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a4 local
Friday 24 January 2025
Ayo & Casibari: Aruba’s famous rock formations

Aruban backyard. The Ayo
is usually quiet, as it is situated
farther away from the busier
parts of the island. However,
this is just another charm of
the site: the quiet area and
the refreshing breeze offer a
sense of comfort and peace.

Casibari
Probably the busier rock for-
mation site, the Casibari is sional tour guide, there are you see along the way!
situated more in the center no guides at the sites to help
of the island, much closer— you climb the rock. So, do be *Mondi: what we call our
and more accessible—to careful when trudging on the Aruban wilderness. We don’t
the general public. Just like boulders, and make sure to have forests, or deserts, but
Ayo, Casibari is a fenced befriend any roaming goats we do have mondi! q
area containing several
boulders that lay on top or
lean on each other. The best Prohibited by law: leaving
aspect of the Casibari Rock
Formation is the accompa- the island with seashells,
(Oranjestad)—The Ayo and Stone Beach, and close to nying view when you climb
Casibari Rock Formations are the Natural Bridge. The Ayo is up the top of the round, flat white sand or corals
known locally as one of the a fenced terrain that consists bolder. For this position, you
crucial sites to have in your of several giant boulders, rest- can see the majority of the
“off-road” trip itinerary. These ing neatly on top of or side by island and the ocean in the
naturally formed rock forma- side each other, adding gor- south. Right in front of the
tions as just one of the few geous natural architecture entrance, there is the Casi-
places on the island that hold to the surrounding “mondi”*. bari Café and Grill, a great
a rich history of our culture This is also one of the few place to get refreshments
and of our ancestors. sites to contain prehistoric and snack before continu-
markings of our indigenous ing your off-road adventure!
Ayo ancestors. The Ayo Rock for-
The Ayo Rock Formation is mation contains stairs that Both sites are open free to
located in the northern part lead you to the top of the the public, 24 hours a day.
of the island, right on the road highest boulder, offering a However, unless you are
that leads you to the Black breath-taking view of the taking a trip with a profes-

(Oranjestad)—Often times, a fine that they have to
the customs department at pay before leaving. This is
the airport intercepts many surely not a pleasant ex-
tourists leaving the island perience for the tourist. This
with seashells, white sand also leads to a negative re-
and/or corals as souvenirs. action which can put our
tourism in a negative light.
Conforming to the inter- Though we love to accom-
national treaty of CITES modate our visitors, let’s all
and our local law which give nature the respect it
protects our Flora & Fau- deserves by protecting our
na, it is absolutely prohib- environment. Stop collect-
ited to take any seashell, ing seashells, white sand
sand and coral outside and corals from our shores
of Aruba. This is to protect and stop buying or ac-
our environment. The high cepting these from local
number of seashells, coral sellers or companies.
and amount of sand con-
fiscated is very strange and We want our future gener-
it is suspected that our own ations and visitors to enjoy
locals are the ones selling the beauty of our beach-
these to the tourists, which es, shells and corals in a
is unacceptable. sustainable way, without
destroying or disrupting the
Upon confiscation at the Aruban ecosystem. Help us
airport, you can also face protect what is ours!q