Aruba, What's the Rage about?
 

Never been but I am wondering why people think Aruba is so special? Dry island with nothing to do? The sites to see like natural bridge looks as though it pales in comparison with the SW USA and other than that it looks like you can get better beaches/water closer to home in the Bahamas?

Aruba beaches are the best, the water is an amazing turquoise color, great weather is almost guaranteed and the iland has some fabulous restaurants.

livinlarge..are you trying to start a fight? :-)
we have been and enjoyed it, but we don't think it's as great as some other people think. and that's ok. we all have our own personal preferences. why don't you go and check it out for yourself so you can base your opinion on your own experience?

The rage is mostly about the great weather (lots of sun, minimal rain, rare hurricanes), long beaches, good restaurants, good windsurfing and safe travel environment. It's also one of the cheaper islands.

All Caribbean islands have shortcomings, so no one island is for everyone.
People who love Aruba usually like one or more of the above factors.
People who dislike Aruba will cite the scrubby appearance, lack of island culture/character, lack of a world class resort, or lack of some specific activity (great diving, hiking etc) as reasons why.

i understand that landlocked midwesterners are gonna go crazy if they have a kiddie pool in a sandbox but I'm thinking about the rest of us who are well-traveled.

Caribtrraveler what is your favorite since your screen name suggests your are a pro.

LiVinLARGE...

Have you been to The Cayman Islands or BVIs?

oh god..i WISH i were a pro...
my screen name exists because my current kick is to do all the islands (on top of other countries in other parts of the world!). :-)
i've done about 8 islands, so i'm not even close to being the expert. my criteria at this particular time in my life is white sand, crystal-clear water, lush island, not too many tourists...so far, for me st. john usvi is on top of my list...but there are quite a few other islands out there that i haven't done which look like they could leave st. john in the dust.

like?

I live in the caribbean
do I qualify as a pro? LOL
Aruba is a dry island...it is not the prettiest Caribbean island by far and I have been to most of them.
Aruba does have beautiful beaches but there are other islands that do also. there is really only one stretch on the island where the beaches are.
Aruba has nice restaurants but other islands have nicer restaurants, like St. Maarten....
there is a lot to do on Aruba but again there are other islands that offer even more to do.
I think what makes Aruba different actually is it's people and it's culture.
The peopel are simply the nicest people and their culture is fascinating..a little Caribbean, a little Dutch, speaking Papaimentu, only heard in the ABC islands.
the island is well run and the service in the hotels is impeeccable.
It is an island where you immediately feel at home

like richard branson's necker island (bvi).
another place is parrot cay (turks and caicos)...i think we may do that one for our 5th year anniversary this october.
the other islands we want to do that are not in the caribbean are the seychelles and french polynesia.
barbara1: can i be you? :-)

Aruba is not the prettiest island in the Caribbean, but is still one of my favorites. The weather is consistently great, the beach and water is fantastic. I don't think the water and beaches in the Bahamas come close to the beaches in the Caribbean, including Aruba (remember, the Bahamas are in the Atlantic, and the water just isn't as nice).
We go to the islands to relax, do a few simple activities, and Aruba certainly fits the bill.