Abroad in Wilenstad, Curacao and Oranjestad, Aruba

Before I started my time in Aruba, I had a chance to first go over to Curacao for 36 hours. I found a cheap flight so of course I jumped at the opportunity. There are no ferries to hand the A (Aruba) B (Bonaire) and C (Curacao) islands. Since my time was short, I decided to check out the beach, of course. If time permitted, I would do a bit of shopping. 

As soon as landed, I had a car arranged to take me to the hotel. I was staying at the Hilton Curacao in Wilenstad.  I am Diamond at Hilton as well so I used 30k points for a free night. Fortunately or unfortunately, the hotel will no longer be a Hilton but a Dream resort. Next time I check out the Renaissance. I do love a Marriott resort. The hotel can use a little updating (hence the remodeling)  but the view of the ocean is spectacular and my patio gave me a great view of the sunset. No complaints at all. I did a little window shopping down at the mall and grabbed a bite to eat. I would be leaving in the morning to head back to Aruba for the remainder of my vacation. 

So I wake early, head to the airport and take the quick flight back to the airport. I arrive in Aruba and grab a taxi to head to the Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino It’s in a great spot near downtown and is close to the Palm Beach. The hotel rooms are not spectacular but it has a true gem. Access to a private island which is a short water taxi away. 

After a quick check in, I would change into my swimsuit and head to the dock to take the private ferry over to the 40 acre private island. The island has flamingos and some of the largest iguanas I have ever seen! While I sat under an umbrella and listened to the waves roll in, I took a nap only to find a bird in my drink. I have to say it was quite funny to see him steal the fruit from my drink. This would happen several more times before I left that day. After a ride back to the hotel, I would change and grab some dinner. Earlier that day I was told I had to head to Driftwood. I had heard that suggestion a few times, so it was a definite. I must say I was not disappointed. I had the Chilean Sea Bass and it has to be the BEST I have ever tasted. DELICIOUS is an understatement. The restaurant is walking distance so a quick stroll back to the hotel and I was calling it a night. 

The next day I woke early to see the sunrise. I was great. I would spend the day doing a submarine tour. The Renaissance is an ideal location as I was walking distance to many excursions site including the submarine tour. A short walk across the street and I would be off with Atlantis Submarines. One, its a real submarine. We went all the way to the bottom (check out how far down we were). I have shared I am a bit claustrophobic and not a good swimmer but was reassured that is was U.S Coast Guard approved! It was also fully air-conditioned. We saw some really cool reefs and a shipwreck and several schools of fish. It was pretty similar to the tour I did in Fiji, but it was a bit bigger which was great. The tour is pretty short so I would spend the rest of the day lounging by the pool with several drinks. 

The next day I would take an all day off road tour to see the other side of the island. I would abandon the beautiful beach and explore the Aruban off-road side. We would venture through the Arikok National Park. We would first hit the road and head to the natural pool. It’s a hike down but so worth it.It is one of Aruba’s most popular locations and the tour guide Williem was great. We went to Baby Bridge. It is along the north coast of Aruba. Along  limestone cliffs there are several natural bridges including our current Baby Bridge. It’s a bit scary to stand on it (you can only go so far) but it is a really cool spot to see as well. We went to the California Lighthouse which was built in 1914 to signal ships coming to Aruba. We made a stop at an old gold mine and a historic church. All in all it was a great tour with a great guide and breathtaking views of Aruba. 

The next day would be my last. I had a late night flight so I would spend the early morning at the private island and the afternoon I would spend at the pool. A late 4pm check-out was ideal so I can enjoy the island just for a few more relaxng hours. The time would come and I would have to get out of the pool, change into my traveling clothes and head to the airport. 

I will definitely be back as I want to explore more of Curacao and I need to make it to Bonaire. But until I return, I will appreciate the beauty I was able to  experience over the previous few days.