Aruba Day Trip Ideas and Costs

October 30, 2026

Few Choices, All Short

Aruba is about 32 km long, so there is nowhere to travel to for the day in the usual sense. No passenger ferry joins Aruba to Curacao or Bonaire either, and those islands are a flight away. What the island offers instead is a short list of full-day plans: a private island with a water park, a resort island with a flamingo beach, a day in the national park and a drive along the southeast. Costs below are in US dollars.

If You Want a Water Park Day: De Palm Island

A ferry crosses from Port De Palm at Balashi. The island’s own site lists entry from $129, covering food and drinks, the water park, a snorkel tour, a banana boat ride and the flamingos. Transport from a hotel pushes package prices to about $183 and up. Extras include Sea Trek or SNUBA from $55 (ages 8 and up), private cabanas from $299 and beach cabanas from $449. Water park riders need to stand at least 112 cm tall, and children under 10 need an adult nearby. Ferry times and the closing hour are not printed on the main page, so ask when you book. See the De Palm Island site for the current add-ons.

If You Want Flamingos and a Quiet Beach: Renaissance Island

This is the private island of a resort, and day passes go on sale online only when the resort has space. Adult prices are quoted at around $125 to $150. Passes tend to appear weekly and sell out, and nobody can buy one at the gate. Book on the resort’s own pass page, renaissancearuba.idaypass.com . Flamingo Beach is adults only. Iguana Beach is the family side. Feeding the birds is allowed only within the resort’s own rules.

If You Want Landscape: Arikok National Park

Count on a morning here. The conservation pass is $22 for adults, free for under-17s, and gates stay open from 8:00 to 16:00. A 4x4 is allowed on the tracks and quads are not. The Natural Pool is reached by 4x4, guided Jeep, horse or a hike of about 7.7 km round trip from the visitor center, and rangers close it to swimmers when waves run high. Group hikes with a ranger cost $25 each, with places for up to 10 people. Fontein Cave, with Caquetio drawings, is also inside the park.

If You Want Towns and Sea: The Southeast

Start at San Nicolas, where more than 60 murals cover the walls. Charlie’s Bar, open since 1941, is the classic lunch stop. From there continue to Seroe Colorado and Baby Beach, whose lagoon is shallow and gentle. The opening to the sea has a hard current, so keep everyone inside the lagoon. Baby Beach is well outside Arikok. Mangel Halto near Pos Chiquito is a shore snorkeling beach on the way back.

Getting Between Stops

A rental car gives the most freedom for the southeast loop. Public buses on the Arubus network cost $2.60 per trip, or $15 for unlimited rides in a day. Taxis run on fixed government fares with a $10 minimum and no meter. Bring water, a hat and a refillable bottle, since shade is scarce.

Safety and Season

Keep valuables with you rather than in a parked car. Hurricane season is June to November.

Guided versions of these days can be compared on Viator . Park prices are on the conservation foundation page .