For those of you that haven’t been to Aruba yet, or have, but have not yet discovered every nook and cranny of the island… our new series, “Explore Aruba” is perfect for you to follow!
In this series, we will be taking you around the island to discover everything that makes our island so beautiful and diverse. We will be giving you a glimpse into our island’s history, exploring the island’s breathtaking natural beauty, submerging into our island’s vibrant & colorful culture, satisfying all of your foodie cravings, and last but definitely not least… taking you to our dreamy and pristine white sandy beaches!
On our first island adventure, we will take you along with us to discover and explore Aruba’s most beautiful and prominent landmarks:
1st Stop
California Lighthouse
Alto Vista Chapel
Now we will take you to the most perfect place for peace and reflection, the Alto Vista Chapel. Just listen to the wild waves crashing in the distance and feel the warm sunshine with nothing but green cacti at every turn! Alto Vista is considered to be the birthplace of Aruba’s Catholic religion and was the first Chapel to be built on the island over 250 years ago!
3rd Stop
Bushiribana Ruins
What may appear as a simple stone structure ruin, is actually the remains of a very historic site, the Bushiribana Gold Mill, tied to the island’s relatively unknown and unspoken gold rush. Gold was first discovered in 1824 and remained a prominent industry on the island until around 1916. Aruba is known to have produced more than 3 million pounds of gold!
4th Stop
Frenchman’s Pass
On our way to the east side of the island, we travel through a narrow passage known as Frenchman’s Pass. Legend has it, that French pirates tried to invade Aruba in the 17th century and were confronted by the local Indians. The French attempted to smoke the Indians out of a nearby cave but instead, they were killed by inhaling the smoke themselves. Today’s inhabitants claim to hear crying and hauling of the Indians… haunting the area of Spanish lagoon during the evening.
5th Stop
Red Anchor
Heading towards Seroe Colorado, you will reach a giant bright red anchor that surely cannot be missed! While it serves as a beautiful landmark on the wild coast in between Boca Grandi and Bachelor’s Beach, it also serves as a beautiful monument in memory of the seamen who lost their lives when an oil tanker wrecked nearby. If you ask a local, there are many different stories explaining just how that giant anchor got there. Today, it is commonly viewed as a memorial to all fallen seamen and makes for a perfect place to stop and snap a pic when heading to Baby Beach!
Final Stop
Fort Zoutman
The oldest structure on the island, Fort Zoutman. Built by the Dutch army in 1789, and the Willem III Tower build in 1868. You can feel the history and Aruba’s heritage seeping through the walls as you take the stairs to the top and get a nice view of Aruba’s capital city, Oranjestad!
Now that we’ve covered our island’s greatest landmarks, stay tuned and make sure you subscribe to our YouTube Channel, as we will be taking you along on our wild beach adventure next!
2nd Stop