Aruba Attractions

History, Money and Out of the Way Places

The very name Aruba conjures up thoughts of gold and pirates and all kinds of exciting adventure. And the name itself says it all, Aruba means Red Gold! This island was the site of a gold rush in the 1800's and one of Aruba attractions are the remains of the gold mines. The Bushiribana Gold Mines were once the producer of 3 mil pounds of gold ore, but sadly those days have past and the visitor has to restrict themselves to just exploring the remains of the mines.

One of the most famous attractions to the island was the Natural Bridge. Sadly the sea has now reclaimed this natural wonder, and all the visitor is able to see now is the remains of what it once was.

The large bridge collapsed in September 2005, but the Baby Bridge is still standing. When the large bridge was whole it's span was 30 meters wide and it stood 7 meters above the sea. You are still able to visit the site of the bridge however this coral and limestone formation is no longer the majestic natural wonder it once was.

If you are the adventurous type, you will enjoy taking a trek across some of the more rugged landscape in Aruba to reach the Conci Cura di Tortuga. This is a natural pool, formed and protected by rock outcrops with a deep ocean pool at its centre. Although it is not easy to access it is worthwhile making the effort, as visitors always feel they have discovered something very special. To spend some time relaxing and diving from the rocks into the pool is really extra special.

The Capital City of Aruba is Oranjestad, it is situated on the west side of the island and not only does the name reflect the Dutch Colonial heritage of this city, so does the architecture. Many buildings still stand that show the visitor that the Dutch colonized Aruba between 1600 and 1800. The buildings are of the Cape Dutch style and are gaily painted in pastel colors. It remind one very much of the kind of building found in Cape Town, as this City was also colonized by the Dutch during a similar time in history.

Shopping in Aruba is good and the best place to do this is the wharf. Merchants sell fresh produce from their boats every morning, but the wharf is also surrounded by the most up-to-date shopping malls.

Another not-to-be-missed attraction is the Arawak Petroglyphs in the Quadriki Caves. These drawings are the only real evidence on the island that the Arawak people every lived here. The caves are to be found high up a limestone cliff, but it is a one of a kind site and should not be missed if you are visiting Aruba. The drawings include fish and other objects as well as likenesses of the Arawaks themselves. It is not really possible to go further into the caves than the first two caverns however.

Numismatic Museum of Aruba is a very surprising find, the standard of this collection is extremely high. Initially the collection was started off by an enthusiastic hobbyist who was fascinated by money from all over the world. He begun collecting money avidly from visitors to Aruba, and now an entire museum is dedicated to his display.