Bon bini! I took a mini vacation over the fourth of July holiday, because why not? Destination: Aruba. Scroll on to see “one happy island” for yourself!
Day One- I arrived in Aruba in the late evening of June 30th, so I saved my explorations for the next morning. I woke early, grabbed breakfast, and walked along Palm Beach and Eagle Beach, breathing in the fresh air.
With a cool breeze, white sand, and blue waters, it was hard to believe I was in such a beautiful place!
Later that afternoon, I climbed Hooiberg Lookout for a view of the entire island:
(Definitely want to bring lots of water with you for this one! Speaking of which, Aruba has the cleanest/most pure drinking water.)
Since I was only staying on the island for a short period of time, I was determined to see and do as much as possible. After the hike and exploring downtown, however, I was beat! I headed back to my hotel to relax with my newly arrived book, and watched boats come in to shore.
Boat coming in at sunset.
Day Two- To see most of the island as possible, I booked a jeep tour. This covered most of the eastern side of the island, from the northernmost point all the way to Baby Beach. We also explored:
- Bushiribana Gold Mills Ruins
- Ayo Rock Formation
- Hidden caves
- Arikok National Park
My all-time favorite spots were the natural bridges and pools that we stopped at.
Natural bridge, above, and natural pools, below.
More sights: Alto Vista Chapel, a donkey befriending us, and the California Lighthouse.
After a long day, I needed to refuel. I love being close to the ocean, so I chose to have a delicious seafood dinner on the pier.
Day Three- Beach day! Soaked up the sun, chased lizards (which are everywhere!), and drank fresh fruit smoothies. And no, I can’t take credit for that sand sculpture.
On my last night, I was dazzled yet again at sunset:
The island of Aruba is small, but I was only just beginning to uncover the heart of it. I talked to as many locals as I could, learning about the language (Papiamento, but most Arubans can speak four or five languages), their lifestyle, and how tourism makes up the majority of their economy. The country may be a popular destination for couples and families, but I still enjoyed myself and was grateful to be able to relax and take in the beautiful sights.
Even before I got on my flight home, I knew I wanted to come visit again.
The only good thing about leaving is this incredible view!
Catch ya on the flip side,
from this side of the sun 
Pingback: How I Travel | from this side of the sun