"Aruba -- Caribbean Paradise" Aruba by Ischyros

Aruba is one of the most environmentally diverse places I have ever been to. The small island is just off the coast of Venezuala. A constant wind keeps it from becoming too hot and is very welcome since the after winter temperature is a balmy 79 degrees Farenheit while the average summer temperature is around 90. Overnight temperatures rarely fall more than 10 degrees from the daytime high, but again, the constant breeze makes not only bareable, but occasionally a bit chilly, especially after you've recently gotten a sunburn.

Ah yes, the sun. Due to it's location halfway between the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn, the sun is very intense over Aruba. A strong sunblock is a definite must. It doesn't take long to burn!

Palm Beach

Of course, Aruba is most known for it's white sandy beaches. Surprising to most people, beaches do not surround the island. The trade winds here blow east to west causing waves to pound the north and northeastern side of the island. Thus, that side is very remote and deserted, edged by cliffs that drop straight into the sea. The beaches and obviously the resort areas are all on the south and southwest side of the island, basically from the capital city of Orangestad and northwest along the coast to around the Malmok Beach area.

High Rise Hotels

Aruba's resort area is seperated into two distinct groups, Low-rise and High-rise (pictured). The low-rise hotels are just that, low-rise resorts, usually just a couple of stories and don't offer as much amenities as the high-rise hotels. On the plus side, the low-rise hotels are closer to Oranjestad and tend to be much quieter and offer a more romantic setting. The low-rise hotels are situated on Eagle Beach. The high-rise-hotel district includes the several-story towers. These areas are much noiser and often populated by families with kids. Beach space is prime and by mid-morning can be very hard to find. These hotels often offer more amenities to guests, including large pool areas and several have casinos adjacent to the hotels or in the hotels themselves. The strip of road these hotels are on has really grown recently and includes several good and inexpensive restuarants. Most of the islands time-shares are in the high-rise resort area.

• Pros:Beautiful weather, amazing scenery, friendly people
• Cons:Intense sun, constant wind