Land Sailing
Land Sailing is another of Aruba’s unique forms of outdoor recreation. Taking
advantage of the strong breezes and flat land, Arubans have developed the recreational
activity of land sailing. Using a light kart with a sail for wind propulsion you can have
hours of outdoor fun. Rentals can be done at the salt flats near Fisherman’s Hut.
ATV Rides
The rugged landscape of the interior lends itself to another active outdoor recreation
activity; ATV Rides. You can sign up for tours on All Terrain Vehicles that will explore
Aruba’s desert like interior.
Bicycling
Bicycling is another way to experience Aruba’s desert landscape and the relatively
flat terrain makes it easy to cycle for extended periods. The Arikok National Park is a
popular cycling location. You can join on guided biking trips or rent a mountain bike and
have your own outdoor adventure.
Horseback Riding
Another form of outdoor recreation that takes advantage of the open countryside in
Aruba is Horseback Riding. You can join in rides in the countryside or go on in early
morning trots along the beach.
Bird Watching
Over 80 species of migratory birds visit Aruba, including herons, egrets, gulls,
skimmers, coots, cormorants and ducks. The Arikok National Park is a great place to see
parakeets especially at dusk, while the Bubali Bird Sanctuary is
good for water birds.
Tennis
Most hotels on Aruba have excellent tennis courts that can be rented. There are also a
number of private clubs that welcome visitors. Racquetball and Squash rentals are also
available.
Fishing
Most of Aruba's fishing is done along the calm south-west coast, away from the waves
and winds of the north side of the island. In the Caribbean waters of Aruba, a variety of
Atlantic game fish can be caught year-round. These include sailfish, white and blue
marlin, wahoo, shark, barracuda, blackfin and yellowfin tuna, amberjack, kingfish, bonito,
and they are abundant just off the coast. The high season for deep-sea fishing is tied to
the passing of migrating fish, most of which pass through the area from October through
February.
Kayaking
Kayaking in Aruba is an outdoor adventure along the sea coast. Kayak tours take you
alongside beautiful mangrove forests and mysterious hidden caves. See our Kayaking Page for more details.
Windsurfing
Windsurfing has been described as Aruba’s signature sport and wave riders from
around the world visit Aruba to take advantage of the strong reliable trade winds. You do
not have to be an expert however to enjoy this active outdoor recreation activity as you
can rent a board and receive instruction in how to surf the clear blue water. See our windsurfing page for more information.
Kite Surfing
The strong reliable Trade Winds have also made kite surfing a popular recreational
activity on Aruba. You can rent kite boarding equipment and beginners can get lessons in
this exciting outdoor sport.
Scuba Diving & Snorkelling
Aruba's clear blue-green water makes the island an ideal place to engage in snorkeling.
Good snorkeling spots include
Arashi beach, Boca Grandi, Baby Beach and Boca Catalina
Beach. Snorkeling equipment can often be obtained directly from the hotel or rented from
one of the many water sports shops.
Aruba is famous for spectacular shipwrecks and interesting coral formation, drawing
scuba diving enthusiasts from around the world.
Most of Aruba’s dive sites lie along the protected western and southern coasts and
are rich in exotic marine life, including stingrays, moray eels, manta rays, barracudas
and yellow tail. There are over twenty dive sites with depths varying from 20 to 100 feet.
Most of the dive sites have little or no current and flat surface conditions. Most dive
operators also offer introductory courses, which provide basic instruction and a shallow
dive with an instructor. There is a decompression center at the hospital in the capital,
Oranjestad.
