ARUBA - by Louise Gorbatov

17 October 2023

ARUBA - by Louise Gorbatov

In March 2023 British Airways launched their first twice weekly direct flight to Aruba (with a short touchdown in Antigua). In October I was lucky enough to be invited by the Aruba Tourist Board to experience all of what the Dutch Caribbean Island has to offer. 
Also known as ‘The Happy Island’ o   ne of the islands greatest assets is it’s people , whose warm welcoming smiles greet visitors at every turn. Another advantage being it’s location sitting outside of the hurricane belt it can be enjoyed all year round. It felt extremely safe, I would recommend hiring a car on arrival to experience all that the small yet vast 20 mile long and 6 mile wide island has to offer. 

Eagle Beach has been rated one of the best beaches in the Caribbean boasting the widest beach in Aruba – showcasing clear, sparking turquoise waters, soft white sand and the islands renowned signature Fofoti Trees. For accommodation, there is something for everyone; from the authentic boutique Boardwalk Hotel which is situated on a former coconut plantation to the grand Renaissance Wind Creek Aruba Resort in the heart of the capital Oranjestad, offering everything from a casino to complimentary access to it’s own private island. 20% of the island comprises of Arikok National Park which we were lucky enough to experience a Jeep Safari through. We were picked us up from our hotel for a thrilling two hour drive through the park stopping at Quadiriki Cave and Fontein Cave , as well as excellent views of Boca Prins. To see Aruba from a different perspective and for those into their marine life head to De Palm Pier for a Catamaran snorkelling cruise. On the afternoon tour we had two stops which were at the Antilla Shipwreck and Boca Catalina.

Good food is a big part of the Aruban culture, and it shows! For an unparalleled dining experience every trip to Aruba should include a meal at ‘Passions on the Beach’ , we enjoyed our final evening here which is perched on the award winning Eagle Beach, opposite Amsterdam Manor Hotel. Make sure you are here for sunset!

Fancy a visit to Aruba? How about combining it with another island, it would work really well as a twin-centre with Antigua, or perhaps one of the other Dutch Caribbean Islands, Bonaire or Curacao. There are also frequent direct flights to Aruba from Amsterdam, so a short flight from Norwich or Stansted with a connection in Amsterdam is also worth considering.

< Older Post

 Newer Post >

Recent Posts

ITALIAN TRILOGY - by Louise Gorbatov

17 April 2024
After a short early morning flight we arrived in Rome for the first of a 3 night Italian Trilogy with Kirker Holidays and the 5* Baglioni Hotels. We checked into the Regina Baglioni Hotel which is located just a short stroll from the Spanish Steps and Villa Borghese Gardens and easily accessible on foot to all the major landmarks. We started with a ‘light lunch’ (the Italians don’t do light!) then burnt off said lunch with a private walking tour of some of the major sights, to include the Colosseum, Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain.

CANADA – BRITISH COLUMBIA by Louise Gorbatov

9 December 2019
Day 1 Prestige Holidays invited me to Canada to join them to experience Vancouver and the not so well-known Okanagan Valley region of British Columbia. From Heathrow we boarded our direct British Airways flight to Vancouver. On arrival we were read full story The post CANADA – BRITISH COLUMBIA by Louise Gorbatov appeared first on Travel Stop.

THE QUEEN MARY 2 by Cheryl Locke

29 August 2019
The Queen Mary 2 and the Norwegian Fjords The Queen Mary 2 (QM2) is a beautiful ship and one which was a joy to sail on. I had a couple of minor reservations when booking this cruise on two counts read full story The post THE QUEEN MARY 2 by Cheryl Locke appeared first on Travel Stop.

SOUTH AFRICA by Hannah Moore

26 June 2019
South Africa – Western Cape I was lucky to recently travel to South Africa with African Pride to the Cape Town area. The trip started with an overnight flight on South African Airlines, on their new Airbus A330-300 aircraft. Business read full story The post SOUTH AFRICA by Hannah Moore appeared first on Travel Stop.

CHINA by Bridget Keevil

25 June 2019
We arrived into Shanghai at 07.45am after an eleven and a quarter hour direct flight from London Heathrow.  Having had to go to the China Visa Centre in London to give our fingerprints as part of obtaining the Chinese Visa, read full story The post CHINA by Bridget Keevil appeared first on Travel Stop.