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Aruba

Aruba, with its vast sandy beaches, is a favourite cruise destination in the Caribbean. Equally enticing are the numerous options for water activities including windsurfing and parasailing. Go for boat rides and explore the underwater world aboard the submarine Atlantis or a glass-bottomed boat. Try scuba diving and discover the coral reefs and shipwrecks.

Aruba offers a wide array of eating options, lively nightclubs and the duty free stores selling everything from souvenirs to jewellery, perfume, linen to designer clothing and liquor. If you want to tempt your luck, there are 11 casinos to choose from. Oranjestad, the island’s capital, has a distinct Dutch feel with beautiful buildings painted in historical Antillean style.

Things to see and do

• Beaches: While away the day on the beaches along Aruba's Northwest coast. Worth a mention are the Druif, Eagle and the Palm Beach offering parasailing facilities and jet boat rides.
• Underwater adventures: Hop aboard the Atlantis submarine and explore the magnificent world of fish, coral and shipwrecks, the most notable being the Antilla, a German freighter sunk during World War II. The shipwreck is considered to be the largest in the Caribbean.
• Rock formations and Aruba countryside: Aruba is well known for its arid interior cunuku, or countryside. You can visit Casibari and Ayo with its curious rock formations on horse back. There is a Fontein cave here where you can see natural stone pillars and Amerindian paintings. Nearby, are the Guadirikiri caves, home to hundreds of bats. You can go by bus, Range Rovers or ATV’s. Also worth a visit is the Chapel of Alto Vista, built in 1750 by Spanish missionaries.

Dining in Aruba

Aruba boasts some of the choicest restaurants in the Caribbean. Typical Aruban delicacies include Keshi Yena, Pan Bati, Calco Tempera (Pickled Conch), Funchi,

Red Snapper, and Goat Stew. Dine in a classy restaurant and savour some of the finest food in the world, or enjoy a beach barbecue with sand under your toes. While there is no dearth of fine restaurants, we would like to mention Driftwood restaurant in downtown Oranjestad. The speciality here is fresh seafood cooked in typical Aruban style.

Nightlife in Aruba

Aruba boasts of a pulsating nightlife. From exciting nightspots with dancing and entertainment to lively action-filled casinos to more sedate options such as enjoying a drink under the tropical moon, Aruba has something to suit all tastes. You can choose between ballet, international entertainers, local dance groups, fashion shows, limbo and fire dances, and the pulsating beat of local bands.

Golfing in Aruba

Those looking for a challenging round of golf can head to the Tierra del Sol, an 18-hole championship golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones II. There is another nine-hole Divi Links near Oranjestad.