Gorgeous Arashi Beach

I’ve just returned from a one-week vacation in Aruba, and I now understand why every tourist we met there was on their 9th or 10th visit to the island. Gusty , persistent trade winds keep the island cool and dry in the summer months (and the pests at bay), the island is outside of the hurricane belt and there are gorgeous beaches at every turn.

If you drive up Aruba’s western coast to the very tip, you’ll come across a lovely patch of sand that fronts and even more lovely patch of water called Arashi Beach. You know you’ve arrived when you see the California Lighthouse; it’s a short walk away from the beach via a trail. Soft, white sand is not hard to find in Aruba, and you’ll find it here, too. For me, though, Arashi’s real draw was the water. It was clear – crystal clear. It felt like we were swimming in a giant bowl of water with sand at the bottom. And, despite the constant trade winds continually whipping across the sands, the waves were small and not remotely bothersome, and the sandy bottom was not stirred up. Just dazzling. Check out this picture:

Truly crystal-clear water at Aruba's Arashi Beach

I swear that was the seawater and not the hotel pool! Like many of Aruba’s beaches, Arashi is quite shallow for a ways out – no more 6-7 feet deep when you’re more than 200 feet from shore. Despite the ridiculous amounts of sunscreen I slathered on while at Arashi Beach, I still managed to get burned. Why? The water’s clarity transfixed me, and I was content to simply float around in the gentle waves like a dopey pelican. It took me some time to get over the fact that when looking through the water to the bottom, I could, in fact, tell which of my toes needed a touch-up from the pedicure I had gotten two weeks prior.

When I was finally able to tear myself from the water, I headed for some shade under the adorable palapas that line the beach. Palapa. I love that word. My husband and I want to build one in our backyard now — who cares if the only body of water we have is a $25 plastic pool from Target; it’s about the ambiance, right?

Palapas at Arashi Beach in Aruba. Can anything sum up "tropical" better?

The California Lighthouse at Arashi Beach in Aruba

Neither my husband nor myself were feeling particularly ambitious, but if we had been, we would have taken the short stroll up to the California Lighthouse, which can be reached via a trail from the beach.

The snorkeling at Arashi is ok, but nowhere near as good as it is a little south of there at beach called Boca de Catalina (Catalina Bay). (See my next post). Arashi is a quiet swimming hole – very few if any boats and no kite surfers or jet skis.

IF YOU GO: Don’t bother renting a car! Just hop on the Arubus, which is $1.30 one way or $2.60 round-trip. Arashi Beach is actually the end of the line for the bus, which does a U-turn in the parking lot. The bus hits all of the beaches on the island’s Western side and they come and go about every twenty minutes. May-December is low season in Aruba, so the beaches aren’t generally crowded. But, if you have your heart set on taking naps under a palapa, try to get to the beach by about 11:30.

Photos: Jenny Bengen-Albert