# Which Aruba RCI T/S has the nicest beach experience?



## Conan (May 15, 2006)

We've never been to Aruba, and I'm thinking of a March '08 visit.  (I can start searching with a high-demand RCI Weeks exchange, or I can wait and look at RCI points a year from now.)

Our priorities for an Aruba resort are, in priority order:
1.  The beach (preferable without dune buggys, power boats, "personal watercraft" and the like)(and if wind-blown sand is a problem in Aruba, then it also should be a reasonably sheltered or wind-free beach);
2.  Snorkel if possible;
3.  Clean and new or recently upgraded unit;
4.  Not a giant hotel.

Your thoughts?

Thanks!


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## lvhmbh (May 15, 2006)

Hmmm, what are you looking for?   I mean, studio, 1br, 2br?  Are you a couple or a family (children) or 2 couples?  I can suggest the first two for beaches (no water craft, dune buggies, etc.) but cannot do any beach that is "reasonably sheltered" as it doesn't exist.  Depends on the time of the year and the wind - we go the same 3 weeks each year (give or take a day) and its always different windwise (is that a word?).  We play golf so the wind really factors in and it IS windy.  That said, the weather is delightful.   Linda


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## Conan (May 15, 2006)

Probably we'd be one couple in a 1-BR, although if we had a 2nd BR we might invite one of our 20's-age children.   We're the ones that like a hot and sunny beach, more than our children do;  the concern about the wind is we wouldn't want to be sandblasted on the beach. 

I was thinking of March - - is that particularly good or bad wind-wise?


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## riverside (May 15, 2006)

We stayed at the Playa Linda in March.  Only a gentle breeze but maybe we were lucky.


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## lvhmbh (May 16, 2006)

It does vary - we go from late Feb. til mid-March and sometimes its very windy but not usually.  We, of course, love Costa Linda - great beach and units.  Playa Linda is in the thick of things and is very nice as well.  Linda


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## chrisnwillie (May 16, 2006)

Even though I own and love Playa Linda, for what you are asking, I'd go with Costa Linda, primarily because of the watercraft activity you mentioned. There is a lot of that on Palm Beach, which is where Playa Linda is. The wind is everywhere on the island and if the wind is blowing hard at the particular you chose to visit, you can get sandblasted no matter where you stay. I also go from the last week of February thru late March and the wind is never bad then, although it does gust from time to time. 

Aruba has good snorkling, but not from the resort beaches. You would need to go on a little excursion either on your own or with a boat group to get some good snorkling in. 

I don't know when was the last time Costa Linda did any upgrading, but it is absolutely lovely there. Don't know exactly how many units they have, but I am thinking about 200 and they have plenty of beach space for everyone.


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## DianneL (May 16, 2006)

It's been several years back now, but we have stayed at the Costa Linda and loved it.  Great resort.  Nice pool and beach.


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## TTom (May 16, 2006)

Just came back from Playa Linda.  Beach was breezy, but didn't feel any sand blowing around.  We also didn't notice a great deal of boating activity at Palm Beach (although I would limit my concern (and my opinion) to Jet-ski's.  There was an occasional water skier and some sailboats, but that's all I remember.

Didn't get down to Eagle Beach (Costa Linda), so I can't really compare the two.

Overall, we were quite pleased.

Tom


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## PLL (May 19, 2006)

3 yrs ago, late July, we stayed at Playa Linda (Palm Beach) the first week and then the La Cabana (Eagle Beach) the 2nd week.  Of the two, I liked Palm Beach  much better because the water was shallower, seem calmer and for some reason seem safer and the water crafts did not bother us at all.  We are not into water crafts either.    Eagle Beach seem to have a bigger drop off a few feet from the beach and somehow seem very stark in comparision.  Also, Palm Beach offer shade from trees on the beach  if palapas( and they usually are not) are not available whereas there is no shade at all on Eagle Beach.  Perhaps because of the trees, Palm Beach seem lusher.  It's busier, but very family oriented - at least during July.

The restaurant on the Palm Beach Pier (in front of the holiday Inn) has the best Fish Sandwich.  The fish is thick, juicy and grilled.  The Hyatt (next to Playa Linda)  has a wonderful water slide.  I know it's for Hyatt customers only but we were able to go in and slide down twice.  What a beautiful hotel.  

I always think about going back to Palm Beach.


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## chrisnwillie (May 20, 2006)

Just an FYI...the drop off you describe comes and goes on both beaches, but the water is shallower and calmer on Palm Beach.

The restaurant on the pier in front of the HI (actually between PLBR and HI) is Pelican and they do have a great fish sandwich as well as coconut shrimp.


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## lvhmbh (May 20, 2006)

As to refurbishing, at Costa Linda it is ongoing.  We just redid the lobby, last year new mattresses.  We refurbished, if that's the word, the pool and hottubs and purchased new lounge chairs.  Our board is doing a tremendous job!!!  Our maintenance fees have stayed down and our resort has gone up.  Linda


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## shar (Jun 8, 2006)

We own at the Aruba Phoenix and love it.  It is clean, relatively new and  building more. Beach is more quiet than other beaches. Plenty of chairs  in the past.  Nice pool but not overly crowded.  Some people want deep water off the beach and this would be a negative here. If you want deep water then you have to go slightly up the beach a bit. You will only find people who are staying at the Phoenix on this beach. This is a plus to me. The breeze is a plus also as you do not feel as "hot".

Shar


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## Dani (Jun 8, 2006)

I think the beach at the Playa Linda was nicer than the beach where the Costa Linda is located.  I really enjoyed my stay at the Playa Linda and thought that the breeze was perfectly fine.   One caveat.... the fight for beach chairs underneath the shaded huts was absolutely ridiculous.  I do not know if this goes on everywhere in Aruba, but I was shocked.   If you are not an early bird and want a shaded seat at the beach...you might want to pass on the Playa Linda.  I have never seen anything like it.  Mind you, I was not there in high season.


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## chrisnwillie (Jun 8, 2006)

Dani said:
			
		

> I think the beach at the Playa Linda was nicer than the beach where the Costa Linda is located.  I really enjoyed my stay at the Playa Linda and thought that the breeze was perfectly fine.   One caveat.... the fight for beach chairs underneath the shaded huts was absolutely ridiculous.  I do not know if this goes on everywhere in Aruba, but I was shocked.   If you are not an early bird and want a shaded seat at the beach...you might want to pass on the Playa Linda.  I have never seen anything like it.  Mind you, I was not there in high season.



That goes on 12 months a year at Playa Linda and it even goes on at the hotels in that area. I am there weeks 9, 10 and 11 and it is absolutely horrible, the behavior of people over "chickees". Management keeps trying to resolve the issues but these people that do this have been doing it since PLBR was built.


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## Blue Skies (Jun 8, 2006)

This question is a bit off topic, so I hope it is OK to ask it in this thread.

Is the weather in Aruba humid?  We were in Curacao in January this year (week 1) and I was very surprised by the high humidity.  My camera lens fogged up just taking it outside.  I thought Aruba and Curacao were supposed to be more arid/desert-like climates?

Does the time of year make a difference?  We are considering going to Aruba either week 1 or week 10 (college break weeks).  It appears that week 10 is a little warmer with less rain, so maybe the humidity would be lower also?

We've never been to Aruba, and are looking forward to visiting, so any help at all would be very appreciated!  Thanks a lot!


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## chrisnwillie (Jun 8, 2006)

People tell me Aruba is not humid, and I disagree. Like I said earlier, I go weeks 9, 10 and 11 and I think it is quite humid, even though it is an arrid climate. My hair is a frizzy mess from the humidity (not to mention wind blown so there's no hope for it), my camera lens does get fogged also, as do my eyeglasses going in and outside. So, JMHO, Aruba in March is humid but hardly any rain.


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