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LOCAL Saturday 19 auguSt 2023

Aruba Tourism Authority honor loyal visitors on the island

Recently, Ms. Marouska Heyliger Ms. Marouska Heyliger thanked
had the great pleasure to honor a them for choosing Aruba as their
loyal and friendly visitors of Aruba vacation destination and as their
as Goodwill Ambassadors at their home away from home for so many
home away from home. years together with the members
of Marriott Surf club.
The honorees are:
Richard and Janet Balentine from Top reason for returning provided
Pennsylvania by the honorees were:
Weather, friendly people, safety of
The symbolic honorary title is pre- the island and great restaurants.
sented on behalf of the Minister of
Tourism, as a token of apprecia- On behalf of the Aruba Tourism Au-
tion to the guests who visit Aruba thority, we would like to express our
between 10-20-35 and more con- sincere gratitude and appreciation
secutive years. to the honorees for always having
Aruba dear to their hearts.q

National Park Arikok: Aruba’s biggest nature conservation

The National Park Arikok the national park, a Least rocks from fossilized coral.
comprises almost 18 % of Tern (Sternula antillarum) The two tallest hills on the
the island. Its rugged ter- keeps a strict eye on a island are situated within
rain, desert-like hills filled very special event tak- the park. Jamanota hill 188
with tall cacti, breathtak- ing place below on the meters (617 ft) and Arikok
ing coastline and protect- beach: a majestic Leath- hill 176 meters (577 ft), from
ed local flora and fauna erback (Dermochelys co- which the name of the
welcome you to be ex- riacea) heads back to park is derived.
plored. There are numer- sea after laying her eggs, The line of the perma-
ous animals to discover, while another nest laid 2 nently wind-and-wave
for example the sea turtle months ago by the same beaten North Coast is
who lays his eggs on the female hatches—a very broken by several bays
park’s beaches. rare occurrence of day- (boca’s). Most of them are
time nesting and hatching. small yet impressive inlets
The national park Arikok Sea turtles prefer nesting in at the mouth of dry river-
takes you on a memora- the cool and dark hours of beds. Some of these bays
ble journey of the islands the night. And hatchlings (boca’s) are spectacular
past offering unique geo- usually wait for the cue of sights, adorned with white,
logical, cultural and his- cooling surface sand be- sandy beaches and sand
torical sites. These can all fore emerging. dunes, as is the case at
be enjoyed and explored of the island’s flora and Arikok National Park. Boca Prins and Dos Playa.
either on your own or dur- Nature Conservation fauna against a backdrop
ing guided tours. A wide The protected area of Na- of great geological com- The Landscape Arikok is also home to
variety of educational and tional Park Arikok was of- plexity. We are proud to There is a great geologi- Conchi, Aruba’s most im-
informative programs and ficially established in 2000. state that approximately cal variety within the park. portant natural attraction;
fun activities is available. Arikok National Park is a 18% of the total land area The main aspects are the also known as The Natu-
34 square kilometers (7907 of Aruba is assigned as a rough hills of the volcanic ral Pool. The journey to
Did you know that four of acres) of natural area, lo- National Park, to protect Aruba lava formation, the the Pool is and adventure
the in total seven species cated at the north-eastern and preserve the flora, mysterious rocks of the by itself and only possible
of sea turtle lay their eggs part of Aruba which con- fauna, geology and histori- batholithic quartz-diorite/ by foot, horse, ATV or 4×4
on Aruba's beaches? In tains examples of most cal remains present within tonalite, and the limestone vehicle.q