Honeymoon in Aruba questions...
 

Hello,
My fiance and I are planning on getting married next summer in the Caribbean. I have done a ton of research on all the islands, and know all about their distinctions. We are thinking of getting married on St. Thomas/St. John, and we are thinking about Aruba as a possible honeymoon destination. I am way more willing to try new things and have adventure than he is, so I thought Aruba (from what I've read) would be a good destination for: beaches, good restaurants, and nightlife if we want it. How does this island compare to Grand Cayman? From what I've read, Aruba is clean, safe, and fun (if not overlly cultural or historical.) Is this on target? Would it be too hot in August? And how is the Hyatt? We are looking for a nice resort with an awesome pool area and a good beach. What are the room categories like there? Also, reviews on snorkling seem to be mixed. Is there any good snorkling in Aruba? Thanks for any and all of your help.

Hi. I visited Aruba last September and loved it. We stayed at the Radisson, which I highly recommend...sits on a great stretch of beach, grounds are beautiful (Parrots, waterfalls, zero entry pool), rooms are nicely decorated in a british/Caribbean style (not your typical hotel room decor), and the staff couldn't have been more friendly or accomodating.

But the Hyatt also looked very nice as well. We ate dinner there one night. I will say the Hyatt has more restaurants on-site but everything on Palm Beach is a short walk. And the Radisson I believe had balconies and the Hyatt does not.

The weather was hot but the constant breezes kept it comfortable.

As for snorkeling, we took a snorkel cruise with the Jolly Pirates...I highly recommend this. Another spot is Baby Beach which we didn't make it too. The snorkeling was fine but I have heard it doesn't compare to Grand Cayman. The water in Aruba though is this beautiful turquoise blue color. I actually have a shot of our beach/water as my computer wallpaper!

I felt very safe on this island. The plus too is that you have the tropical, beachy side on one end of the island, and then on the other end is the rugged side of the island.

If you do go, you must do the Kukoo Kunuku party bus, take the Jolly Pirates snorkel trip, rent a 4x4 and explore the other side of the island, and eat at El Gaucho!

Since you asked about Aruba as compared to GC, I assume you have been there before. I am getting married in GC this December. What did you think of the Caymans?

Thanks!!

I really enjoy both Aruba and Grand Cayman, but they have very different personalities. Both are among the safest and cleanest Caribbean destinations.

Cayman, as a generality, is very British, very conservative, and very expensive. Nightlife is limited.

Aruba is very Dutch and heavily influenced by its proximity to South America. It's less conservative (e.g., toplessness is common) and offers gambling and myriad nightlife options. It is also more affordable in my opinion.

If you're scuba divers, the diving on Grand Cayman, particularly the East End, is superior to Aruba, but Aruba's dive options ain't bad by any means.

Congratulations!

Kristen,
I'm sorry, I haven't been to GC...I was just wondering about how GC compared to Aruba, since they are both destinations we are considering for our honeymoon. Your info. on Aruba was great! How did you find the restaurants and food there?

Aruba by all means IMHO. The restaurants are many and much cheaper than GC or the VI's. There is a restaurant called Tango which is a steak house with professional tango dancers to entertain you. We celebrated my wifes birth day at another place called the Lighthouse. It has great Italian food and a great view. Also for snorkeling there is a WW II sunken German freithter to explore in addition to the other sites mentioned. The weather is warm but there is ALWAYS a breeze. Aruba is a haven for windsurfers. Congratulations on you marriage and happy honeymoon whereever you choose. Cheers, Larry.

honeymooner14~

I got all my Aruba info from boards such as this...check out the Aruba BB...much more active than this board. And from friend's recommendations etc... Also, from guidebooks.

In addition to El gaucho, we also ate at Madame Janette's (also very good), the Japanese/sushi restaurant at the Hyatt and then we got dinner on one of the party bus stops.

a few other places I would have liked to try if we had more time...Flying Fishbone (you will need a car for this...cab fare will run about $25 one way), Simply Fish, Gasparito and Ruinas Del Mar (at the Hyatt).

FYI the Aruba bulletin board is

www.aruba-bb.com

oops..sorry about omitting the web address

Thanks Gekko!

Has anyone stayed at the Hyatt? Is the pool as great as it sounds? How is the swimming on Palm Beach?
Is the resort within walking distance to plenty to do and eat?
Any tips, good or bad, are appreciated!

The Hyatt is really impressive and there are a few restaurants around there but town is too far to walk to.

Hi honeymooner,
Just my opinion, but the Radisson pool areas out-awesomes those at the Hyatt. The Rad has my vote, but the the Hyatt is a fine place too. If you end up with Aruba, I second Jacketwatch's advice about having dinner at the restaurant next to the lighthouse. It offers a spectacular view and is super romantic. Try to make your reservation so that you can watch the sunset, and eat out on the terrace it possible. Congrats!
Hi, Jacketwatch.

p.s. The name is La Trattoria del Forno Blanco.