ArubaMay 21 - 27, 2025
Wow! I think Aruba might be my best Caribbean island stay to date. The island has consistent weather, delicious food, fascinating activities, and friendly people.
Things I Really Enjoyed
- Weather: Although the sun is intense, there is less humidity than other Caribbean destinations. I was able to cool off immediately when stepping into the shade. Furthermore, the constant wind is also great for staying cool.
- Off-Road Excursion: This was a fun excursion that showed us some of Aruba's natural wonders: caves, rock formations, the Natural Pool, and more.
- Art Tour: We did a walking tour of San Nicolaas where there are incredible murals everywhere you turn.
- Food: With the exception of the pool-side grills, the food at all the restaurants at which we dined was superb.
- E-bike ride: The Embassy Suites by Hilton Aruba Resort provided complimentary e-bikes (electronic bicycles) to its guests for two hours at a time. We used the bikes to do a leisurely ride one morning.
Things I Would Do Differently
- Explore the Area a Little More: At first, it seemed like our resort was not close to any shops or restaurants. It was not until our last day that I realized that we only needed to walk in the other direction to find the lively Palm Beach area that is full of shops, restaurants, and entertainment.
Traci and I traveled to Aruba for our Hampton University Alumni class trip. There were 34 of us. The women greatly outnumbered us seven guys who went on this trip. Our class leaders came up with this trip idea as a way to celebrate the milestone birthday year of our classmates since the milestone birthday celebrations five years ago were pretty much shut down by the COVID pandemic.
The class leaders worked with a travel agent who lives in Aruba to present us with a list of excursion options and group meal options. Despite the expensive prices, Traci and I signed up for all of the meals and all of the excursions except the catamaran excursion. We were responsible for booking our own air transportation. The travel agent offered a private transfer option between the airport and hotel, but it was pricey. Traci and I decided to book our own transfers with a shared shuttle service offered by a company called De Palm Tours. At the time, our total round-trip transfers cost came to $21 per person. This was cheaper than the $80 private transfer option offered by the travel agent. All in all, despite the high prices, travel agent fees, and the slow email responses of the travel agent, the itinerary was very nice and the group meals were delicious.
The class trip activities took place Thursday through Monday. Given this was during the Memorial Day weekend, Traci and I feared there would be crowds and inflated prices. Traci discovered that our airfare would be more than 50% cheaper if we arrived in Aruba a day early and left a day later. Of course, this meant two extra nights of lodging but the cheaper airfare made up for this. As for the crowds, this was not a problem until the end of the vacation. I noticed a sharp uptick in the number of tourists starting Monday (Memorial Day).
We flew the 8:15 AM United Airlines direct flight to Aruba from Washington Dulles Airport. That morning at the Dulles Airport was kind of a small reunion. While I was standing in the Bag Drop line, I ran into a former co-worker. We worked together more than 30 years ago on some projects when I lived in Pennsylvania. She was heading to Aruba on the same flight as us to meet her friend who had put together a different group vacation than the one we were doing.
The other reunion we had was my former classmate, Jeff. We both majored in electrical engineering at Hampton University over thirty years ago. I had only seen Jeff less than a handful of times since then. Traci and I had formed a group chat with Jeff and his wife Tiffany a few days before this trip to coordinate transportation, etc... That morning, we all met at the departure gate of our flight to Aruba. We were excited as we conversed and took pictures in preparation for our vacation.
I slept during most of the 4-hour flight to Aruba. Upon landing, getting through customs was easy. Afterwards, we quickly found the De Palm Tours representative for our transfer to the hotel. I thought Jeff and Tiffany had also reserved their transfer with De Palm Tours, but I found out that they never got around to making a reservation. However, they were lucky that day. They asked the representative if they could pay for a ride. The representative said no but then handed them tickets free of charge. The four of us went outside the airport and found the motorcoach that would take us to the hotel.
As expected, it was a hot day. Aruba's daytime temperature is consistently in the 80's Fahrenheit year-round. It is a windy island. It is also an arid island. You see a lot of cacti and other desert plants. Aruba is not in the hurricane zone and thus rarely get hit by one. Furthermore, the island does not receive much rain. This is why I was so surprised when we got a sudden downpour of rain just as we were boarding the bus to the hotel. The rain was done within 5 minutes.
The ride through Oranjestad, Aruba's capital city, brought back memories of a cruise stop we did here back in 2013. In fact, I saw two cruise ships docked there during our ride. The two-laned road through the city was clogged with traffic. The bus driver made stops at three other hotels before arriving at our hotel, Embassy Suites by Hilton Aruba Resort, which is situated a few miles north of Oranjestad.
There was a bellman there to help with luggage if needed. Traci and I each had a suitcase with wheels, so we did not need the services of the bellmen. They do not pressure you to use their services. Check-in was easy. There was no language barrier. Many Arubans speak four languages - Dutch, Papiamento (local Creole language), English, and Spanish.
The Embassy Suites by Hilton Aruba Resort opened in February 2023. Our suite consisted of a kitchenette, living room, bedroom, and bathroom. The bathroom had a shower but no tub. We had an ocean-view suite that overlooked the property's large swimming pool. We could see the ocean from our balcony. The ocean is across the street from the resort. The other great thing about our balcony was that we could see the beautiful sunsets from there each evening.
view from our balcony (Room 624)
sunset from our balcony
Even though the tap water is safe to drink in Aruba, we were provided with two bottles of water in our suite each day. I think this was done to encourage you to drink water in this arid climate.
The Embassy Suites offers activities and amenities such as bingo, exercise classes (Pilates, yoga, aqua aerobics...), kids activities, e-bikes, etc... We enjoyed playing bingo in the afternoons. You could win up to $50 of room credit depending on the game. Traci enjoyed the exercise classes. We both enjoyed the e-bikes. You could borrow them for two hours at a time.
As for food, there is an impressive variety of food at the breakfast buffet. Additionally, there is a cook-to-order station. The resort has a restaurant for dinner but, we did not dine there. We had lunch at the poolside grill occasionally. The food there was just so-so, but it was something to tie us over until dinner. Finally, every day from 5 PM to 6:30 PM, there was a happy hour in which you could get two free beverages from the bar. Light snacks are included.
I mentioned that the beach is across the street from the resort. The Embassy Suites provides a tunnel that you can use to cross under the street to get to the beach. The tunnel is decorated with fun murals. The tunnel closes at 7 PM. After that, you must cross the two-laned road to get back to the resort. The Embassy Suites has its own private area of Eagle Beach with palapas, beach chairs, cold drinking water, water sports, etc.... It is very nice.
beach tunnel art
beach tunnel art
After unpacking our suitcases and changing our clothes, we met up with Jeff and Tiffany to find something to eat. There are not many dining options in the immediate area of the Embassy Suites. You will have to walk the equivalence of about 3 city blocks in either direction before you will start to see restaurants. I found out near the end of our stay that there is a greater variety of restaurants available if you turn right when leaving the resort. On this day, we turned left and eventually came to a beach grill called Passion on the Beach. The food was not spectacular. It served the purpose of satisfying our hunger.
We spent the rest of that afternoon and evening checking out the beach across from the Embassy Suites. The four of us were the only tourists on the beach at that time. We hung out there getting caught up on what's been going on in each other's lives before eventually crossing the street to get back to the resort. It was a fun time as we were running into classmates we had not seen since our days on the campus of Hampton University more than thirty years ago. This was shaping up to be an epic vacation!
Traci and I were back in our room by 8:30 PM. We were sleepy after getting such an early start for our flight to Aruba. I tried to watch TV. I was interested in seeing the local channels. I saw some broadcasts from the neighboring islands of Curacao and Bonaire. I think they were speaking Dutch. I did not see too much before I was fast asleep.
Traci was up early to go for a 3-mile jog before it got too hot. Traci was delighted to have the Jeff join her. He was training for a 10k that he would be running a month later. Jeff's wife, Tiffany, joined them afterwards for a 45-minute Pilates class offered by the Embassy Suites. As for me, I only work out on days that I go to work. Therefore, I do not work out on weekends, holidays, or vacations. I told them to let me know what time they wanted me to meet them for breakfast. Breakfast at the Embassy Suites is served until 11 AM.
Pilates class
We had free time that day to enjoy the amenities and activities of the resort. Our alumni class events would not officially kick off until the welcome party later that evening. Until then, excitement was building as more of our friends from our college days were arriving throughout the day. We hung out at the beach chatting, taking pictures, and listening to music. I did not know everyone but by the end of the vacation, we were like a big family.
Three of our friends joined Traci and me later for the resort's pool-side bingo. The host called the numbers in English and in Spanish. There were three bingo games during the hour. There was no cost to play. Nice prizes were offered. The first two games each had a prize of $50 of room credit. The final game was $30 in room credit. The old-school bingo cards brought back childhood memories. There did not seem to be a limit on how many cards you were allowed to play at a time. Each of us had three bingo cards. Traci had four. Despite this, none of us won any of the bingo games that day.
These bingo cards brought back childhood memories.
Our first event as alumni took place at the home of a classmate who has a beautiful home in Aruba. Our group of approximately 30 were shuttled there by a private shuttle arranged by the travel agent. It was a tight fit because the seats were very close together. Even if you are not a tall person, your knees were touching the seat in front of you. The husband of one of our classmates was at least 6 feet 6 inches tall. We always gave him the middle seat of the back row so that he could stretch his legs down the aisle. There were jump seats that folded down for additional seating. We used all of them. We would use this shuttle during our stay in Aruba for the excursions and meals that the travel agent arranged for our group. Despite the cramped conditions, our group always had a fun time when we were together. There was a lot of laughter and conversation. The driver pumped some nice jams through the large speaker that lit up.
I enjoyed everything about that evening. I enjoyed the ride to our classmate's house because it gave me a chance to see some of the Aruban neighborhoods. There were quaint houses and mom & pop stores. I did not see many chain stores or restaurants outside of downtown Oranjestad. There were are lot of cacti.
Our classmate greeted each of us with a hug as she welcomed us to her exquisite home. I don't think I ever met her during my time at Hampton University, but as Hamptonians, we are all family. The party took place in her courtyard around the pool. There was a DJ and a bar. The food was catered by Nick Gordon who owns Kuture Cafe in San Nicolaas, Aruba. His team provided Caribbean-themed food but often with a twist - jerk chicken taco cups, mango ceviche cuphini, etc... Fortunately, for picky eaters like me who don't like their food mixed, there were also Caribbean classics like beef patties, plantains, and rice as well as desserts. We had such a nice time chatting with former classmates, meeting classmates, line dancing, and more. I don't think any of us knew there was going to be a pool there so no one brought a bathing suit. A few people dangled their feet in the pool though. The party lasted from approximately 7 PM to 10:30 PM.
The shuttle ride back to the hotel was quieter than the ride from the hotel. Many of our classmates had arrived in Aruba that day and were sleepy. Traveling to Aruba from the U.S. often requires you to get up in the middle of the night to get to the airport for your morning flight. I could not use this excuse for Traci and me since we had arrived the day before. Nonetheless, we were sleepy too.
We were up early the next morning to have breakfast and to be ready for our 8 AM pick-up for our first excursion - Natural Pool & Caves Off-Road Safari. This was a 5-hour tour with Pelican Adventures to see some of the natural wonders of Aruba inside Arikok National Park. Not all of our classmates participated in this one. We were picked up in two safari-like vehicles. The one that Traci and I rode in consisted of our alumni group. A handful of alumni had to ride in the second vehicle with other hotel guests who were not alumni because there was no more room in our vehicle.
Natural Pool & Caves Off-Road Safari Excursion
Once again, I loved riding through the communities of the island's interior and seeing the homes, schools, stores, etc... along with the ever-present cacti. Our first stop was the Ayo Rock Formations. These large boulders almost seem out-of-place in this arid land. They are quite the spectacle. We walked along paths to get a closer look at Nature's sculptures. We also saw quite a few goats and lizards. The blue lizards always caught my attention for their vibrant color. I hear there are other varieties that are red or yellow. I did not see any of them.
Next, we visited two caves: Fontein Cave and Quadirikiri Cave. Both were noticeably humid inside. There were plenty of stalactites and stalagmites along with small bats that would flutter around occasionally. We were able to see some ancient Indian rock drawings in Fontein Cave. There were also some etchings from settlers who arrived in the 1800's. Quadirikiri Cave was interesting because of its large chamber where sunlight shines through the openings above. We took pictures under a rock formation that looks like a giant heart.
Fontein Cave
Quadirikiri Cave
Fontein Cave
Quadirikiri Cave
Fontein Cave rock art
under the heart in Quadirikiri Cave
In between our cave stops, we were taken to a small freshwater pond that contains fish that will give you a pedicure. Yes, you read that correctly - a fish pedicure! These fish nibble the dead skin from your feet. I tried it but did not last more than a few seconds. It felt weird. The funniest reaction of our group was that of Traci. She screamed and then squealed with laughter when the fish began nibbling her feet. Traci's scream triggered the watch she was wearing to think she was in danger. The watch attempted to call for help. Fortunately, we were in a remote location where her watch was not able to get a signal. This gave Traci enough time to cancel the call for help.
The off-roading portion of this excursion took place on gravel roads inside Arikok National Park. This sometimes bumpy and dusty ride provided great views of the desert landscape and wild coastlines. We eventually arrived at the crown jewel of the park - the Natural Pool (a.k.a. Conchi). We had to walk down a hill and some stairs to get to it. The Natural Pool is a ring of rocks that were created by ancient volcanic activity. This ring of rocks contains a pool of water ranging from 4 feet to 16 feet deep. There is some water vegetation floating in it. The water is calm most of the time; however, every now and then, a large foamy wave of ocean water will crash over the rocks creating a natural wave pool. We were given time to swim/wade in the water. I am not a swimmer, but I did soak in the water that came up to my chest while sitting on the slimy rocks. It was exhilarating.
Natural Pool (a.k.a. Conchi)
After returning to the resort, we had some free time until our first dinner with our classmates. Traci and I spent our free time hanging with friends around the pool. We had lunch at the pool-side grill. We were not expecting a five-star meal, but I was expecting a little better than what we received initially. We had to send our food back because the ribs were majorly overcooked and the sweet potato fries were not hot. Fortunately, the server brought us a new meal which was quite good.
For dinner, our group was shuttled to a restaurant called Madame Janette. This was probably our most memorable dinner during our entire vacation but for the wrong reasons. Our group of 24 was seated at a long table on the restaurant's pebbled terrace under a large tree that was decorated with lights. It was a pretty scene. One of our classmates was about to bless that table when Traci, who was wearing a dress with one shoulder exposed, said that she felt something warm and wet on her back. After the prayer, I looked and saw that Traci had bird poop on her back and on the hip of her dress! I called the waiter and he brought rubbing alcohol that we used to clean the bird poop off of Traci.
I went to the restroom but when I came back, I guess you can say that the crap hit the fan. About half of our group was standing up looking alarmed. One of our classmates was giving a waiter an earful about the unsanitary conditions and the need to be given another table. I asked Traci what was going on. She told me that she was hit by bird poop again but on her arm this time. Our friend who was sitting next to Traci was also hit on her dress. Another classmate was amused by the situation. He was laughing when suddenly a bird crapped on his nice shirt. A waiter was in the process of cleaning bird poo off the dress of our friend when a bird crapped on his head.
Finally, the waiters prepared tables for us in the covered section of the restaurant. We were seated at tables of eight instead of a long table for 24 but at least we were safe from the bird crap assault. I asked a waiter how often this happens. He just gave a slight laugh. He said that the birds are not a problem when it gets dark. That was enough to let me know that this probably happens often. After all, the waiter had the alcohol ready when Traci was first hit by the bird excrement. Despite the bird issue, Traci and I agreed that the food at Madame Janette was delicious. Continue...
