You can’t do all of these (unless you have deep pockets and are staying awhile), but just pick one or two that appeal to you and do the other ones on your next visit! You can find information on these and other activities in your Divi welcome package or take the package that they will offer you when you leave baggage claim at the Aruba airport. You can easily book any of these at the reception area and if you don’t have a car many of them will pick you up. But book early, especially during high season, so you aren’t disappointed!
See the Cunucu and the other side of the island!
Cunucu is the local word for the “outback” and rough areas of the island beyond the tourist areas. It is hard to believe that anything could be more beautiful than Eagle beach and the other beaches on the resort side of the island, but the truly unusual natural beauty of Aruba is best seen on a trip through the Cunucu. We think that it is one of most memorable sightseeing/adventure trips you will ever have!
Take a jeep tour that includes a trip to the natural pool. The jeeps are big and very safe, and it is good to have a driver so you can sightsee and not worry about messing up a rental car. In spots, the boulders you will drive over are 2 feet tall, no kidding. It is a great off roading experience! We would recommend any of the following companies and note that if you do have a bad back and can’t take a lot of jostling around, you should skip the one to the natural pool, but you should be fine on any of the other tours.
http://www.abc-aruba.com – Book 7 days in advance online and save 10% and they also have family and group rates.
http://www.depalmtours.com – This is the biggest tour company on the island and very good. Note that they also offer ATV tours where you drive your own ATV – take a look at their videos on the site. One caution on the ATV tours – you get absolutely filthy and will probably need to wear a dust mask (which they provide) but everyone says it is worth it! We have also gone on a tour with ABC Aruba tours and they are great too – we have taken a private tour with them when we have had a large group and it was a blast!http://www.abc-aruba.com
Do it Yourself
If you want to be adventurous and drive the North Shore past the lighthouse, to the Gold Mines, Alto Vista Chapel and then on to Arikok National Park you can easily do so in a 4WD – do not do it in a regular car! You will get stuck in the sand or ruin the car. You can rent an open top jeep from Amigo Car Rental for about $75 for the day which holds 4-5 people so it is a fun and economical way to see the North Shore. Take a cooler and lots of water and plan for a full day out. We do not recommend driving yourself to the Natural Pool as it is very dangerous.
DePalm Tours Sunset Cruise
This is a lovely, laidback sunset cruise on a catamaran in the evenings that leaves around 5:30pm and returns around 7pm from the Bugaloe Pier – it is one of our favorite things to do and you will see the island from a whole new perspective. Literally we take this cruise almost every time we are on Aruba! There is an open bar and snacks and the sunset is spectacular. It is a great prelude to a night out, but it is not suitable for small children. Ladies, do not wear a skirt on this cruise and make sure you put your hair up as it is very windy on board! You make reservations and pay at the Divi concierge desk. They will pick you up at the Divi or you can drive there yourself (the pier is between the Radisson and Riu hotels on the high rise strip, about a 5-10 minute drive). After you disembark, stay at the pier for some dancing and snacks before you go off to dinner! Note – before the cruise leaves everyone automatically lines up – there is NO need to line up to get on, you will be able to walk all over the boat and there is plenty of room – so sit at the bar and have a happy hour mojito and get on last!
Horseback riding
You can also see a good part of the north shore on horseback, which is a bit calmer adventure than the jeep offroading! We would recommend The Goldmine Ranch but there are several others, all good.http://www.thegoldmineranch.com
Snorkeling
Try the Jolly Pirates, http://www.jolly-pirates.com which leaves from Moomba Beach, or the DePalm cruise, from the Bugaloo pier. Jolly Pirates is on a pirate like sailing ship and has a fun rope swing for kids of all ages. If you book on the Jolly Pirates’ website you can usually get a discount.
For a smaller, more laid back trip try the Black Pearl. http://www.aruba-sailing.com It only takes 20 passengers at a time. They also include snacks and drinks and you get a discount booking on line. They leave from Moomba Beach pier as well. We have also gone with Delphi Water sports on the Dolphin Catamaran – cheaper than DePalm and just as good! http://www.delphiwatersports.com They also offer a sunset cruise.
Or, rent the gear from the Divi sports center for the day and take off to your favorite spot or just go right on Divi beach.
Deep Sea Fishing
Try a charter with the local Driftwood Restaurant. They will cook your catch for you in the restaurant that evening if you wish. http://www.driftwoodfishingcharters.com