Places of Interest to Visit
Arikok Natural Park
This beautiful national park in Aruba takes almost 20% of the island. Enjoy gorgeous look outs of Aruba’s rugged terrain, breathtaking coastline and protected local flora and fauna.
In the park you will find unique geological, cultural and historical sites. These can all be enjoyed and explored either on your own or during guided tours.
Entrance fee: USD 11.00 p.p.
Casibari Rock Formation
In the center of the island you will find the Casibari Rock formations. A path leads you to the top of these giant boulders from which you have a great view of Aruba’s landscape. On a clear day the entire island and possibly even Venezuela can be seen from the highest point. At Casibari café you can get cold refreshments, lunch or dinner.
Ayo Rock Formation
About 3km away from the Natural Bridge you can visit the Ayo Rock formations. You can stroll through loads of massive boulders of different shapes and sizes shaped by the forces of nature. There are paved paths and steps in between the boulders that allow visitors to walk through and get to the top of the rocks which are in close formation.
Hooiberg
Is a volcanic formation which 165 meters above sea level, and is located at the center of Aruba. Although Hooiberg seems like the highest point of the island it is in fact the second highest. Jamanota, a hill located in Arikok National Park, is 189 meters above sea level and is the true highest point of Aruba.
But it is only possible to walk to the top of Hooiberg. There are approximately 587 steps. A gazebo has been built halfway up the stairs for as a rest stop. It is also an excellent spot to relax and enjoy of the view.
If you want to climb Hooiberg, make sure to do this early in the morning or late in the afternoon and bring enough water.
Bushiribana Gold Mine ruins
On the northern coast, midway down the island, sits the abandoned gold mill that once processed ore from mines in the nearby hills during Aruba’s gold rush of the nineteenth century. In 1824, gold was finally discovered in Aruba, and eventually, the industry produced more than 3 million pounds of gold.
Fort Zoutman museum
The Historical Museum of Aruba is housed inside the oldest building on the island, the Fort Zoutman. Here, you will find information about Aruba during the Spanish and Dutch period. You can also climb up the Willem III Tower.
Fort Zoutman is an old Dutch fort in Oranjestad, built in 1798 at Paardenbaai. The fort was to protect the port as well as to defend against an attack by land. It was named after Johan Zoutman. It is the oldest structure on the island of Aruba. The Willem III Tower was added to the west side of the fort in 1868. The fort and tower were restored and re-opened in 1983 as the Historical Museum of Aruba.
Open Daily from 9:00 AM till 6:00 PM
Entrance fee: USD 6.30
Butterfly Farm
www.thebutterflyfarm.com
Phone: (+297) 586-3656
Open daily from 8:30 AM till 4:30 PM (last tour start at 4:00 PM)
Ostrich Farm
www.arubaostrichfarm.com
Phone: (+297) 585-9630
Open daily from 9:00 AM till 4:00 PM
The farm is close to the road that leads to the Natural Bridge (Matividiri 57).
Donkey Sanctuary
Founded in 1997 as a non-profit and completely volunteer run organization. Their mission is to save the Donkeys! They take care of over 100 donkeys and there are currently about 100 donkeys in the wild. More and more houses and roads are being built: so there remains little space for the donkeys.
www.arubandonkey.org
Phone: (+297) 5841063
Open daily from 9:00 AM till 4:00 PM
Location: Santa Lucia 4A
Alto Vista Chapel
Alto Vista Chapel is a small Catholic chapel also known as “Pilgrims Church” that stands on the hills above the north shore of the sea and to the northeast of the town of Noord, on the island of Aruba, 27 km north of the coast of Venezuela. The church, painted on the outside in stark bright yellow, makes it a conspicuous religious monument for people to visit. The present Chapel of Alto Vista was completed in 1952 and stands in the same location as the original chapel, which was built by Domingo Silvestre, the Venezuelan missionary from Santa Ana de Coro, Venezuela, in 1750.
The Alto Vista Chapel was stated to be the location where conversion of Aruban Indians to Christianity started.
Aruba Aloe factory
Visit Websitewww.arubaaloe.com
Phone: (+ 297) 588 3222
Open on:
· Monday – Friday from 8:30 AM till 16:00 PM
· Saturday from 9:00 AM till noon
· Closed on Sundays
Location: Pitastraat 115, Hato
Tours are free and will take about 25 minutes.
Philips Animal Garden
www.philipsanimalgarden.com
Open daily from 9:00 AM till 5:00 PM
Entrance fee: Adults USD 10.00 / Children USD 5,00
Location: Noord