Aruba, First Solo Trip
Aruba
Aruba was one of the first places outside of the United States that I traveled to without the security and support of my family. When choosing to travel alone for the first time, it was important to choose a place that met two main criteria: First, I wanted to choose a place where English was commonly spoken. Aruba has a vibrant tourism industry and an ex-patriot population so that is checked off box one. Second, I wanted to choose a place I had been to before. Though the purpose of traveling outside of the country is to immerse yourself in local culture, tradition, and languages, I felt it was important to build confidence when traveling alone. Aruba became the perfect fit, traveling to a place I was familiar with, but not entirely knowledgeable about.
Aruba is a beautiful Country located only about 20 miles north of Venezuela and surprisingly autonomous with the Kingdom of the Netherlands (colonized by the Dutch). The main languages include Dutch, English, and Aruba's local language ‘Papiamento’. Located outside of the Hurricane belt it is a wonderful place with tropical weather year-round that comes with little weather risk. Only 75 square miles, Aruba by comparison, is very similar in size to Washington D. C. Allowing most of the island's hotspots to be visited on a one-day jeep tour. The country is located in the Atlantic Time zone, which during the summer is the same as New Jersey's time zone. That made traveling a lot easier since Jet lag could be avoided.
When going to the island for the second time, I decided to stay in the same hotel as the last time, The Eagle Aruba Resort. The main reason is nostalgia, because of the fun I had last time and the familiarity I would have going back a second time. Sitting centered a block away from Eagle Beach and a block from Super Food Plaza, it is ideally located for families who want to stock up the kitchenette in the room with some goodies for the week. With 3 pools and a restaurant placed in the center of the resort, there is plenty to keep busy and comfortable with while staying there. For those who wish to venture outside the gates of the resort (as we did), just about a mile and a half up the beach walk is a butterfly garden, Bird Sanctuary, and an active town center. The town has great nightlife, including “the Vue”, a great rooftop restaurant, and breakfast places like Diana’s Pancake Place.
When visiting Aruba, hop on either a half or full-day jeep tour. That is the best way to hit the hotspots and not have to sweat finding each of the locations on your own. The trip is planned out for you without having to choose what to see or how long to stay at each place. There are a ton of jeep tours so read reviews, read the itinerary, and pick the one that best suits you. The tour I decided to take was a full-day tour. My tour group hit the natural bridges, Donkey Sanctuary, Glass blowing, and Light House, and then spent the remainder of the day at Baby Beach, where they supplied us with snorkeling gear and plenty of freedom to swim and eat. If I can suggest your next trip use Trip Advisor. That has been the best source of activities when going abroad. You are there for such a limited time no need to waste all your time not knowing what is around you or wandering. Aruba is nicknamed One Happy Island for a reason, which is why my family visited when I was younger and why I chose it for my travels as soon as I was old enough.
