Interlude
Moments Worth Living by Susan Campbell Great vacations are but a collection of memorable moments; here are our suggestions of moments worth living on Aruba.
• Compare toothy grins with a smiling parrotfish while snorkeling at Arashi, Boca Catalina, Malmok, or Mangel Halto. • Claim your spot on the beach to watch the acrobatics of the annual Aruba Hi-Winds competition in Oranjestad. • Groove, scat, and swing with cool cats at the fabulous annual Jazz Festival. • Find yourself between a rock and a hard place amidst the bizarre boulder formations at Casibari and Ayo. • Play footsies in the sand while dining seaside at a beachfront restaurant.
• Blame that bad golf score on the stunning scenery at Tierra del Sol’s seaside course.
• Get up early to help conservation group Turtugaruba with the monitoring of endangered sea turtle nests along the beach.
• Revel in Vegas-style entertainment at one of the island’s glittery live show venues.
• Experience the wonder of scuba diving in your street clothes aboard a semi-submersible submarine.
• Retrace Aruba’s history at Fort Zoutman, the Archaeological Museum, and the Numismatic Museum.
60 Nights
Top photo by Pierre Arsenault. Middle photo by Fernando Arroniz. Bottom photo by Dee Scarr
Interlude • “Boogie till you just can’t boogie no more” at the island’s hot bars, seaside haunts, and sophisticated clubs.
• Hoist a cold one and leave your mark on the wall of famous Charlie’s Bar in San Nicolas.
• Talk the talk with some local lingo like dushi (sweet), masha danki (thank you very much), or con ta bai? (how are you?).
• Learn how to talk like a sailor at the annual Aruba Heineken Catamaran Regatta.
• Discover Zeerovers, the secret fisherman’s market in Savaneta, for the freshest catch of the day.
• Sail off into the sunset while savoring a gourmet meal at sea on a dinner cruise. 쮿
• Expand your culinary horizons by ordering local cuisine right from the hand-written blackboard specials. • Kayak through coastal mangroves and hidden caves, also known as Mother Nature’s maritime nurseries. • Marvel at the metamorphosis unfolding before your eyes at the fascinating Butterfly Farm. • Hand-feed huge flightless ostriches and emus at the Aruba Ostrich Farm. • Rekindle the romance with Champagne at the California Lighthouse. • Keep your eyes and ears peeled for the rare shoco burrowing owls in Arikok National Park.
Bottom left photo by Famke Backx. Top right photo by Paul van Driel. Middle and bottom right photos by Pierre Arsenault
Nights 61