Kidnapped!

[musicman]

Well, not exactly kidnapped, but after 4 trips to St John alone with my wife, she has managed to persuade me to go on a trip with her best friend and a couple of other ladies, to Aruba. It was an invitation she felt that we couldn't turn down. Of course, our favorite island in the world is St John and I'd rather be headed there than Aruba but...sometimes a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do...what his wife wants him to. So Aruba, here we come. That said....
I was wondering if any of you St John regulars have ever been to Aruba and how the water clarity compares to St John. Gotta feeling I'll be escaping into the quietness of the Caribbean as much as possible and wondered how the two islands compare. Thanks for any input...any tips about Aruba are also welcome.
Many thanks in advance!
Musicman

[Pia]

There has been some discussion over on the "off topic" forum on Aruba - here is one link (but I think there are more I just copied this one) ..........

http://www.virgin-islands-on-line.com/f ... ight=aruba

Pia

[swoop]

Having been to Aruba 7 times in the last 10 years, I consider myself somewhat of an authority on the place.

The water is comparable in terms of clarity, its just that the snorkeling and scuba on St. John is MUCH better. The beaches are nice in Aruba too, but you just won't get the solitude that you would find in St. John. The restaurants are better in Aruba though.

Aruba has changed alot in the last five years or so...really getting alot more commercial i.e. adding water parks, a Hooters, alot of US fast food places. But you'll still have a great time!

[SunnySal]

We went to Aruba last fall and it was lovely. We stayed at Mancheebo Beach (low rise)which was perfect for us. We don't gamble and like things quieter.People were so friendly. We took the bus rather than rent a car, which is very inexpensive and easy to use. The snorkeling wasn't as good as St John but the water was beautiful. We go to St John every spring and in the fall go to a different island. Aruba and Curacau both rank as favorites.

[musicman]

I appreciate the info. I know it will be a totally different experience but I am looking forward to getting away and the water sure looks nice from all the pics I've seen. Quite a selection of restaurants as well. Thanks again for your great input!

Musicman

[b-as-u-r]

Aruban folks are extremely friendly. One major difference is the scenery. Aruba is more desert-like, lots of cactus and when you look out, you see endless ocean, not endless islands. The beach at the high-rise hotel area can get very crowded, so we prefer to stay in the low-rise area. I agree about the public transportation, very easy to use and inexpensive. A day trip to the desert can be fun. Funky little lunch place out there (boca prinz), the natural bridge (that fell a few years back), the natural pool and some random goats and donkeys just hanging out in the hills. Aruba is not as casual either. I tend to dress nicer in Aruba (not fancy but you could if you wanted to and not feel out of place). Endless choices for excellent restaurants. Going downtown in the middle of the day can be brutal. There's usually a lot of cruise ships in town and with the sun, it can get unbearably hot. The shopping though is excellent. Again, snorkeling is not so great. True, It is very modernized and commercial (i.e. McDonalds, Hooters, Dunkin Donuts, etc.) Aruba had been our island destination for years and although it's quite different, it's lovely and you'll have a great time. Ali~