All-inclusive, snorkeling on Aruba
 

Thinking of taking a Caribbean vacation. Relatives saying, "Jamaica!", but now after reading so many negative messages on that island we are not so sure. We would like to try an all-inclusive as we have never done this and will travel with two children, ages 10 & 8. Would like to snorkel, how is the water? Nice beaches, calm? Thanks!!

The snorkeling is better on nearby Bonaire- some of the best in the world!

Your children would be lost on Bonaire. there is absolutely nothing to do besides dive & snorkel and Lenny did a number on the reef from 0 to 30 feet. There are no beaches to speak of except Pink beach and that I hear is now loaded with rubble. There is plenty to do in Aruba and there is good snorkeling to be found. Baby beach, Palm Island to name a couple. Vince

forgot to mention that the hotel next to the Hyatt which used to be the American is an all inclusive now. Not usre of the name. Vince

My fiance (actually my girlfriend at the time) and I went to Aruba this past January. We stayed at the Allegro Resort (used to be the Americana). It was very nice. It was an all-inclusive (no motorized watersports). Nice pool, snorkeling was awesome (it was my first time), the beaches are great. The water is a little choppy due to the wind (which feels great and really cools you off), but overall it is not too bad. The Allegro is located on Palm Beach which is beautiful. The hotel is right on the water, and even some pool view rooms have partial ocean views from the balcony. The Divi and Tamarajin are two other All-inclusives. We didn't go into these hotels, but from the outside, they looked ok. I know they were a bit cheaper and closer to downtown, but the Allegro was very nice and the restuarants were very good. I am not sure about kid activities in the hotel, but I am sure that there is plenty of stuff to do on the beach and in the water...

Besides snorkeling & diving on Bonaire there is hiking, biking, fishing, sailing, spelunking. If your kids are not into any of that, along with the water based activities they will be bored. There are no great beaches, compared to Aruba ( although the snorkeling is still better on Bonaire even after Lenny!). There are a lot of excellent guided snorkels, such as the Woodwind, that include sail time & lunch. There is an excellent program "Touch the Sea" run by Dee Scar that is geared to kids. However, unless they are avid snorkel buffs and this is your primary activity, I would look elsewhere.

Do Aruba and then do the Sun tour offered by DePalm Tours - they take you to their private little island and out the back of this island is unbelieveably good snorkeling. There will be a fella there who will 'guide' you along the safe route through the coral because it's so thick and comes to the surface. <BR>We did the ai at the Holiday Inn which is on Palm Beach which is where all the water action is yet there is still good shallow calm beach for your youngsters. <BR>Email me direct if you have other questions about this great (albeit expensive) island.