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I'm looking for that perfect beach....

kona_wahine

By kona_wahine,
in Aruba

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kona_wahine

kona_wahine

Posted
Posted

The one with white sand, clear blue water, palm trees, etc. should I be looking for an AI or go on our own? Im over 50 so beach loungers are good. ;). I've always wanted to go to Aruba for the beach so want to find the best place to spend the day. Thanks in advance for your experiences. :)

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martinhughes1

martinhughes1

Posted
Posted

Just returned from a cruise a couple of weeks ago and Eagle beach is by far the best beach I have ever been to. It even beats Destin area beaches.

I know there were fellow passengers that took the city bus there for $2, but opted for the island tour through Carnival and ended up on Eagle beach for a couple of hours. You don't want to spend too much time on the beach because you are only 700 miles from the Equator and could burn very quickly if not careful. I was already tanned and the sun made me even darker almost red.

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Hatteras51

Hatteras51

Posted
Posted

I copied this from an old thread. This tells you all that you need to know:).

 

 

 

The only "guaranteed" shade on Eagle Beach are the limited number of umbrellas offered for rent from the vendors on the beach at La Cabana.

 

Otherwise your options are as follows:

 

Eagle Beach

 

Amsterdam Manor Beach Resort

Taxi fare $13 each way for a maximum of 5 people, with an additional $3 charge on Sundays & holidays

 

Beach chair rental

Full day rental $15 each

Half day rental $10 each

Free wifi

Passions Beach Bar & Restaurant with beach service

No shade palapas available

MVC Eagle Beach Resort

Taxi fare $13 each way

 

Beach chair rental

Full day rental $10 each

Half day rental $5 each

Tulip Restaurant (across the street from the beach)- breakfast, lunch, dinner & drinks

Free wifi

Restrooms

Shower

Changing room

Limited shade palapas available, FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED

 

Some vendors renting chaise lounges (Paradise Beach Villas) and chaises and umbrellas (La Cabana Resort) as well as jet-ski rentals. They can also provide other watersports such as parasail, banana boat/tube rides, snorkeling excursions, at their locations or take you by boat to Palm Beach.

 

If you MUST have shade, your BEST option is to head to Palm Beach and the vendors on the beach at the Radisson. They have the largest quantity of umbrellas available.

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  • 5 weeks later...
trixiegal

trixiegal

Posted
Posted
I copied this from an old thread. This tells you all that you need to know:).

 

 

 

The only "guaranteed" shade on Eagle Beach are the limited number of umbrellas offered for rent from the vendors on the beach at La Cabana.

 

Otherwise your options are as follows:

 

Eagle Beach

 

Amsterdam Manor Beach Resort

Taxi fare $13 each way for a maximum of 5 people, with an additional $3 charge on Sundays & holidays

 

Beach chair rental

Full day rental $15 each

Half day rental $10 each

Free wifi

Passions Beach Bar & Restaurant with beach service

No shade palapas available

[/b][/size]

 

 

This information is outdated.

 

Just got back from Eagle Beach last week and we rented chaise loungers under shade palapas. We were right beyond Passions Beach Bar. It was a really nice area with great service, too. We had a late port of call so we got there after 2 pm. The guy managing the palapas let us pay him after 3 pm when the chaise loungers go down to $5/each from $15/each. I gave him a tip.

 

Passions had clean bathrooms and a cool outdoor lounge area next to the bar. It was not crowded on the day we went. The drinks were good (strong) and about $6-7 each.

 

I highly recommend this area for a relaxing beach day that won't break the bank!

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Arubalisa

Arubalisa

Posted
Posted

I can guarantee you in high season it is not quite that easy. ;)

 

When we stayed at the Amsterdam Manor from June 6 -16 there were plenty of open palapas all day long.

 

During high season when we are there over Christmas and New Years (twice now) you will find all of the palapas occupied. Hotel guests will come out and begin reserving their palapas in the dark at 6 am.

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Arubalisa

Arubalisa

Posted
Posted
I wasn't ever referring to how many were available. I was referring to the information that stated there were no shade palapas available at Passions Beach Bar. That is NOT true.

There are shade palapas at the Amsterdam Manor but they will not be available to rent if they are already occupied in HIGH SEASON.

 

The information below was directly from the Amsterdam Manor on their Facebook page

 

Eagle Beach

 

Amsterdam Manor Beach Resort

Taxi fare $13 each way for a maximum of 5 people, with an additional $3 charge on Sundays & holidays

 

Beach chair rental

Full day rental $15 each

Half day rental $10 each

Free wifi

Passions Beach Bar & Restaurant with beach service

No shade palapas available

 

MVC Eagle Beach Resort

Taxi fare $13 each way

 

Beach chair rental

Full day rental $10 each

Half day rental $5 each

Tulip Restaurant (across the street from the beach)- breakfast, lunch, dinner & drinks

Free wifi

Restrooms

Shower

Changing room

Limited shade palapas available, FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED

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Hatteras51

Hatteras51

Posted
Posted (edited)

I am sure that this is confusing. I would definitely be confused after reading this. I can tell you what I know based on my experiences as a person who vacations there every year. I go in Feb. which is high season. Everything is very crowded and busy during that time. I have been told that Christmas is the absolute worst. Arubalisa is a friend of mine. She stays on Eagle Beach at Amsterdam Manor every Christmas. If she says that there are no palapas available to rent at Amsterdam Manor during high season, then there are none available. I see cruisers walking up and down the beach, looking for shade every day that the ships are in port. I always tell cruisers, have a plan. There are a few palapas for rent on posts on this thread. Otherwise, I would go to Palm Beach by the Hilton, formerly the Radisson, or by the Holiday Inn. You will have a better chance or renting an umbrella there. Also, you can go to Reflextions. Aruba is working on adding more facilities and beach access for cruisers. They have just added some bathrooms and a vendor at Arashi, but the few palapas that they rent there go fast. Frankly, most resorts don't like cruisers camping out on their beaches, and will run you off if you use their chairs. I see it all of the time. As a resort guest, and as a cruiser, I understand both sides. The taxi rate is per cab, not per person. The maximum passengers allowed is five people. Make sure you are all dry when you leave, as the taxi driver won't let you back in the cab if you are wet.

Edited by Hatteras51
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brandy4598

brandy4598

Posted
Posted

Is the end of October considered part of the high season? I would like to go to Eagle Beach; but I need a place where I can have some guaranteed shade, whether rented or trees. I know there is more of a chance of getting shade at Palm Beach; but I am looking for a quieter/not as busy beach.

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Hatteras51

Hatteras51

Posted
Posted
Is the end of October considered part of the high season? I would like to go to Eagle Beach; but I need a place where I can have some guaranteed shade, whether rented or trees. I know there is more of a chance of getting shade at Palm Beach; but I am looking for a quieter/not as busy beach.

 

October is not in high season, but keep in mind, when the ships are in, everything gets more crowded. I would not chance trying to rent a palapa at Amsterdam Manor. I know folks who were there the same time that the lady posted on here that she was able to rent a palapa. They reported that there were some that stayed empty all day, which was probably the reason that Amsterdam Manor decided to rent them out. They quit renting them a while back, and I wouldn't count on any being available. That being said, there are some nice shade trees in some sections of Eagle Beach. MVC rents chairs and palapas, and you could try there first, and if none are available sit under a tree. There are also a few more vendors who rent chairs along Eagle Beach.

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Hatteras51

Hatteras51

Posted
Posted (edited)
Sounds like a stroll around town and back to the ship for some shade. :cool: Arubalisa are the shops open on Christmas Day?

 

I'm sure that Arubalisa will get back to you, but I would expect that all of the shops will be closed on Christmas day. They have closed for other holidays when I have stayed on the island.

Edited by Hatteras51
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Arubalisa

Arubalisa

Posted
Posted

Stores are closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. With that said, if there are enough cruise ship passengers in town, I have seen select stores open.

 

Stores are also closed on Sundays. Again I have seen a handful of stores open on Sunday when there are 4000+ cruise passengers in town.

 

There is nothing that says you cannot go to Eagle Beach and rent a palapa at the Amsterdam Manor or MVC Eagle Beach OR rent an umbrella from one of the vendors.

HOWEVER, palapas and umbrellas are limited in numbers. There are only a limited number available. There are no umbrella factories on the island. ;) Even if you are willing to pay to rent an umbrella or palapa, you cannot rent what is already taken and thus not available. Christmas week IS the busiest week of the year for all hotels on the island.

 

If you MUST have shade you HAVE to have a plan.

Where to get GUARANTEED shade?

Where there are the most umbrellas for rent.

Where are the most umbrellas for rent? Palm Beach.

When I was on Palm Beach on December 28, there are no less than 4 vendors in the area of the Radisson and Riu Palace renting umbrellas and chaises.

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Familycruisers20

Familycruisers20

Posted
Posted

Thanks for all the info! We are coming Christmas Week, by cruise ship on Dec. 23. Sounds like it will be busy! I think some of the adventurous ones in our group might do a Jolly Pirates tour, but the rest of us will be with kids 8 and younger just looking to relax by the water for several hours.

 

Knowing this, and it being Dec. 23...what would your plan be?

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Hatteras51

Hatteras51

Posted
Posted

I would definitely go to Palm Beach. The water there is much better for young kids, more lake like. Sometimes the waves can churn up on Eagle Beach. If part of your group wants to do Jolly Pirates or one of the other snorkel tours, you will be right there where they are docked. You can meet them right after the tour and enjoy some more beach time. The beach area by the Holiday Inn, called Moomba, is located right there. They rent chairs and umbrellas. There are plenty of places to eat and shop, along with various water activities. Sure, Palm Beach is busier than Eagle, but it is still a gorgeous beach and a great place to spend the day.

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