I am thinking about going to Aruba for the week of Thanksgiving. Would this be a good trip, or is it just Cancun with gambling? What is there to do besides diving? Any suggestions? I booked a trip with Delta and am now having reservations.

Hi there, I am not a seasoned traveller however I really did like Aruba. I stayed at La Cabanna all Suites Resort. We had a two bedroom suite complete with 2 full baths, 3 satellite tv's full kitchen. There were two pools, they beaches are quite beautiful. I was on Eagle Beach it was very nice! We also drove to Baby Beach to snorkel that was fun even though we could see the oil refinery from the beach. I have never been to Mexico so I can't make any comparisons. There is quite a high standard of living on the island (I did not see any beggers) Another thing I liked about the island was the unique landscapes and geological formations. Although the island it small the terrain transforms with each area. There is a golf course which is very unique but quite pricey. There are also some wonderful restaurants downtown. We also went on the Atlantis Submarine which was quite unique, although we did not see as many fish as I expected it was worth the money just to go underwater in a small submarine. Well I hope this helps! My group certainly had a good time!

Christy

I have been to Aruba twice and we'll be going again in the spring, so I think highly of the place. There are plenty of watersports, restaurants and shopping. I'm not really into casinos, so that's not a concern for me. I like to go there and relax, swim, snorkel and rent scooters and drive over to the windward side of the island and explore the unusual rock formations and terrain. The natural bridge is unique. You can get around by bus and it's quite safe while the people are very friendly. I prefer Palm Beach and the hotels there. I can't imagine that you would go there and not enjoy it. Have fun!

Aruba wins hands down over Cancun. I don't want to invoke the wrath of all the Cancun fans that are out there, but it reminds of everything I don't like about South Florida. Cancun does have its good points - like it is safe, cheap, easy to get around, etc. Aruba, however, is one of our favorite places in this world. We love the Dutch/South American flavor, the beautiful beaches and excellent snorkeling that you just don't find in Cancun. There are wonderful gourmet restaurants. If you want clean, safe, friendly people, relaxing beautiful beaches and great snorkeling - go to Aruba. I think you will like it. The casinos for us are just something to spice up the night life. There is a ton of stuff to do and Thanksgiving is a great time to go. They will be in full preparation mode for St. Nick, and you can have a great turkey dinner at say the Hyatt. Have fun! I wish I was going.