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LOCAL Thursday 14 sepTember 2023

Ayo & Casibari: Aruba’s famous rock formations

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