Aruba, your wellness destination

For many it’s a reset of body and mind and a reconnection to nature, those we love, and ourselves. Aruba’s inspiring environs are a foundation for wellness centric travel endeavors, allowing beautifully curated experiences to unfold authentically during a vacation in Aruba. 

From holistic spa experiences and unique island yoga and meditation practices that nurture your soul to activities that connect you with nature and healthy dining that fuels your body, Aruba is the Caribbean’s ideal destination for a wellness vacation in paradise.

 

Yoga in Aruba

There is a yoga revolution happening in Aruba, positioning the island as one of the top go-to destinations for yoga in the Caribbean.  In fact, Aruba has seen a marked rise in yoga retreats and has even become the training ground for certification in various yoga disciplines. Whether you simply want to include a scenic sunset yoga session on the beach in your vacation agenda or prefer to go all in and participate in a multi-day yoga/wellness retreat, Aruba’s variety of yoga practices will have you bending and stretching your way to a relaxing and rejuvenating island experience.

Manchebo Beach Resort & Spa

This resort on pristine Eagle Beach has positioned itself as a wellness enclave for two decades.  The impressive beach gazebo offers a daily menu of yoga and Pilates classes, as well as meditation, sound-healing, and mindfulness walks. 

*Besides Manchebo, many resorts on the island infuse yoga, meditation, sound baths, and tai chi into their weekly wellness and fitness offerings.

Happy Buddha Aruba

Happy Buddha Aruba (HBA) was founded in 2013 by fitness-guru-turned-yogi Corinne Voermans.  Her studio, surrounded by a serene country garden, is situated on a 66,700-square-foot piece of private property in Palm Beach.  The studio’s main yoga shala is a truly inspiring space, featuring a vaulted ceiling and wooden floors. 

HBA is the first yoga studio on the island to offer Hot Yoga, which enjoys an impressive following.  Corinne and her team are also proud to offer several other yoga classes, like Ashtanga, Vinyasa, and options for teens and kids, as well as several certification programs throughout the year.

AntiGravity Aerial Yoga

If a total-body workout that promises a surge of “happy hormones” and plenty of room for play sounds right up your alley, then you simply must give AntiGravity Aerial Yoga a try! This style of yoga is a unique combination of yoga, dance, Pilates, and calisthenics, practiced with the aid of a specialized suspended hammock.  Local yoga instructor Maria Pucci offers this fun and unique wellness discipline for guests beachside at Hyatt Regency Aruba as well as at her private outdoor studio at her home. 

Qi Gong Aruba

This holistic organization introduces the ancient healing traditions of medical qi gong, tai chi, energy healing, and sound healing under the professional guidance of local Sofie Slegers. Classes take place at a variety of locales included resorts, public beaches, and the local YMCA.

SUP Yoga

Aruba’s calm, flat waters provide the perfect venue for SUP (standup paddleboarding) yoga, challenging participants to engage those core muscles for balance on the water.

Watersports and beach-lifestyle company, Vela Sports, offers daily SUP Yoga classes, as well as beach yoga and beach bootcamp.

Walking Meditation with Shanti at The Butterfly Farm

This practice, led by local yoga personality Shanti, brings you close to nature and your journey to inner peace.  Set in a tropical garden with the company of brilliantly colored butterflies, it’s truly a magical wellness experience.  Browse Shanti’s website for other wellness practices, including retreats, prenatal yoga, and more.

Essential Wellness Retreats, Yoga & Activities

Offering retreats, courses, workshops, and experiences, Essential also offers one-on-one wellness and nutrition coaching, mindful activities, and guided nature hikes.

Full Moon Yoga

If you are in Aruba during a full moon, a most unique island experience is yoga during this time.  Various yoga studios, teachers, and resorts offer seaside yoga (typically an all-levels flow) under the golden light of the full moon.

Retrograde Ritual at Hilton Aruba

Retrograde is when a planet appears to go backward in its orbit, as viewed from Earth. For the planet Mercury this happens a few times a year.  Astrologers, who believe our life on Earth is influenced by celestial objects like the moon, starts, and other planets, view Mercury in retrograde more divinely.  Named after the Greek god that is assigned to rule over communication, intelligence and transportation, astrologers believe that when Mercury is in retrograde, chaos can touch our lives, especially in how we communicate, or perhaps miscommunicate, and understand those around us.

Whether one chooses to believe in the astrology and mysticism behind Mercury’s retrograde, or simply apply the wellness aspects of these rituals, everyone can find genuine benefits to a Mercury in retrograde ritual experience. Hilton Aruba marks this time of year with its Retrograde Ritual held on the beach during sunset at the resort and is open for anyone to attend. Gentle guidance through stretches and meditation are illuminated towards the end of the ritual with a lovely Tibetan sound bath, a healing experience to lighten your mental load and welcome serenity.

Aruba Peace Labyrinth

The Aruba Peace Labyrinth, inspired by the original peace labyrinth at Chartres Cathedral near Paris, France, was created from stones and sand in 2005 just behind the island’s famed Alto Vista Chapel. The meditative walking experience promotes inner peace and healing, and over the years, thousands of people have benefited from walking its pathways and enjoying the soothing vibrations of the surrounding nature.

 

Wellness Activities

Enjoying active pursuits in Aruba’s nature is ideal for both body and mind.  The island’s varied landscapes provide a myriad of activities and adventures to encourage connection.

Kayaking

The calm waters and mangrove lagoons along Aruba's southern fringe are ripe for exploration by kayak. The inherently quiet nature of kayaking enables paddlers to observe the birds and marine species living among the mangroves without disturbing them. Organized tours set out from Savaneta, making their way up the coast to popular spots like Mangel Halto and the Spanish Lagoon.

SUP

Here on Aruba, several activities and watersports companies offer SUP (stand-up paddleboarding), and the island’s tranquil waters provide the ideal venue. SUP essentially entails standing up on an oversize surfboard and pulling (or in SUP lingo, “sweeping”) yourself forward with a long single-ended paddle. With SUP, you need as little as five minutes of instruction before you are paddling out on the water. SUP is available in the Malmok area, and guided tours are given in the more remote and tranquil Spanish Lagoon/Mangel Halto area near Savaneta.

Hiking

Hiking makes it possible to experience Aruba at a much slower pace than usual.  Hikers can consult guidebooks, such as Rondje Aruba, to set out on their own to explore the lesser-known natural treasures of the island.  In Arikok National Park alone, 20 miles of walking trails have already been blazed, including the Miralamar and Cunucu Arikok Trails.  Professional hiking tours offer the advantage of enthusiastic guides who can educate hikers about Aruba's rich abundance of flora and fauna, unique geological formations, and historical sites.

Mountain Biking

Mountain biking the trails of Aruba’s countryside allow for an authentic, up-close encounter with the island’s varied and unique landscapes. Bike along the wave-battered north coast, meander through cactus and boulder forests, and visit iconic and historic sites.  The Aruba Tourism Authority maintains several trails dedicated to the sport.

Birdwatching

Soothing, relaxing, connecting with nature…these are some of the attributes many find in the activity of birdwatching.  It’s a growing hobby worldwide, and here in Aruba—with some 254 registered species of birds—locals and visitors to our island are captivated with “birding” opportunities.

Aruba’s semi-arid climate, diverse flora and fauna, and unique habitats, including beaches, reefs, mangroves, marshes, rolling countryside, and lushly landscaped resorts, make the island a haven for species that take up permanent residence, as well as those species just passing through for rest and refueling before journeying on to North or South America.

Visitors to our island can easily access the Bubali Plas Bird Sanctuary—with a birdwatching tower overlooking marsh areas—located adjacent to the Courtyard by Marriott Resort in the high-rise hotel area of Palm Beach.  Other notable areas to observe a variety of bird species include Arikok National Park, Spanish Lagoon, Tierra del Sol, and the Arashi/California Lighthouse areas.

Learn to Windsurf

Tasking yourself to learn a new activity is beneficial for our minds and bodies.  A favorite island activity is windsurfing, and Aruba’s calm and shallow waters is one of the best places in the world to learn this sport.  In a short two-hour lesson, you’ll be up and sailing, skimming crystal clear waters with the wind in you sails and joy in your heart.

Lessons and equipment rental are available at several watersports outfitters in the Fisherman’s Huts area just north of The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba. 

Snorkeling

The crystal-clear, calm waters along Aruba’s leeward coast and the multitude of colorful reefs make snorkeling an ideal wellness endeavor to connect with the treasures and beauty of the underwater world. Don your mask, snorkel, and fins and head to one of Aruba’s popular snorkeling spots, including Arashi, Boca Catalina, Mangel Halto, and Spanish Lagoon. Several sailing excursions give their passengers the chance to do some snorkeling off the boat as well.

Linear Park

The Caribbean’s largest linear park is right here in Aruba.  Miles of walking/jogging/biking paths meander through a variety of island landscapes, providing inspiring views for your wellness journey.

Visit the Aruba Donkey Sanctuary

The Aruban donkeys date back some 500 years, when Spaniards, who used them for transportation and as beasts of burden, brought the animals here. Today, around 200 donkeys live in Aruba, with about half residing at the Donkey Sanctuary Aruba.  Tucked away in the peaceful environs of the island’s countryside, a visit here will surely speak to animal lovers, who can also volunteer to help feed the donkeys, bringing an extra dose of those feel-good vibes.

Spa Treatments Inspired by Nature

For many vacationers, being pampered in a spa is the ultimate way to unwind and let go of the daily stresses back home.  Aruba offers the spa-goer a variety of day spas to choose from, each uniquely reflecting the spirit of the island, whether offering quaint outdoor beach cabanas or state-of-the-art treatment rooms.

Aruba’s spas offer world-class spa amenities in an oasis of understated luxury, with therapists and technicians seasoned in the art of relaxation and rejuvenation. Inspired by nature, several spas offer signature treatments that feature some of nature’s healing ingredients, with some even sourced locally. Here, a sampling of some of the treatments offered.

The Spa at The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba

The Spa at The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba offers a variety of invigorating treatments, including massages, body rituals, nail services, facial therapy, and skin treatments. The Spa’s signature “Divi Divi Massage” provides a unique experience that can only be found in Aruba, as its main ingredient is oil derived from the island’s very own Divi Divi tree.

The Spa’s “Misterio di Aloe” treatment is a complete hydrating, cleansing, and rejuvenating experience—including a facial, full body massage, and foot reflexology—that draws on the benefits of the island’s healing aloe plant.

ZoiA Spa, Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort & Casino

ZoiA Spa offers a variety of therapeutic botanical treatments. Most of ZoiA Spa’s treatments are inspired by “local flavors,” including aloe, Aruba’s most abundant natural resource, as well as the island’s naturally detoxifying and healing red mud, seaweed, and spirulina algae. ZoiA offers facials, full body treatments, massages, and hair and nail services as well.

Eforea Spa, Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino

The oceanfront, Balinese-inspired Eforea Spa at the Hilton is known for its “Journey Enhancements,” or powerful mini treatments, for the head and face, shoulder, neck, and scalp, and even feet. Eforea’s signature Azeta di Coco Massage, Aruba Ariba Body Treatment, and Aloe Vera, Rum & Stone Massage all use natural ingredients, including a honey, aloe, and papaya fruit serum; watermelon basil and organic vodka body polish; cranberry orange soak; coconut oil; and pure liquid aloe vera to exfoliate, invigorate, and illuminate the skin and body.

Spa del Sol, Manchebo Beach Resort

The Indonesian-inspired Spa del Sol at the Manchebo Beach Resort offers a variety of body refinement treatments that use aloe and exotic essential oils, as well as Balinese scrubs made from herbs and spices that exfoliate the skin, leaving one feeling completely rejuvenated. Spa del Sol also offers full body massages, facials, eye treatments, and nail care.

Spa Cove on Renaissance Island

Get whisked away to a private spa experience on the “island of flamingoes,” where a seaside cabana awaits.  Indulge in packages that offer spa treatments, food, and beverages for the ultimate spa day.

Healthy Dining

Aruba’s culinary scene is vast and diverse, reflecting the island’s population of more than 100 nationalities.  Those seeking plant-based cuisine will be delighted with the island’s vegetarian and vegan options.  The local blog, Vegan Aruba, is an excellent resource to explore vegan restaurants.  They’ve done all the research, categorizing close to 20 restaurants with dedicated vegan menus, and several dozen more restaurants with labeled vegan dishes.