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local Tuesday 15 augusT 2023
Ayo & Casibari: Aruba’s famous rock formations

The Ayo Rock Formation
busier parts of the island. the Casibari Rock Forma-
However, this is just anoth- tion is the accompanying
er charm of the site: the view when you climb up
quiet area and the refresh- the top of the round, flat
ing breeze offer a sense of bolder. For this position, you
comfort and peace. can see the majority of the
island and the ocean in the
Casibari south. Right in front of the
Probably the busier rock entrance, there is the Casi-
formation site, the Casi- bari Café and Grill, a great
bari is situated more in the place to get refreshments
The Ayo Rock Formation center of the island, much and snack before continu-
(Oranjestad)—The Ayo and other, adding gorgeous mation contains stairs that closer—and more acces- ing your off-road adven-
Casibari Rock Formations natural architecture to the lead you to the top of the sible—to the general pub- ture!
are known locally as one surrounding “mondi”*. This highest boulder, offering a lic. Just like Ayo, Casibari
of the crucial sites to have is also one of the few sites breath-taking view of the is a fenced area contain- Both sites are open free to
in your “off-road” trip itiner- to contain prehistoric mark- Aruban backyard. The Ayo ing several boulders that the public, 24 hours a day.
ary. These naturally formed ings of our indigenous an- is usually quiet, as it is situ- lay on top or lean on each However, unless you are
rock formations as just one cestors. The Ayo Rock for- ated farther away from the other. The best aspect of taking a trip with a profes-
of the few places on the is- sional tour guide, there are
land that hold a rich history no guides at the sites to
of our culture and of our help you climb the rock.
ancestors. So, do be careful when
trudging on the boulders,
Ayo and make sure to befriend
The Ayo Rock Formation any roaming goats you see
is located in the northern along the way!
part of the island, right on
the road that leads you to *Mondi: what we call our
the Black Stone Beach, and Aruban wilderness. We
close to the Natural Bridge. don’t have forests, or des-
The Ayo is a fenced terrain erts, but we do have mon-
that consists of several giant di! q
boulders, resting neatly on
top of or side by side each The Casibari Rock Formation

Helpful tips for your stay on Aruba

(Oranjestad)—When traveling to another coun- Electrical power though, most supermarkets are open from 8am
try, especially for the first time, it is always better Aruba generally operates on 110V to 127V sup- to 9 or 10pm, Monday through Saturday. On
to be over-prepared than under-prepared. That ply voltage and 60Hz. There are also three types Sundays, supermarkets generally close earlier;
is why we have a list of basic—but important— of outlets used on the island: type A with two flat mostly around 2pm.
information that we think may come in handy to prongs; type B with two flat and one grounding
Aruba’s visitors. prong, and on occasion, type F with two round Taxis
prong and two earth clips on the side. However, Prices for taxi fair are set by the Department
Emergency services Type A is most commonly found in homes and of Public Traffic and are based on destination
Even though most people don’t even want to establishments. rather than mileage. Most taxis can take up to
think about having to contact emergency ser- five passengers, but this may vary depending
vices—especially not while on their vacation, it Drinking water on the vehicle. Taxis are pretty much always
is still important to know what number to dial in The water that flows through the sinks of every available and you can ever hire one for $45 an
case of the unlikely event of an accident or se- house, hotels and other establishments is dis- hour.
vere incident. tilled and perfectly safe to drink. Aruba’s drink-
ing water exceeds WHO’s international stan- Safety
Police: 100 dards for water quality, so there is no need to Aruba is one of the safest islands in the Carib-
Police Tipline: 11141 buy bottled water from the store. bean, and many tourist that visit have often told
Ambulance: 911 us how they feel safe to explore the island or
Fire Dept: 115 Supermarket hours walk around at night. However, rare incidents
Oranjestad: HOH hospital: +297-527-4000 Supermarket hours may vary depending on do occurs, so keep yourself and your belong-
San Nicolas: ImSan: +297-527-8833 where you are staying on the island. Generally ings safe.q