Aruba: the Happy Island

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You’ve heard of Destination Weddings…. well why not Destination Birthdays? And for mine, I chose Aruba ‘the happy island’!

We were first welcomed at the airport with a tote bag full of activities and coupons. We met amazing and friendly locals knowledgeable in the history of their country. From cab drivers to street vendors almost everyone we encountered spoke four languages: English, Papiamento (their native tongue), Dutch, and Spanish.

Needless to say the inviting atmosphere and people of the island made us feel right at home. It was more than the relaxing and renewing vacation we were hoping for.

It was truly a pleasure to experience the island first hand with http://abc-aruba.com. We booked <em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the Baby Beach Package (roughly $80 per person) and it was worth it! The package included: hotel pick up and drop off, a hot lunch, and snorkeling gear.

Now of course, the best part: the tour- we actually got to drive our very own Safari Jeep! Open air canopy and tiger stripes painted on the doors, we felt very adventurous!



First stop- Ostrich farms: Our tour guide was an interesting fellow with a far more interesting pet- a baby goat! He tailed his owner around as the group followed suit. We were able see 2 month old ostriches bigger than your average dog, learn about these impressive and massive birds …and feed them. Yes, we fed adult ostriches! Quite the experience.



Second stop- Gold Mill Ruins: We were able to visit these iconic Ruins and the Wish Garden. The story is that a long time ago fishermen would mark a spot on the beach where they often caught the best fish by stacking rocks on top of each other. As tourism become more popular in the island… visitors found the rock stacking sweet and imitated the stacks, now it’s known as the wish garden. The Ruins of the Gold Mill are in quite intact, and you can climb them at your own risk of course.



Third stop- California Light House: The lighthouse is located on the north most point of the island and one of their most famous historical landmarks. It was named after a ship that sank off the coast of the lighthouse. Oh the irony! During my visit it was under restoration.



Fourth stop- Baby Beach: The grand finale to our tour. Here is where the snorkeling gear comes in handy. And trust me, you’ll want to use it. The waters are so turquoise they look like liquefied gems, poke your head in the water to reveal an entire different world. There were dozens of colorful fish swimming freely around you.



The trip was a great success- we explored the island, which is 19 miles long and 6 miles wide! It takes no more than a hour to get from the north most point to the south most point of the island! From the adventure buffs to the tranquil escapees, Aruba is the place for you.





If you have any questions about Aruba, feel free to comment below!

Stay tuned for more Tips and Suggestions throughout my adventures... if I wander it, I'll write it!



Safe Travels!

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