Page 11 - AHATA

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LOCAL Monday 15 January 2024

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 beach site, Eagle Beach
fore, we thought it would Chiquito 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

Enjoy one of the best views on Aruba at the top of the Hooiberg Hill

(Oranjestad)—If you are a regular hiker, or
maybe want to spice up your morning work out
session, then you might enjoy one of the most
popular climbing sites on the island: The Hooi-
berg Hill. Accompanied with a 600-step stair-
case, this hill overlooks a great part of the is-
land, the Caribbean sea, and sometimes even
the Santa Anna mountain located in the coastal
state of Falcon in Venezuela, providing one of
the best views you can get on Aruba.

located at the center district of the island, San-
ta Cruz, the Hooiberg Hill is the second highest
point on the island at 165 meters above sea
level (or about 540 feet above sea level). The
highest point is Jamanota Hill at 189 meters (620
feet), located in the Arikok National Park.
The staircase that run on the side of the hill was
first built in 1951, when Mr. Eduardo Tromp con-
structed it. At that time, the staircase consisted
of 900 steps. Over time, as the steps faced ero-
sion, the government decided to renovate
these stairs in 1991. This new project delivered
the newer staircase with only 587 steps. Howev-
er, don’t be fooled—it may still be a work out to
get on top. In addition, there is now a gazebo
placed halfway up the stair for a little rest. The
view at this resting stop is also a sight to see.
The best time to climb the hill would be early in
the morning or right before sunset, as it may not
be as hot. However, the hill is of course open all
day, every day.q