Has anyone been to Aruba?

AMIFL · #1 11/03/2007, 10:06 PM

My fiance wants to know if there is good snorkeling. We are trying to figure out where to go on our honeymoon.

sasscuba · #2 11/03/2007, 10:10 PM

Bonaire is way better choice and 2 islands over. Great snorkeling and the best shore diving in the world.

Tennsquire · #3 11/03/2007, 10:14 PM

I was in Aruba last Spring. The snorkeling was okay, particularly since it had rained that day and the visability wasn't too great. I was much more impressed with Curaçao.

reefnetworth · #4 11/03/2007, 10:19 PM

YES, i have! you and your new wife will give yourself a honeymon to remember forever! i stayed at the Holiday Inn, and they give snorkeling and skuba lessons daily at 6:00 A.M. with a trip to the reefs immeadiatly fallowing.
the guy that drives the yellow para-sail boat is named Gargoil!

i dont know why, he looks more like the "Preditor" from the movies.

deffinatly go, i promise you will love it at first site. oh! did i mention the beaches are topless?

AMIFL · #5 11/03/2007, 10:21 PM

Topless? That could be cool. Better wear my shades when I'm with her.

poppin_fresh · #6 11/03/2007, 10:44 PM

My wife and I have been to Aruba a couple times and we really love it. The weather is very consistent and the people are very friendly. We have always felt safe there, unlike some of the other islands we have been to.

It may not be THE best snorkeling and diving destination, but it is a great vacation destination. If you have ever wanted to try diving, you can take a resort course that will give you the whole experience. Aruba has a some cool shipwrecks that are really neat to dive.

Playa-1 · #7 11/04/2007, 01:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by AMIFL
Topless? That could be cool. Better wear my shades when I'm with her.

good idea ...

KDodds · #8 11/04/2007, 07:05 AM

Best snorkeling/scuba in the "Carribbean" is in Belize, IMO. That's where I went on my honeymoon.

I'm not 100% positive, but I'm pretty sure the whale shark migration is around this time, too. You have to go more south for that, but we stayed on Ambergris Caye, La Isla Bonita from the Madonna song.

Rays · #9 11/04/2007, 08:26 AM

We loved Aruba and look forward to going again. Great snorkeling at Baby Beach, it's at the southeast end of the island.

rcpilot44 · #10 11/04/2007, 09:22 AM

I am booking a trip for my wife's 50th B-day this week. Our trip will be the 1st week of March. I was planning on going to Grand Cayman but after looking at Belize I am not so sure about GC. I am looking for a room right on the beach. I am looking to do scuba diving. Any suggestions on an Island and a place to stay?? Thanks

ganjero · #11 11/04/2007, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by KDodds
Best snorkeling/scuba in the "Carribbean" is in Belize, IMO. That's where I went on my honeymoon. I'm not 100% positive, but I'm pretty sure the whale shark migration is around this time, too. You have to go more south for that, but we stayed on Ambergris Caye, La Isla Bonita from the Madonna song.

Best snorkeling in the caribbean is los roques in Venezuela. I've been in almost all the caribbean islands and los roques is breath taken, very remote and relaxing, this is a real getaway.

speccialj922 · #12 11/04/2007, 05:31 PM

I second the snorkeling at Baby Beach. Very "interactive" fish. Triggers kept going in my pockets and pulling out the bags of bread...

dbuesking · #13 11/04/2007, 05:39 PM

The wife and I go every Dec. Love the people and the culture. Not to mention the food. Can't tell you about the snorkling. So what good am I.

Maika'i · #14 11/04/2007, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by AMIFL
Topless? That could be cool. Better wear my shades when I'm with her.

creeper...

cplev · #15 11/04/2007, 07:44 PM

For Aruba and snorkeling, Baby Beach. I would also highly recommend Bonaire if you are looking for diving/snorkeling.

KDodds · #16 11/05/2007, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by rcpilot44
I am booking a trip for my wife's 50th B-day this week. Our trip will be the 1st week of March. I was planning on going to Grand Cayman but after looking at Belize I am not so sure about GC. I am looking for a room right on the beach. I am looking to do scuba diving. Any suggestions on an Island and a place to stay?? Thanks

Depends on the kind of scuba/snorkeling you want to do. Ambergris Caye is awesome for light snorkel/scuba, where you can go right off the piers into grass flats and out on to reef. Most hotels/condos have kayaks, as well, if you don't want to swim the distance. All will usually have "excursions". However if you want to go to the barrier reef, you might want to stay a bit closer to a specific area. Another popular spot is the blue hole. Ambergris Caye is too far north for the whale shark migration, you'd have to stay further south for that. Caulker's Caye is awesome for snorkel/scuba and estuarine observation (you'd be amazed at the reef species you'll see in the estuaries as juveniles, French, Gray, and Queen Angels, etc.), but is VERY buggy.

AMIFL · #17 11/08/2007, 09:12 PM

Are there day trips from Curacao to Bonaire?

sasscuba · #18 11/09/2007, 04:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by AMIFL
Are there day trips from Curacao to Bonaire?

Only by flying. Islands are too far apart.

lgoins · #19 11/09/2007, 10:26 AM

Snorkeling is good in Aruba, not amazing, but definitely good.

ledford1 · #20 11/09/2007, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sasscuba
Only by flying. Islands are too far apart.

We looked into that on our vacation to Curacao. It was bit more than we wanted to pay, and we were pretty busy exploring Curacao anyway. We stayed just north of Bullen Bay and spent most of our time on that side of the island, but we also took a few days to check out Willemstad and a couple of beaches on the south part of the island. We really enjoyed the snorkeling. I'd like to try Bonaire, but I don't have any ambition to see Aruba.

I also like the location - south of the hurricane belt. When planning our Curacao trip, we first sought a travel planner, but she kept pushing us to go to the Dominican Republic, so we just did the planning ourselves. And sure enough, while we were in Curacao, a hurricane laid into the DR. We also learned a lesson there. One day, with that hurricane well north of us, it created a calm in the waters. My wife and I thought it looked great, the best visibility during our time there. We stayed in the water for about 20 seconds. We couldn't see them until we were in the water, but when it's as calm as it was that day, the jellies come to the shore. And they hurt.

Curacao is very friendly, but customer service there is far different. People say France is bad, but I think Curacao could be worse. On those hot days, I like to have a lot to drink (not in the alcohol sense), but waitresses can be hard to come by and the servings are much smaller than the inflated sizes we're used to in the US. Jaanchies was my favorite place to eat - it's very good. I tried the iguana while I was there - reminds me of pot roast.