Aruba: What We Actually Did (Santa Cruz Base, Budget-Friendly)

Real itinerary from our Aruba trip — caves, ruins, snorkel spots, night markets, and easy food, all without overspending.

We based ourselves at Mammaloes BnB in Santa Cruz. Quiet mornings, friendly hosts, and an easy jump-off point for the whole island. From there we ping-ponged between caves, ruins, markets, and a bunch of beaches that felt almost private.

Beaches & Water (where we actually swam)

• Malmok Beach — our favorite snorkel. The most fish we saw on the trip, right off shore.
• Eagle Beach — postcard sand. One night we stumbled into a sunset wedding and watched from a distance. Magic.
• Baby Beach — calm, pool-like water; perfect for a lazy float.
• Spaans Lagoen (Spanish Lagoon) — mirror-flat mangroves and quiet photos between stops.

Arikok National Park

We did both caves:

• Fontein Cave — shallow and atmospheric. Pro tip: outside, walk down the path to the little fish pond; the fish nibble your feet like a spa pedicure (we paid for that in Mexico—here it’s just there).
• Guadirikiri Cave — big chambers, light beams, adventure vibes.

We poked into small pocket beaches along the park roads whenever the water looked too good to pass up.

Ruins, Bridges & Big Views

• Natural Bridge — the big one collapsed years ago, but the site is still dramatic; the shop there is a surprisingly chill hangout.
• Bushiribana Gold Mill Ruins — climb around the stone frames and watch the surf punch through.
• Lighthouses on both ends — we saw both, but California Lighthouse at golden hour was the winner.

Animals & Oddities

• Donkey Sanctuary — gentle, goofy, and wholesome.
• Butterfly Farm — slow, floaty, very photogenic.
• Ostrich Farm Tour — weird (in a good way) and way more informative than expected.
• Murano Art Studio — caught a live glass sculpting/blowing demo; fast, fiery, mesmerizing.

Evenings & Downtown

• Night markets — always lively; easy snacks + handmade stuff after sunset.
• Oranjestad — colorful, very touristy, but we still liked the waterfront stroll. We saw the Anne Frank monument, climbed the clock tower, checked the museum, and did the Aruba Aloe free tour (smelled like vacation).

What We Ate (quick hits we liked)

• Zeerovers — fried fish + water views.
• Linda’s Dutch Pancakes — plate-sized and perfect after a salty swim.
• Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar & Restaurant — breezy and easy.
• Battata Beach Bar & Food — quick bites between swims.
• Big Mama Grill — bold flavors near Baby Beach.
• Sexy Shrimp — lived up to the name.
• Chicken and Lobster — simple, solid. Most mornings we had breakfast at our BnB and saved the budget for activities + one bigger meal later.

Our “Would Repeat Tomorrow” Shortlist

• Lazy Malmok snorkel until our fingers prune.
• California Lighthouse at sunset with the cliff breeze.
• A slow Arikok loop: Fontein → Guadirikiri → random beach stop.
• A night market lap for “we don’t need this but we’re buying it.”

Practical Notes

• Car makes Aruba feel tiny; parking was easy.
• The wind is constant — keeps you cool and hides sunburn. Sunscreen + UPF shirt help.
• Water shoes for caves/rocky bits.
• Short on time? Do this fast track: Malmok → both caves → Bushiribana + Natural Bridge → California Lighthouse sunset.