Page 10 - AHATA

a8 local
Monday 1 SepteMber 2025

Beaches for the whole family to enjoy!

(Oranjestad)—One of the and tents. Much like Baby
biggest concerns that par- Beach, these sites are one
ents have when traveling of the best beaches for
with their children is a guar- your children to play and
antee of their safety and build sand castles.
healthy enjoyment. There-
fore, we thought it would Boca Catalina in Malmok
be a great help to travel- Boca Catalina is a small bay
ing parents to list off some beach near the Malmok
the most family-friendly beach area further down
beaches around the island. the hotel areas. Though it
may not be a very sandy
Baby Beach in San Nicolas beach, it is relatively quiet
Baby Beach is one Aruba’s and tranquil. This is a great
most popular and visited place for family to lay down
beaches, and for good rea- a big blanket and have a
son: This sandy and quiet little picnic. This is also one
lagoon is a great place for of the best places to snor-
parents to sit back and re- kel, as this area is filled with
lax while their children play little fish and corals, even
in the shallow shores of the close to the shore.
beach. Beside the relaxing
atmosphere, there are also Palm Island
several services that may Pos Chiquito city. Though set up their belongings. In and Palm Beach is where Ok, this one is technically
accommodate your stay, there are several stairs on this area, the shore is also most of our visitors go to not a beach, but a must-
like a parking lot, sun tent the sides of the beach cliff shallow, falling right around tan, swim or play in the visit attraction for family fun.
rentals, chairs, bathrooms leading you down, the best your knee before slowly white sand. Because they This small water park oasis is
and a snack bar right at spot for families to hang getting deeper: perfect for are near the low-rise and located further down the
the far left of the beach. out is across the bridge, kids to safely play. high-rise hotel areas, these Mangel Halto Beach and
passed the mangrove trees beaches are the most ac- is reachable by boat. This
Mangel Halto in Pos Chiq- near the entrance sign. Eagle Beach/Palm Beach cessible for visitors on foot. water park offers 6 hours of
uito Here, there are small and in the hotel area These beaches also offer fun activities, food, drinks,
Mangel Halto is situated big palapas, perfect for Yet another highly popular many palapas free to use, and a chance to see pink
in the back streets of the big and small families to beach sites, Eagle Beach but you can also rent chairs flamingos up close!q

Adriaan Laclé: One of Aruba’s richest men in the twentieth century

(Oranjestad)—The name Adriaan Laclé may er, and owned several plots of land. In fact, he
ring a bell to locals as one of the bigger roads commissioned the construction of the famous
on the island, but about a century ago, Adriaan La Quinta Carmen manor—now a restaurant.
Laclé was a rich businessman, well-known for Though he himself never lived in the beautiful
his generosity, wealth, and taste. manor, his own house also reflected his success
and good taste. Today his house still stands in
Adriaan was born in 1866 and was the eldest of good condition and can be found in the back
six children. Not much is known about his child- streets of main street Oranjestad.
hood upbringing or any of his earlier business
ordeals, but during his hay day he often helped Regarding his personal life, it has been said that
people get loans, was a well-established trad- he was married twice during his lifetime. He had
his first daughter during his first marriage but lost
his wife soon after her birth. During his second
marriage, he fathered 16 children. However, it
has been said that only 11 of those 17 made it
past 18 years of age. Perhaps two of his most
well-known daughters are Maria Monica Laclé
and Maria Veneranda Laclé, who went on to
marry successful brothers Eloy Arends and Maxi-
milian Arends, respectively. Their houses are still road to them—though currently under renova-
standing; Eloy and Maria Monica’s mansion tion after years left in ruin.q
functions as a townhall, used to host civil mar-
riages, while Maximilian and Maria Veneran- Source: De Kolibrie op de Rots (en meer over de ge-
da’s house stands on the opposite side of the schiedenis van Aruba) by Evert Bongers.