Travel News

The Ultimate 5-Day Aruba Itinerary 2024

palm beach aruba

As I wrap up my second visit to Aruba I can’t help but feel amazed by how adventurous this island can be and by how much variety there is for such a small place. I got to see all kinds of landscape, have daily experiences that were all totally different, and get a tan in the process!

Many who visit Aruba are happy to lounge on a beach chair all day and don’t need much adventure to enjoy their vacay. While there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, I just can’t do it for long and need to be either walking on the beach, swimming, or doing something active.

If you’re like me, the following itinerary will get you out and exploring the adventurous and outdoorsy side of Aruba, with some beach time included, of course!

Day One: Go for a Swim, Check out the Lighthouse for Sunset

Aruba has tons of beaches – either long stretches of sand or hidden behind rocky coves and inlets. I stumbled upon them constantly during my exploration, though some are much friendlier for swimmers than others. The following are the best ones for snorkeling, swimming, and general chilling:

Palm Beach

Look at that water!

Palm Beach is the most touristy beach with high-rise hotels and lots of restaurants and water activities.  When you see the white sand and the clear baby blue water, it’s clear why. You can standup paddleboard, parasail, and of course swim. You’ll find people all along the sand offering activities, and most hotels also offer a free mask and snorkel.

Chances are you’ll be staying on either this beach or the next one, so check it out, especially at sunset.

Baby Beach

aruba things to doaruba things to do
Baby Beach – calm and serene

Baby Beach on the southern tip of the island is known for having great snorkeling and white sand. It also has fewer tourists than the beaches up north. I was a big fan of this one!

Eagle Beach

eagle beach arubaeagle beach aruba
Sunset at Eagle Beach

Eagle Beach is slightly less crowded than Palm Beach and is famous for its perfect white sand and baby blue water. It is west facing and therefore perfect for sunset. 

Tres Trapi

tres trapi arubatres trapi aruba
Three steps lead to clear, beautiful water

North of Palm Beach, you’ll find Malmok Beach and a few other great swimming and snorkeling spots. The picture above is at Tres Trapi, which are three stairs carved into the volcanic rock that lead to this lovely blue water. Many of the snorkeling tours stop here, so you can plan on seeing sea birds all around and fish under the water if you bring your mask and snorkel.

California Lighthouse

what to do in arubawhat to do in aruba
A great view over Aruba

In the…

Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Be My Travel Muse…