I'm thinking of going to Aruba in January and I love to walk along the beach in the evening. I've heard that the wind is really strong there and there is often problems with the sand, making the beaches uncomfortable. Did anyone have this experience?

Yes, the sand on the beach gives you a sand whipping, and it is very uncomfortable. We stayed at the Marriott Ocean Club in April. The resort is very nice , and the beach is very large. When we were there, there was a lot of seaweed on the beach. Aruba had many nice resorts, but I think I like Cancun and Grand Cayman better. The resturants and beach are better. Aruba has catcus that are 8 feet tall. The island is not lush and green. It is dusty and flat.

It was windy but we only had some limited short periods of time where it was uncomfortable. I was there in June and enjoyed walking on the beach both during the day and at night. The wind felt nice and helped it from feeling so hot. I have shoulder length hair I had to keep pulled back all week and watch out for shorter loose fitting dresses!! By the end of the week I was tired of the wind. But all in all, it was not a problem. Aruba is a very pretty island but also very different with unusual formations. The people were very friendly and the water beautiful. I agree its not my first choice but I am glad I went and would recommend it to friends, depending on what other things they are looking for in their vacations.

Yes the wind is very strong averaging 20 - to 25 knots. It was much more comfortable sitting by the pool because of the sand blasts and somedays impossible to sit on the beach without sand blowing everywhere.

I juts returned from Aruba and while it was windy, most of the time it felt good. Amazingly enough though, the sand rarely whipped around. We layedon the beach the whole time (who needs a pool with water like that)and blowing sand was not a problem. I wouldn't worry about it if I were you.

We spent a week there in February and the wind wasn't bad at all - just normal seaside breeziness. No sandblasting. Maybe we were just lucky - I'm sure conditions vary.<BR><BR>

Susanne, we were there in July and no problems with wind at all. I wear contacts and if the wind and sand would have been a problem i would not have been able to sit at the beach. Go and have fun.

Yes, go & have fun. In January it will be real nice & comfortable. Don't worry about the wind, you will enjoy your stay.

We went in April and the wind didn't bother us at all.

We went in May and the sand was annoying much of the time, but not all the time.<BR>I would hesitate to call Aruba "pretty", as someone above did. It's scrubby.<BR>But the beaches are nice and weather great.

We were there in late August and it was windy but it was very refreshing , due to intense sun. No problems with sand blowing on face etc. at the Radisson beach. You stop noticing it after awhile, it was no big deal.

Hi, Suzanne! Last Christmas we stayed @ the Marriott in Aruba (the Hotel, not the timeshares to the south of the Hotel). No problem @ all w/ strong winds (and, I hate wind so I wld. have noticed!!!). Walking along the beach in the evening is lovely b/c it faces west. However, while wind was not a problem for us the sand fleas were! Especially in the evening. For some reason, these nasty little creatures are very selective when they choose their meals! We had a party of 6 & only 2 were bitten. Nasty. And very itchy. Bring along some cortisone cream in case they decide to feast on you! <BR>Except for the sand flea bites which you can prevent by wearing long sleeves/pants &/or insect repellent, we loved Palm Beach in Aruba. (Marriott was a big disappointment but we did not spend a lot of time in the room.)

Aruba is windy, but I'd worry about <BR>the boredom before the wind. It's an island so small that you are limited to<BR>any thrilling night life and action. Its got great beaches though. I find it<BR>a bit pricey, but it all depends on your style of vacation. Barbados would be a better bet for about the same costs, but Barbados does have nightlife that is fun for all, and no wind to disrupt you.

To Susan... Going to Aruba in two weeks, please tell me why the Marriot was disappointing. Now you have me worried. I would apprciate any feedback.

We were in Aruba for 8 days at the end of October 2001 and had no problem what so ever with wind. There was a breeze, which made laying on the beach comfortable. We never had a problem with "biting sand" or a "sand whipping". We stayed on Eagle Beach at the Manchebo and found the weather to be perfect!

The winds in Aruba are a non-issue. The sun is so intense, the windy conditions are a welcome relief. <BR><BR>We just returned from our 3rd trip and had several days w/o wind and believe me, you want the winds. It's more comfortable not only on the beach, but also when dining outside, walking downtown, or just touring the island. We didn't go horseback riding or windsurfing but those that did also mentioned it would have been better with a breeze or wind. When we sailed, we had to use the motor. It's all relative.

We were in Aruba for a week in August, and the wind was terrible every day. My son wore his goggles on the beach, the sunglasses weren't keeping the sand out enough. We stayed at the Wyndham, but spent time on other sections of beach as well. Seems like the hotels closer to the center of the crescent had a little less windblasts.

There is your problem right there.. the wind on the beach area at the Wyndham is almost always like that. We have walked the beach many times at different times of the year and always find it terrible. That is the main reason I would not stay at that resort. Other sections of both Eagle and Palm Beach don't have this problem. Try a different hotel.

nope. not just the Windyham. The beaches are sand blasted and the trees grow sideways because of the constant wind. Certainly it's hot it's the tropics after all but why bother if you have to sit at pools to avoid the sand blowing because it hurts.

No, you don't get sand blasted at all the other locations. The Wyndham is the only one I have ever encountered with this problem and it is a frequent situation.