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Tuesday 11 February 2025 LOCAL
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Aruba’s most family-friendly beaches

(Oranjestad)—One of the like a parking lot, sun tent kids to safely play.
biggest concerns that par- rentals, chairs, bathrooms
ents have when travelling and a snack bar right at Eagle Beach/Palm Beach
with their children is a guar- the far left of the beach. in the hotel area
antee of their safety and Yet another highly popular
healthy enjoyment. There- Mangel Halto in Pos Chiq- beach site, Eagle Beach
fore, we thought it would uito and Palm Beach is where
be a great help to travel- Mangel Halto is situated most of our visitors go to
ling parents to list off some in the back streets of the tan, swim or play in the
the most family-friendly Pos Chiquito city. Though white sand. Because they

beaches around the island. there are several stairs on are near the low-rise and
the sides of the beach cliff high-rise hotel areas, these
Baby Beach in San Nicolas leading you down, the best beaches are the most ac- beach near the Malmok
Baby Beach is one Aruba’s spot for families to hang cessible for visitors on foot. beach area further down Palm Island
most popular and visited out is across the bridge, These beaches also offer the hotel areas. Though it Ok, this one is technically
beaches, and for good rea- passed the mangrove trees many palapas free to use, may not be a very sandy not a beach, but a must-
son: This sandy and quiet near the entrance sign. but you can also rent chairs beach, it is relatively quiet visit attraction for family fun.
lagoon is a great place for Here, there are small and and tents. Much like Baby and tranquil. This is a great This small water park oasis is
parents to sit back and re- big palapas, perfect for Beach, these sites are one place for family to lay down located further down the
lax while their children play big and small families to of the best beaches for a big blanket and have a Mangel Halto Beach and
in the shallow shores of the set up their belongings. In your children to play and little picnic. This is also one is reachable by boat. This
beach. Beside the relaxing this area, the shore is also build sand castles. of the best places to snor- water park offers 6 hours of
atmosphere, there are also shallow, falling right around kel, as this area is filled with fun activities, food, drinks,
several services that may your knee before slowly Boca Catalina in Malmok little fish and corals, even and a chance to see pink
accommodate your stay, getting deeper: perfect for Boca Catalina is a small bay close to the shore. flamingoes up close!q

Today is going to be a good day

Here’s why: Aruba Today collected some
things to do BEYOND the beach. Yes, we know.
Aruba, located 15 miles north of Venezuela in
the warm waters of the southern Caribbean, is
home to beautiful white-sand beaches, 82-de-
gree days, and thus ideal for the perfect beach
day. But we are also blessed with some of the
warmest people in the world and our island is
19.6 miles long and 6 miles across, with a to-
tal area of 70 square miles. Bit more to discover not to miss out on. The beautiful beach with the
than the white stretch on the coastline we say. The Lighthouse natural mangroves is simply a beauty, but if you
Let’s mention some of these hidden gems. No, you would not think of this as a hidden gem. are into a more active way to enjoy the nature:
The California Lighthouse is actually one of the take a kayak. While you are doing some work-
Nature Calls most known highlights in Aruba and many re- out -as it might get a little windy and rough-,
The Arikok National park is worth the ride. We peated guests most probably took the ride up- you will see the island from a different perspec-
love the hikes that are guided by the park’s hill already. But, there is a significant change to tive. You can even make a stop to do some
rangers whose job is to maintain trails and pro- this tower. Since September 2016 you can climb snorkeling at the reef. Its fun, it’s healthy and for
tect natural resources. The flora and fauna are the top. In 2015 StichtingMonumentenfonds sure something else. There are several compa-
beautiful and the historical sites tell you about started the restoration of the California Light- nies that offer kayak tours, we had good expe-
the island’s indigenous roots. The guided tours house. The project finished in September 2016 rience with The Shack Kayak Tours Aruba, find
are even free of charge. If you are not up to and the Lighthouse is now open for visitors to them on Facebook.q
walking, you can drive through the park, one enjoy the beautiful view from the top. The con-
way or another this park is a great place to struction of the California Lighthouse started in
spend an entire day. Cruising through the land- 1915. The name ‘California’ came from a vessel
scape you end up at some of the most stunning of the West India Company and Pacific Steam-
beaches like Dos Playa or Daimara Beach. In ship Co. called ‘California’ that shipwrecked in
Total the park consists of 7907 acres protected the area in 1891. Therefore they came up with
nature with a richness of animals living in it. The the idea of building a lighthouse that could in-
Aruban whiptail lizard (cododo), Aruban cat dicate the island’s eastern tip to ships with its
eye snake (santanero) and endangered rattle light. www.arubalighthouse.com will give you
snake (cascabel) are just some of them, you more information.
can also admire these close in the park’s Visi-
tors’ Center. For more information, visit the web- Kayak in the Mangroves
site www.arubanationalpark.org MangelHalto at Savaneta is definitely a place