbing an açaí bowl or smoothie while they're there!
Cons: Baby Beach is located on the farthest southern tip of the island, and the surrounding towns aren't as popular with hotels or AirBnbs. Most likely, you'll be staying around Noord or Oranjestad and therefore it'd likely take between 45 and 55 minutes to drive there, so you'd have to rent a car or pay for a very expensive taxi*. Additionally if you take a taxi there you won't just happen upon one to take you back (same as Arashi).
*Another method of transportation is the public bus. We did not take a bus, but from the looks of the bus routes you can get to downtown San Nicolas which is the town the beach is located, but you will need to find a taxi to take you the rest of the way which again may bring issues with returning to the bus stop from the beach. It's around an 11 minute drive from downtown to the beach. Behind the Baby Beach parking lot there is a large arid landscape full of cacti and then small, quiet villages before reaching downtown San Nicolas.
Lastly Aruba has the best sunsets, but it's not great to watch it from Baby Beach because it's so far south that you won't have the best view of it. Out of all the top beaches in Aruba, this is the only one where I wouldn't suggest watching the sunset from.
6. Tres Trapi
Pros: This beach is arguably the best place to snorkel in Aruba. For all the information on snorkeling at Tres Trapi visit my Aruba snorkeling blog! Other than snorkeling, swimming in general is very pleasant here with clear waters and soft sand. There isn't much to it, just a pristine little swimming spot along the coastline with the bluest waters you've ever seen, and it's perfect just the way it is.
Cons: This isn't your typical sandy beach, as there is no sand! It only offers rocks to sit on, which isn't comfortable for relaxing even if you bring chairs. This beach is really just for swimming and snorkeling rather than a place to set up and spend the whole day at. Of course, though, you cannot skip Tres Trapi when in Aruba, especially if you're looking to swim with sea turtles.
Similar to Arashi and Baby Beach, there isn't anything but cute beach houses and desert behind it - the closest town is Palm Beach at a 7 minute drive away and the closest restaurant/bar is the one on Arashi Beach. As I mentioned in my Arashi section, these beaches are very close together and it's nice to split your day between the two.
7. Mangel Halto
Pros: Mangel Halto is it's own diverse paradise - cacti, mangroves, excellent snorkeling, and great swimming to name a few features! There are many places to lounge and relax both with and without sand (as there are rocks in some places instead). There is plenty of natural shade in the mangrove-surrounded section, as well as some free palapas and lounge chairs spread throughout. It never gets crowded and has a very relaxed-local vibe. For more information on this beach, again visit my Aruba snorkeling post!
Cons: Aruba can be very windy, and the wind comes pretty often. If it is super windy in the area, the snorkeling won't be possible since it becomes too rough in the sea where the reefs are. If the waters aren't calm and there's a lot of waves don't try to snorkel or swim in the choppy waters. The waves can and will knock you into some of the sharp rocks and reefs and you could get hurt (don't ask how I know this... okay yes it happened to me. I just really wanted to snorkel, but I definitely learned my lesson! Safety first!) There isn't much happening in the surrounding area, but there are a few nearby restaurants - the restaurants are cash only and there aren't any ATMs nearby so don't forget to bring some if you're planning on eating around here.
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