The Best Beach Holiday Vacation Destination for 2017: Aruba

Ever dream of sipping fruity cocktails on a white sand beach while working on your perfectly even tan? If you answered yes, that means you’re ready to plan a trip to one of the best beach vacation spots in the world!

Aruba’s main attractions are our beautiful beaches. Visitors from all over the world travel far and wide just to be able to spend some time on Aruba’s world-class white sand beaches and make a splash in the crystal clear turquoise waters.

Ready to make your beach vacation dreams come true?

Keep reading! In this blog post, we will help you plan one of the very best Caribbean beach vacations possible. 

What Makes a Great Beach Vacation Destination?

Since Aruba is completely surrounded by the Caribbean Sea, we have lots of great beaches to choose from, but no two Aruba beaches are the same, and each of them has their own special appeal. In order to make sure you pick the right beach holiday destination in Aruba to fit your travel needs, we have set up some criteria so we can easily compare them.

Water

Here we will analyze several characteristics of the water like color, temperature and whether it is shallow or deep. These aspects are especially important to those who enjoy water sports and families traveling with young children.

Sand

The look and feel of the sand will be examined here. It takes a certain grade of beach sand to achieve the perfect mixture of sandcastle cement, after all! The condition of the sand also determines whether a beach is a good place to picnic and whether you should bring a beach chair or if a blanket will suffice.

Scene

What kind of beach is it really? This section explains the overall feel and ambiance of the beach. Do people come here to relax or are these water sports beach vacation destinations? Does it get crowded here, or are we in a remote area? We will break down all aspects of the beach’s setting.

Accommodation

In this section, we explore the accommodation types that can be found on or near the beaches. 

3 Top-Rated Caribbean Beach Vacation Spots

Here they are, 3 of our top-rated beach destinations you should visit for a one of a kind Caribbean beach vacation experience.

Eagle Beach

Eagle Beach is one of Aruba’s most popular beaches. In 2017, it was even voted the 3^rd Best Beach in the World by TripAdvisor! Anyone who has been to Aruba will agree that Eagle Beach is one of the best beach destinations, but what makes it so great? In the following sections, we will describe Eagle Beach based on the 4 criteria we mentioned earlier.

Water

Like at most beaches in Aruba, the water at Eagle Beach is a beautiful crystal clear turquoise color. Currents are not too strong near the shore, making it a great beach for swimmers. The water gradually gets deeper; the depth may sometimes catch you by surprise if you run into the water too eagerly. We can’t blame you though; the water looks so refreshingly tempting!

Eagle Beach has few watersports facilities. You can certainly enjoy some of the most popular water activities here, but it’s not the main attraction of this beach. Most people visiting Eagle Beach are here to relax, splash around a bit or take a leisurely swim. This is the beach for relaxation!
 

Sand

The sand at eagle beach is powdery white. Don’t forget to wear your sunglasses as the sunlight definitely reflects on these pearly white grains. The beach is very large. Not only does it occupy quite a bit of the Aruban coastline, it is also broad, meaning that there is a lot of sand between the very start of the beach and the water. This is great because there will always be enough space for everyone without the beach feeling overcrowded.

In the sand, there are several palapas (palm leaf umbrellas) for those who would rather relax in the shade. These are accessible to all beachgoers, first come, first serve!

Scene

Eagle Beach is the perfect location for that classic relaxing day at the beach. 

Every year for a few months you will find some red and white barricades on Eagle Beach, these are meant to protect turtle nests during nesting season. The turtles hatch mostly around sunset and at night, but if you’re around to witness it, consider yourself very lucky. Four species of sea turtles nest in Aruba: Leatherback, Loggerhead, Green, and Hawksbill. Please keep a safe distance and don’t make too much noise if you see a turtle or turtle nest on the beach. We don’t want to scare or harm them! There’s enough beach for all of us, so please make sure to be considerate and respect the turtles’ privacy.

Accommodation

The Eagle Beach area is the home of some smaller resorts and boutique hotels like Manchebo Beach Resort & Spa, Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort, La Cabana Beach Resort and Casino, MVC Eagle Beach Aruba, and Amsterdam Manor Beach Resort Aruba. These properties provide intimate personalized service, making them very popular with repeat guests. You will also find some condominiums and apartments in and around the Eagle Beach area; some examples are Oasis Luxury Condominiums, Oceania Residences, and Bubali Bliss Studios.

Palm Beach

Aruba’s Palm Beach is another one of the island’s most popular beach destinations. The glorious two-mile-long strip of powdery white sand is a dream come true for avid beach goers. Palm Beach has something special to offer to any visitor.

Water

The water at Palm Beach is very similar to the water of Eagle Beach. The water temperature is nice and warm and currents are very forgiving allowing for a nice swim!

The beach is dotted with watersports concessions so you will never run out of things to do in the water! From jet skiing to parasailing and from snorkeling to sailing, you name it, Palm Beach has it!

Sand

Aside from watersports concessions, you will also find lots of palapas that cast a cool shade onto the warm fine sands. Perfect for laying out in the sand without getting too warm. Remember, you will still tan under a palapa, so don’t forget to slather on that sunblock!

Scene

You could spend an entire day at Palm Beach without ever getting bored! There are tons of activities you can enjoy here. There is always a joyous fun ambiance with some great bars and restaurants located along the beach. While Palm Beach is significantly busier than Eagle Beach, you can still choose this location for a day of relaxation. You can enjoy the numerous amenities or simply rent a chair and sip on an Aruba Ariba cocktail as you listen to the calming sounds of the waves crashing into the shore.

Accommodation

The accommodation options are almost endless if you wish to stay on Palm Beach. When traveling here, many visitors opt to stay in the high-rise area. You will find a large deluxe ocean view beach resorts here. Most of them even offer free beach chairs upon reservation! Some popular choices are Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino, Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort & Casino, and Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino.

The Palm Beach area also offers some smaller cozy hotels and vacation rentals just minutes away from the beach.

When staying in this area, you will be delighted by the selection of restaurants available. Try something new for dinner every evening when exploring the ever-popular Palm Beach strip!

Mangel Halto

Mangel Halto is working its way up the ranks as one of the most popular beaches on the island! Previously a hidden gem, Mangel Halto is a great snorkeling beach in Pos Chiquito that can easily be recognized by the beautiful clear water surrounded by mangroves.

Water

The waters at Mangel Halto are shallow and very clear, making it one of Aruba’s top snorkeling locations. The mangroves in the water house a very diverse ecosystem of sea life to be explored. Another popular activity on the water of Mangel Halto is glass bottom boat sailing; this way you get to stay dry (for the most part) while still enjoying a great view of what goes on underneath the surface. The waters are also great for swimming and splashing around with kids, as it does not get very deep near the shore.

Sand

This beach has a unique set up. There are some areas with white powdery sand close to the water. There are also some sections where the sand is tightly packed onto the ground. Most visitors choose to have their family picnics in these areas because there’s less chance of sand blowing into your basket. Both areas are equipped with palapas, but there aren’t nearly as many as you would find on an Eagle or Palm Beach, as Mangel Halto is significantly smaller. There is also a nice pier where visitors can enjoy the view and snap some Instagram worthy pictures.

Scene

Mangel Halto is a great place to meet locals and connect with families, especially on Sundays. There is a small bar and restaurant right next to the beach in case you need any extra supplies like snacks or ice.

Since there are no large hotels in the area, the small beach is never overcrowded. It has a relaxing atmosphere and it is a great location to meet up with friends or just take a refreshing dip in the Caribbean Sea.

Accommodations

Mangel Halto is a part of the Savaneta / Pos Chiquito area. This is a lovely tranquil residential area with a few small boutique hotels. If you are looking to stay in a quiet fisherman’s town with beautiful spacious vacation rentals, you will love the neighborhoods near Mangel Halto. Some rentals are even walking distance from the beach. Be sure to check out websites like Airbnb to secure your temporary dream home in the Savaneta or Pos Chiquito area!

Book Your Great Beach Vacation Package Now!

Every beach mentioned in this blog post has something to appeal to any traveler. We can’t pick a favorite, but one thing’s for sure; the best beach vacations are enjoyed on the One happy island.

Now you know what criteria to consider when picking your Aruban beach vacation destination! Whether you choose Eagle Beach, Palm Beach, Mangel Halto or any of our other superb beaches, you are guaranteed to have a great time.

We recommend checking out our Aruba Deals & Offers page to save big on your next trip. Find those great deals and start booking your Aruba beach getaway now!