Aruba

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Two Weeks in Aruba

An April 2005 trip to Aruba by Chaka

We had a number of things we wanted in a vacation: consistently hot weather, diving availability, and things to do other than lie on the beach. Aruba gave us all of these.

  • 5 reviews

Two Weeks in ArubaBest of IgoUgo

Overview

This was a great trip. I highly recommend you try scuba diving if you visit Aruba. We also recomment the the Mi Dushi Saling Tour; we went on the snorkel and sunset cruise, the price was very reasonable, and the crew was great. Another tour we recommend is the De Palm Jeep Tour--this tour took us on an 8-hour tour of the island, ending at De Palm Island. We never ate at a restaurant that was really bad--our favorites were Blossoms, Papiamento's, and The Paddock. There are probably ten casinos on the island, and we tried to visit them all.

Quick Tips:

Best Way To Get Around:

Bus system is very good; we rented a car, and this is what I would recommend. Walking is very safe; we never worried about safety anywhere on the island.

Divi Aruba PhoenixBest of IgoUgo

Hotel

Best Things Nearby:
Beach, all the other high-rise resorts

Best Things About the Resort:
The resort is very quiet, and the beach is much less crouded than the other resorts in the area.

Resort Experience:
We have stayed in a number of Gold Crown-designated resorts, and the Phoenix fits in with this category. The resort is very clean--our room could have used some work, but from what we understood, they have been working on the rooms floor by floor, and since we were near the top, they hadn't gotten to our floor yet. The restaurant in the resort is very good, with a very nice atmosphere, and the little deli is also very good.

  • Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
  • Activities: Good
  • Amenities: Very Good
  • Unit Satisfaction: Very Good
  • Family Friendliness: Excellent
  • Service: Very Good
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Chaka on April 24, 2005

Divi Aruba Phoenix
J.E. Irausquin Blvd. 75 Palm Beach, Aruba
+297 5866066

BlossomsBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

This restaurant serves sushi, Chinese, and another style of food. The atmosphere is very nice, and the waiters are very helpful. We found the food excellent and the service even better.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by Chaka on April 24, 2005

Blossoms
Wyndham Aruba Beach Resort Palm Beach, Aruba
297 (8) 586-3388

PapiamentoBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

We were overwhelmed when we walked into this restaurant. We were seated around a swimming pool, and the chairs and tables are all covered in white tablecloths. The best description of this restaurant is in Frommer's Portable Aruba Guide. You won't drive up to this restaurant and just drop in; it's off-the-beaten-path, and we only knew about it because of people we had talked to at the resort. The food was very, very good, and the service was probably the best we have received anywhere.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by Chaka on April 24, 2005

Papiamento
Washington 61 Noord, Aruba
+297 (8) 586-4544

S.E.Aruba Fly 'n DiveBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "S.E. Aruba Fly'n Dive"

I made eight dives with this dive company and was very pleased. They are a smaller company and are located near the airport. We went out in small groups most of the time, no more than 12 people at one time. On most dives, we had three divemasters with us. We did six drift dives and two wreck dives. I have all my own equipment, and it only cost $27.50 per dive. The diving was excellent.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by Chaka on April 24, 2005

S.E.Aruba Fly 'n Dive
G Smith blvd 1-A Aruba, Caribbean
(297) 5881150

About the Writer

Chaka
Chaka
Beaumont, ---

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