Aruba Beach Recommendation Request

[solecruiser]

My DW and I would like to spend our port day in Aruba on the beach (no shopping, touring or excurions). Can anyone recommend a nice beach to spend the day? Somewhere we could get to easily by pubic transportation or taxi. We would like to find one that has a snack bar or place to grab some lunch as well. Also maybe a beach where we could rent lounge chairs for the day (no cabana, just chairs). Will Hal let us take a few beach towels off the boat for the day? Of course we will return but don't know if that's ok and if so do we need to make special request.

 

You guys are all so helpful and I thank you in advance.

[Diva0881]

Eagle beach is nice in Aruba, easy to get to. Can't recall if there was much in the way of beach chair rentals though. Pretty sure there was a small snack bar.

[Wefewee]

Try this:

http://www.aruba-travelguide.com/beaches/index.html

We were equally inquisitive given our upcoming first trip there in March.

Friends of ours have said that Eagle Beach is probably the nicest for flat-out relaxing.

Malmok and Arashi are better for snorkelling, as is Baby Beach (in the deeper area on the other side of the rocks).

Sounds to me like you can't go wrong on any of them - it's just how busy they may be and the kind of facilities that are important to you!

We're renting a car for the day to try a bunch of them.

Whatever you choose, I don't think that you'll go wrong!

Good Luck!

[RuthC]

Will Hal let us take a few beach towels off the boat for the day? Of course we will return but don't know if that's ok and if so do we need to make special request.

HAL should have a table full of beach towels near the gangway. Just take what you need as you leave, and toss them in the awaiting bin as you return.

You'd be surprised (maybe you wouldn't) how heavy those towels get, even when they're still dry. Two per person is plenty to carry.

[Spender Nui]

Palm Beach is easily accessible by bus. Just ask at the information desk in the terminal. they'll give you all the information you need. The bus terminal is very close to the cruise pier. Most of the major hotel chains, Hyatt, Marriott, Westin, etc. are on the beach. The beach itself is very nice with calm water. It does get crowded though.

[hillside]

We are spending the day on Eagle Beach when we are in port this coming March. We did this 2 years ago and really enjoyed it. The bus station is near the pier and you get off by Amsterdam Manor hotel. There is a beach bar and chair rental there. Very easy! I've forgotten the name or number of the bus, but just ask at the station. Enjoy!

[JJPacer]

Eagle Beach, Palm Beach, Arashi. The bus does not go to Baby Beach. Baby beach is on the southern tip of the island. A taxi would be very expensive to go there. A rental car is inexpensive, easy to get, and Aruba is an easy island to drive on your own.

[cruiseapril]

We enjoyed the Radisson at Palm Beach where you can get a day pass. They have a big pool, nice beach area, loungers, palapas, restaurants etc. Check their website for an e-mail address to find the price of a day pass at this time.

[cb at sea]

All of the beach is "public", and all access points have chair/umbrella rentals. Just hop in a cab, say "to the beach", and off you go. There are bathrooms up and down the beach, and conveniently placed bars!

[lvz2cruz]

We have been to both Malmok and Arashi and prefer Malmok.

It has good snorkeling and is very clean. Arashi had beer bottles and caps in the water in the sand and I found a woman's bikini top and a men's tube sock. I read on the net somewhere that stuff washes ashore there alot.

Both are on the bus route. It is clean and inexpensive transportation.

 

If you go to Curacao the next day, Bayabeach has amazing snorkeling. There is a wall and a pier you can go under which have varieties of fish I have never seen snorkeling.

[lawyerrose]

I second the Eagle Beach at Amsterdam Manor has shade and sun, bar and food, bathroom, lounge chairs, etc. Cab or bus (we took a cab w/ several others). The beach was lovely! And quieter than Palm Beach where the high rise hotels are.

[Hlitner]

We have spent a few vacations on Aruba and love the island. As to beaches, we agree with the Eagle Beach recommendation. This beach is near the so-called "low rise" hotel area (no huge hotels to mar the atmosphere). There are chair rentals, a couple of beach bars and some food on the beach. You can also cross the street to a hotel and grab lunch at a restaurant. As to Palm Beach we just think this beach is too crowded and much too commercial. You can get to Eagle (or Palm) by simply walking to the bus station (across the street and towards your right as you exit the port) and grabbing the local bus for about $3 round trip.

 

Hank

[solecruiser]

Thank you all for the great info. Can't wait!

[Aruba]

Eagle Beach definitely! Palm Beach unquestionably has more activities plus far more of a resort-feel as it is lined with hotels. Eagle Beach, where you'll find most of the low-rise time-share properties, is wider and much less crowded than Palm Beach. Almost all of the low-rise properties along Eagle Beach or slightly inland have casual restaurants that you can visit for lunch...not to mention Happy Hours that often are in fact Happy Afternoons. ;)

[Lizzie1213]

We liked Palm Beach. It can be reached by bus or taxi. There was a small bar there with cocktails and snack type foods if I remember correctly. Also, there are a great many hotels which probably serve lunch.