HOLIDAYS IN ARUBA

You need to relax, eventually do some sport or sailing or snorkeling or else, but mostly lie in the sun and swimmg in a fantastic clear blue water! Here you have the right destination. Aruba, a dutch island in the Caribbean See, north Venezuela.

Aruba's first inhabitants were the Caquetios Indians from the Arawak tribe. Fragments of the earliest known Indian settlements date back to about 1000 A.D, as do the ancient painted symbols still visible on limestone caves found at Fontein, Ayo and elsewhere. Pottery remnants can still be seen at the Museum of Archaeology.

Some centuries later, the first European landed on Aruban shores. Spanish explorer Alonso de Ojeda is thought to have arrived about 1499. The Spanish promptly exported the Indians to Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, where they were put to work in the copper mines.

In 1636, near the culmination of the Eighty Years' War between Spain and Holland, the Dutch took possession of Aruba and remained in control for nearly two centuries. In 1805, during the Napoleonic Wars, the English briefly took control over the island, but it was returned to Dutch control in 1816. Although Aruba continues to exist within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, it functions independently.

Nicest Beaches:

Palm Beach is famous for calm waters and is located right in front of the luxurious high-rise hotel stretch of the island.

Eagle Beach is a well-visited public beach for locals, replete with shaded picnic areas and plenty of parking right off the main road. Several low-rise hotels are nearby, just off the street from the beach.

Hadikurari Beach is located just south of the lighthouse near the northwestern tip of Aruba and is known for terrific snorkeling.

Rodgers Beach features a slightly rough surf. It is located close to the Baby Beach, offering shady areas and shower facilities. It was a popular place for those that worked at the oil refinery and their families.

Baby Beach (QTVR) is located in the area known as Seroe Colorado at the southeastern end of the island. It got its name because the calm and shallow waters make it ideal for children and/or inexperienced swimmers. Snorkelers will enjoy gorgeous coral heads in the channel.

Where to stay: We were at the WYNDHAM ARUBA Beach Resort & Casino, see Internet: www.arubawyndham.com or www.aruba.com for more information.

Article written by: Alessandra P.B. Larousse
 

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