Travel Guide: Aruba - Pandemic Edition
Yep, I did it AGAIN. Traveled in the middle of a pandemic when most countries are not letting Americans into their country unless you follow the safety guidelines. Here you can find the travel requirements for Aruba and the itinerary.
As you may or may not know from following me on Instagram, my trips are not “chill”. My friends and I get up and go, literally every trip. Aruba we did a lot and we had fun doing everything. So while my post are lengthy I hope it is helpful for you when you travel.
Personally, Aruba is my favorite island in the Caribbean that I been to thus far. It is “One Happy Island” and the truth is in its name. This was my second time visiting the island and will not be my last, God willing. The people are super nice and friendly. The island is only 21 miles in length so it is very easy to get around. Aruba does not have hurricane season so you can go anytime of the year. The beaches are beautiful and the food is delicious.
Travel Guidelines. Let’s get to this first. In order to travel to Aruba you MUST take a COVID test 72 hours before your departure. If you are unable to take a COVID test you can take it upon arrival to Aruba. I believe the cost to take the test in Aruba is 75 USD. However, the important thing to note is that you WILL HAVE to quarantine until they give you your results which I heard can be anywhere from 2 hours to 24 hours. You also have to pay an insurance fee of 15 USD per day. I am assuming in the event you get sick in Aruba. Aruba has only four hospitals on the entire island. In the event you that you are able to take your test before you leave you will have to upload your results to Aruba’s website (https://edcardaruba.aw/) and fill out a questionnaire. Once you upload your results to the website they will send you a email with a QR barcode that you will need to check into your flight and again when you arrive to Aruba. Aruba IS NOT accepting Rapid Testing COVID results. Initially, when the country first open they were accepting rapid test but now they are absolutely NOT. I personally took the PCR test before I went to Aruba and uploaded my results to the website. Upon arrival to Aruba, if you took your test you will have to show you test results and your temperature will be taken before you can leave the airport. If you are unable to take the test before you leave, you will be tested and required to quarantine until the results comeback. I cannot speak to how strict they are and if they are keeping tabs on you while you are quarantined but apparently if you’re in a resort they will require you to quarantine.
There is a list of test that Aruba will accept and other travel FAQs you can find here:(https://www.visitaruba.com/traveling-to-aruba/entry-requirements-and-visas/aruba-travel-restrictions-covid-19/).
Accommodations. We went to Aruba for five days. The first night, two of my friends and I arrived and checked into the Renaissance Aruba Resort and Casino for one night because the remainder of the group arrived the next day. Once the remainder of the group arrived the next day we checked into Merlot Villas. Merlot Villas is a gated community of about 6-8 houses. Our house was 6 bedrooms with an additional separate house area that was an entire bedroom and bathroom. Aruba is a small island that spans only 21 miles which is slightly bigger than Manhattan. You can get across the island in a little more than an hour maybe less. So our villa was easy access to everything because everything is easy to get to on the island.
Getting Around. For the duration of our trip we had two drivers. Right now, they do not allow more than 5 people in one vehicle including your driver. Everyday we had the same drivers taking us whatever we wanted to go. If you are planning to go to Aruba, I would personally suggest renting a car. Aruba is a small island and as I said before it is very easy to get around. The roads are not bad like some other islands in the Caribbean. We would have saved a lot of money on cabs if did rent a car.
Restaurants. Barefoot Restaurant - A beachfront restaurant near the airport. The restaurant has a mix of fish, meat and vegetarian meals. The best time to go would be during the sunset. We attended a little after the sunset so we missed it but the restaurant is gorgeous at night too with the candlelight on the beach.The restaurant is reasonably priced for food and drinks. To go during the pandemic be sure to make reservations. You must make reservations the day before you plan on going to the restaurant.
Zeerover Restaurant
Zeerover - We went here for lunch after we did the Catamaran Boat Tour. YOU MUST GO HERE! This place is easily the best meal we had the entire trip and the best fried fish I have personally ever had. The restaurant is a little further out because it is a local favorite and people that frequent Aruba for vacation probably also know about this place. It is situated right on the water for a nice ocean view. The menu is small but very might in taste. The restaurant goes fishing daily to get fresh fish. The restaurant is super casual and does not require a reservation. The food is made to order so their will be a little wait of like 15-20 minutes but the wait is totally worth it. I had the red snapper with shrimp, pickled onions, plantains, and french fries all for 30 USD bucks. Be sure to get the freshly made tartar sauce and also use there papaya mango hot sauce to set it off. The flavors of everything together is MAGIC. I wish I could have this meal right now it was so good.
Wacky Wahoo - This is a casual dining experience that does not require a reservation. There is indoor and outdoor seating. The restaurant has fish and steak options with great appetizers as well. The food was definitely delicious here and the service was good. I would definitely recommend this place as a food option while in Aruba.
Cafe The Plaza - We went here for breakfast a couple days. The restaurant has a few breakfast options also lunch options as well. The breakfast was typical American breakfast that I had. If you would like a cheap daily breakfast restaurant this is definitely one. There is also a restaurant right next to the Cafe The Plaza called Dutch Pancake House which is also very popular breakfast spot. We did not get a chance to go because it was so packed each day we tried to go.
Flying Fishbone
Flying Fishbone - This is a very popular restaurant in Aruba for their beach dining experience. There is an area in the restaurant where the dining chairs are on the beach where the water hit your feet and legs. Due to the popularity of this restaurant it is best to make reservations before you even leave for your trip especially if you’d like seating in the water because those seats go quickly. The restaurant ambiance is gorgeous. We were able to go here during sunset which was really gorgeous and what I’d personally recommend. The restaurant is definitely on the pricier side compare to all the other restaurants I mentioned. The food was just mediocre to me personally. I probably would pass on going back here because I believe there are better restaurants on the island food wise.
Excursions/Exploring. As a disclaimer, we booked all the tours and excursions except the jet skis before we left for Aruba. I do recommend this for two reasons; (1) budget control and (2) convenience. You can book your excursions and exploring when you get there but doing it a head of time is one less thing to worry about.
Flaming Beach Private Island - This is SUPER popular attraction for tourist. A few notables that you should not overlook I am going to mention. Flamingo Beach Private Island is just that private. We stayed as guest at the Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino so we had the ability to book reservations on the beach as priority. If you do not stay at the hotel is it hard to get access to the beach. You either have to have a day pass, which they only give out a limit amount per day, or line up around 6am to have the ability to access the beach last minute and still pay a fee. In order to do the day pass to get onto the beach it is 125 USD. That does not include anything at all. That simply gives you access to the beach and that is it. There is a bar and restaurant that you are able to order from throughout the day. My friends and I did the private cabana that is offered. We reserved the cabana two or three weeks before we left for the trip after we confirmed our hotel reservations at the Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino. The cabana is 145 USD which includes the cabana, a lounge area in the cabana, Voss Waters, a bottle of champagne, fresh assorted fruits and nuts, floaty beds to use in the water, and snorkel gear. We did order additional drinks and food at a separate cost. We also had a beats pill where we were able to play music at a reasonable volume the duration of the day. The flamingos are out all day until 5pm when the beach area closes. You can feed the flamingos and take pictures with them. Again, my friends and I are the kind of people who like experiences and the best of what we can get at what we can afford. We had an amazing day to simply put it. I personally felt like it was well worth the day we had at Flamingo Beach.
Catamaran Boat Tour - This boat tour was from 12:30p to 4:30p which was the time we picked ourselves. They did have other time slot options available. It was 55 USD. On the boat tour it makes two stops. First stop is an old shipwreck that you can snorkel down to see and the second stop is for snorkeling where you can see one of the largest reefs in Aruba. There is unlimited alcohol provided on the duration of the boat ride as well as a light lunch.
Eagle Beach - This beach is one of the most popular beaches in Aruba. The sand is white and the ocean is so clear and blue. At Eagle Beach, we did jet skis. The jet skis were 65 USD for one person and 75 USD for two people for thirty minutes but we talked them into additional 10 minutes. We purchased beach chairs for 10 USD. While we were here, there is a small resort across the street that provides food and drink services throughout the entire day. As I said this was the only excursion we did not book before we arrived in Aruba. Booking the jet skis was simple we just asked our driver and he recommended someone he knew to us but there are also a bunch of jet ski stands on the beach as well.
Natural Pool ATV Tour - This is another popular attraction to do while in Aruba. This tour was 60 USD. We started the tour at 8am. Driving service to and from the excursion was included in the price. The tour takes off on the North Coast of Aruba. You will be able to see the scenic view of Arikok National Park. We stopped at the Natural Pool where you are able to go for a swim for about 20-30 minutes. The other sites include The Natural Bridge, California Lighthouse, and Three Step Beach/Tres Trapi. This excursion was about 4.5 hours long.
There you have it, our happy travels to One Happy Island. If you have any questions feel free to leave comment.
Happy Traveling! :)
