Aruba has no shortage of picture-perfect scenes. It is an amateur and professional photographer's dream destination. I took my Canon 80D and two of my favorite lenses on our recent trip to Aruba and I'll tell you what my favorite photo opportunities were!
(Our go-to's for vacation bookings are booking.com, Kayak, Expedia, Priceline, or Travelocity. I'm a bargain shopper always so check them all and find the best deal for you. For this trip, we used CheapCaribbean.com. )
If this isn't an Instagrammer's paradise, I don't know what is! Flamingo Beach is on Renaissance Aruba's private island. The guests can go any time and is included in their stay. Travelers not staying at the Renaissance will have to try and secure a ticket at the price of $150/pp/day, if available. We stayed at the Renaissance and I recommend staying there for at least a night to go visit these majestic pink birds! The clear, bright turquoise water, the white sand, the private cabanas, the friendly flamingo friends... all of it comes together to make a stunning background. You can pay $0.25 for flamingo food and they will all flock to you to capture the perfect shot!
2. Iguana Beach (also on Renaissance's private island)
Iguana beach is also on the private island. It is the family side where flamingo beach is the adults-only side. We found iguana beach to be very beautiful and less crowded. We actually spent the most time here after making sure to get our photos with the flamingos. Side note - the iguanas are not shy and will come after your food!
We spent one afternoon here and captured some incredible pictures. Arikok is quite expansive and lacks shade pretty much everywhere. Start early to avoid heat, crowds, and make sure to get to see the caves because they close by 4pm. Tickets were $11/pp and covered all of the attractions within the park. A word of warning - some of the areas of the park are only accessible by a 4x4 vehicle. We had a small rental car and were able to go to everything except for the natural pool. The pool is only accessible by Jeep or ATV so plan ahead. Scheduled tours are also available.
4. Bushiribana Ruins The old gold mill ruins are so rustic and coupled with the backdrop of the turquoise waves, it makes for a stunning photo. It is free to go explore the 19th-century structure
The donkey sanctuary is close by Arikok so we stopped by to visit on the same day. There are a ton of furry friends to meet there and entrance is free! The donkeys are very friendly and you can pay $1-3 for bowls of feed to interact with them more.
6. Arashi Beach
Even though we stay on an all-inclusive plan at the Renaissance resort, we wanted to see all of the beaches in Aruba. We rented a car and made sure to go see all of the beautiful sights on the island. Our favorite beach (and by a long shot) was Arashi. The beach was pristine, the water was stunning, it wasn't too crowded, and there is an awesome beach bar/restaurant. We loved it here and would highly recommend a visit!
The California Lighthouse is just a short drive from Arashi beach so we grouped those together while touring the island. You can rent an ATV and explore the rustic scenery around the lighthouse or you can just drive up and park and enjoy the scenery. It is $5 to climb to the top of the lighthouse and take pictures. On a clear day, 70% of the island is visible from the top.
Make sure to go visit downtown Oranjestad and take in the Dutch colonial architecture. The buildings are so ornate and beautiful and make for a perfect Instagram backdrop.
Maybe this isn't so much a tourist attraction, but it should be! This restaurant is located literally on the beach. You can reserve tables in the water but you much do so weeks in advance to get a reservation. The setting is so serene and beautiful, not to mention the food and service were outstanding! If you're looking for fresh, high-quality seafood while visiting Aruba, look no further than Flying Fishbone.
10. Snorkeling ANYWHERE!
We love the water, the beach, snorkeling, sailing, any water activity really, so we couldn't wait to snorkel in Aruba. We booked a snorkel tour with Jolly Pirates and it did not disappoint! If you're looking for a relaxed, fun, memorable time with multiple snorkeling stops, lunch, an open bar, AND a pirate ship rope swing - this is the tour for you! Heads up - we booked tickets for a Sunday morning at 9am and the tickets were almost half the price of what they were throughout the week so plan accordingly.
And there ya have it! My recommendations for the 10 most instagrammable places in Aruba. I promise you won't be disappointed in the sights and experiences that await. Enjoy the island!
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