8 Travel Tips for a Couples Getaway in Aruba!
Aruba is home to some of the bluest water we have ever seen! It was exactly what you’d expect and everything you would hope for a couples getaway in Aruba! While on the Carribean island we felt safe the entire time, even while renting a car and driving around ourselves. (Even so, we always recommend being cautious!) Before leaving for Aruba, even one of our doctors mentioned how much they love the island! We never heard so many good things before leaving for a trip and wanting to note that they were all true! Aruba is ONE HAPPY ISLAND and a place we can’t wait to return to!
Quick Facts about the Island!
Best time to visit: Year Round! This is a vacationing paradise, July-Oct is low season (it gets VERY hot) and high season is Nov-May!
Weather- Due to Aruba being out of the major hurricane path its consistently hot and sunny!
Getting around- We used taxis which were very reasonably priced and used a rental car on our last day to get to the hard to reach spots!
Currency- USD & AFL
Language- Papiamento (a mix of many popular languages) but english is widely accepted!
Airport - Reina Beatrix International Airport. There is a US Customs Passport control in the airport which means you do not need to clear customs back in the US! (we do suggest arriving a minimum 3 hours early to the airport during high season!)
Getting There: Aruba is only a 4 hour flight away from New York and there are plenty of direct flights out of the city! The Island itself is only 70 square miles and the entire south side is protected by the government so no infrastructure is allowed, making the north side of the island the main attraction and only 20 minutes from the hotels!
Our Favorite Aruba Photo Spots:
Eagle Beach
Tres Trapi
Flamingo Beach
#1. Live Luxuriously at the Amsterdam Manor Beach Resort
We LOVED our time at the AMBR. Everyone at the resort made you feel so welcome and treated us like family! The beautiful dutch architecture made you feel like you were stepping into the netherlands. When we weren’t enjoying the beach and the pool, we were (finally) relaxing and taking some much needed time to ourselves, which is what they had in mind when designing this resort. All of the guests we spoke to had the same feelings, this resort was MADE to be relaxing. The beds were SO comfortable, the rooms were super spacious and clean and the kitchen made it all that much better and suitable to stay for longer periods!
The BEST part about Amsterdam Manor was its location! It is right on Aruba’s top rated beach and voted one of the worlds best beaches: Eagle Beach and walking distance from any room at the resort. The calm water, the crystal clear blue color and the Divi trees steps away makes this the perfect spot to stay and experience the best of Aruba!
There is a lovely pool on the resort with a waterfall and shaded area that we spent a ton of time in.
AMBR also has two beautiful restaurants (Horizons and Passions) that are FANTASTIC. We ate there every single day to try something new on the menu! Our favorite were the Bitter Ballen, which we never would have tried if the bartender Liz didn't suggest them!
#2. Have a romantic dinner on the beach at Passions
Passions is AMBR’s beach restaurant and it was our first dining experience at an on the beach restaurant and eating right on the sand watching the sun go down with the waves crashing in the background, is why this experience is included in our must do list. Not to mention how romantic it is for a date night!
#3. Experience a sunset & sunrise on the beach
After going to Turks and Caicos and regretfully only waking up for one sunrise on our last day of the trip, on this trip Paulie and I made sure every single day we woke up early for sunrise. The Caribbean sunrises are absolutely stunning and worth every moment!
Not only the sunrise but the sunsets are incredible as well and we made it to the beach or went somewhere on the island for every single one!
Our favorite happened to be a quick walk down the beach near Amsterdam Manor. (pictured below)
#4. Jeep Tour to visit Arikok National Park
Something I honestly didn't know if I would like, was the tour we did in a lifted Jeep around the island. Within the first 5 minutes of getting on the Jeep after they picked us up right from our hotel I knew it was going to be such a fun time! The Jeep rocks you around and it’s an intense ride! They took us all through the island and showed us really great spots we couldn’t have gotten to with a rental car! The Jeep tour takes you to the Natural Pool, Natural Bridge Ruins, and some quick stops on the rocky south side!
#5. Snorkel around the island; especially at Tres trapi
Around the island, there are TONS of beautiful spots to snorkel! Our favorite spot in particular is Tres Trapi beach. Since the sunrise is on this side of the island, when we arrived to throw up our drone and snorkel before the crowds, we accidentally stumbled upon the perfect spot to see sea turtles in the early morning! (which is the best time to see them)
#6. Go on a sailboat cruise for the day
Is there anything more romantic than doing something new and adventurous? Get out of your comfort zone and try a sailboat cruise! We sailed all the way to the west side of the island near baby beach to snorkel all day! They gave us a delicious lunch and we got to jump off the rope swing which looks easy until you get up there and suddenly it becomes a little more nerve racking! We recommend this tour to EVERYONE going to Aruba, the staff was wonderful, the boat ride itself was smooth and just an overall perfect way to spend a day in Aruba!
#7. Visit the flamingos at the renaissance private island
This is something that has been on my bucket list for YEARS! Flamingos are one of my favorite animals so spending the day with them and being able to feed them on an island in Aruba was a total dream come true for me! And Paulie had fun and enjoyed himself as well! For $125 per person (or you can book a night at their hotel and get on the island for free or spend money on a spa treatment they offer) you can spend the entire day on their island! It opens bright and early at 7am and you can catch a boat over to the island (free with your ticket purchase or hotel stay/spa treatment) and runs every 15 minutes!
#8. Rent a car for the day and see the Island!
The last travel tip on our list for a couples getaway in Aruba: you MUST add renting a car to your list, especially if you’re an adventure loving couple! There were a few stops along the island that we wanted to see and the most efficient way was to rent a car to see them all! That way taxi fees don't add up and it was SUPER easy to do through our hotel, we just went to the lobby and the rental car sent a rep to pick us up the next morning and we got the car in under 30 minutes! (approx. $35 for the whole day and we paid an extra $15 to do an airport dropoff)
Tres Trapi is the beach we mentioned earlier that we snorkeled at and saw TURTLES! The water here (just like the rest of the island) is such a beautiful hue of blue and along the rocks that line the beach are some great places to jump in! (just check the depth first) You could easily spend an entire day here like we did!
An unexpected highlight of our trip was near the Bushiribana Ruins something you should check out if you have time and something else we drove by on our jeep tour and had no idea: Small Natural Pool is a must visit spot on the island! When we went, we had the entire spot to ourselves!! It is not a super popular spot on the island and definitely difficult to find at first. Look for two spikes sticking up on the coast of the Bushiribana Ruins and as you walk closer, you’ll see the ladder that leads down. You have to walk a bit on the rocks which can be dangerous so bring some sturdy shoes! Once you get there we jumped off the rocks and swam around for a few hours until the sun set!
Beaches we didnt get to but heard great things about from our hotel staff
Baby Beach
Mangel Halto
Old Shipwreck beach
Overall, if you are looking for a safe, unique and beautiful place to spend a romantic Caribbean vacation, Aruba is the perfect place for a couples getaway!
The Best 5 Beaches in Turks and Caicos!
Looking to find the whitest sand, the bluest water and one of the most beautiful Caribbean islands?! Look no further and let us help you find which beach will make your Caribbean vacation to Turks and Caicos a memorable one!
