Aruba is honestly one of the most beautiful islands I've been to so far. From the villa, food, views, and more this place is for sure a gem. When first planning my 25th birthday trip, I knew I HAD to be on an island. At first, figuring out a destination was hard because September is hurricane season but I was so happy to find that Aruba hurricane season occurs at a different time. The weather during our time there ended up being great! My travel guide to Aruba for sure will tell you everything you need to know.
Aruba Ocean Villas
When figuring out the place to stay while in Aruba I knew I wanted something nice and I came across this beautiful resort called Aruba Ocean Villas. What I liked about this place was that it wasn't located near any other resort/lodging area, it was in a neighborhood in Savaneta which
made us feel more grounded to the island culture. We stayed in the Sunset Villa which is a fully equipped ocean front villa for 8 adults. This was perfect for my party because honestly, we could have stayed in the villa the whole trip if we wanted to because we had the beach in our backyard, literally. Joy works for company and she had helped me plan my whole stay there. She was such a great help. We had a private chef, dinner and brunch on the beach, driver take us into town, and more getting in contact with the staff was never an issue. I would stay in here again hands down!
The Island
Fun Fact: Did you know it takes about 45 minutes to drive the island entirely? Aruba is a really small island packed with so much culture and things to do. We went over to Palm Beach one night and lived like the rest of the tourists! That area is where a lot of resorts and nightlife was at so we went to a couple hip hop clubs to kick it. Gusto Nightclub and South Beach Aruba were some cool spots we had nice time at. Another day we spent in Oranjestad, which is the capital of Aruba. This is where a lot of entertainment such as shopping, beaches, and dining. We had some great drinks at a places called Hoya in that area right next to Renaissance Mall and spent some time at Eagle Beach which was beautiful. The ocean was so clean and blue. We didn't end up doing a lot of excursions since we had the beach in our backyard. Although we enjoyed a lot of our time at the villa, a to-do's on my list that you guys should do is go to Flamingo Beach which is located at the Renaissance Island.
The Food
I've traveled to a lot of places and Aruba hands down has some of the best food I ever had. I swear I did not have one bad meal out there. On our first day, we found a small shack near our
villa called the Flying Fishbone and the food was really good! I will warn you that the food prices in Aruba are similar to US prices but it was worth it. We had a private chef named Jeff who our absolute favorite! He made us a 4-course meal at the villa one night and breakfast/dinner on the beachfront another. The restaurant at our resort was called The Old Man and the Sea and it was 10/10! For my US pals: the Hooters located in Palm Beach was the best Hooters I ever had. If you love hot sauce or a good cultural souvenir I recommend grabbing a bottle of the papaya hot sauce from Aruba, we put it on almost all our food down there it is a MUST.
My first time in Aruba was amazing and I would 100% go back. The people there were very welcoming (except some irritated drivers) and it was super peaceful but fun. Here's a small list of items you for sure need to bring:
'
Passport
Negative COVID test
Extra Cash
Sandals
Swimwear
Sunscreen
Aruba is for sure a great beach destination for any traveler needing time away.