Aruba

Golfing in Aruba is an experience that merges relaxed sporting enjoyment with a celebration of the island's wildlife. A world-class golf course, the 18-hole, par 71 Tierra del Sol, is situated on the northwest tip of the island. It was brilliantly designed by Robert Trent Jones II to take full advantage of its natural surroundings. Golfers take a swing watched by wild green parakeets perched on organ-pipe cactus, and lizards basking on the rocks. The fourth hole is alongside a saltwater pond inhabited by a variety of exotic bird species, while burros graze beside the fifth hole. Aruba's endangered burrowing owls perch on coral caves near the sixth.Those hoping to polish up their game can enjoy the course's popular 'No-embarrassment Clinic', run over a half a day. Pro-golfers who like a challenge will find the course offers various wind conditions that make club selection an important factor. The terrain is dry, arid and flat, typical of a desert links. The Bermuda Grass fairways are kept in excellent condition and are fairly wide. Hazards include bunkers full of soft white Aruba sand, cacti, coral rock formations, and water hazards called 'salinas' on holes 13, 14 and 15. The greens are planted with Bermuda Tif Dwarf grass, are fast and have no hidden breaks. Most putts are affected by the wind.

Aruba's underwater realm draws scuba and snorkelling enthusiasts from all over the world to explore its famed shipwrecks and fascinating coral formations. The island's dive sites include the largest wreck in the Caribbean, the renowned Antilla. The waters abound in exotic marine life, including moray eels, lobsters, sea turtles, dolphins, sting rays, and a wide variety of tropical fish.Most divers base themselves at hotels on Palm Beach to access the best dive sites, which lie along the western and southern coasts. There are more than 40 sites serviced by numerous operators on the island, offering experiences for everyone from complete beginners to the more experienced divers. A shallow sand plateau stretches out to the offshore reefs, which are best reached by boat. Coral formations are in relatively shallow water and visibility and weather conditions are usually excellent. Beginners will find top-rated scuba schools on offer. For the more experienced diver, wreck-diving is a popular option, as well as night diving and wall diving. There are several tour operators available that will be happy to organise an entirely dive-focused holiday in Aruba, from accommodation and meals to dive masters ready to guide you to all the best sites.

Aruba, blustered by the Caribbean winds, is regarded as one of the best places on earth to windsurf. It is almost always sunny and just as often windy, with an average wind speed of 20 knots, making for an almost a guaranteed chance of getting great windsurfing conditions on even a short trip to the island. The water temperature makes it possible to stay out in the water for hours, seeing as it rarely falls below 75°F (24°C). There are challenging, gusty spots for more experienced windsurfers, as well as calmer, more consistent areas for beginners. As a consequence the island has attracted world famous instructors and windsurfing speciality shops to cater for exponents of this exhilarating sport. Every year Aruba hosts the ten day Hi Winds Amateur World Challenge windsurfing tournament, which attracts hundreds of professional windsurfers, amateurs and spectators in late June, and is sanctioned by the Professional Boardsailors' Association.The most popular site for windsurfing is Fishermen's Huts, located at the end of Palm Beach. Many windsurfing and kitesurfing shops and schools dot the coast here. It's important to note that the high rise hotels also located on this stretch of beach have created some quite vicious wind gusts, making the windsurfing and kitesurfing suitable for the more skilled sailors. Kite surfers are only allowed in the water early in the morning, until 10am, and later in the afternoon, after 4pm, to avoid collisions between kite surfers and windsurfers.