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In another thread, we were asked about how Aruba compared to Maui. Below are my thoughts:
Well, I'm back from Aruba and promised to report back on my impressions of Aruba as ann alternative to Maui. Here it is! Sorry for the novel!
Topography
My first impression of Aruba was that it was really, really flat and really, really dry. There are only a few hills and no mountains at all on the entire island. This is very different from the Hawaiian islands, whose mountains are named characters with personalities in their mythology. While Aruba is a volcanic island, it was covered in coral before it emerged from the ocean, so it's a white island, not lava black and green like the Hawaiian islands. You really need your sunglasses on Aruba because the sun coming off that bleached coral is really intense. And it looks more like a whitewashed Phoenix than Florida.
Both islands have a resort side (west and south) and a windy side. But Maui is much bigger and has many micro-climates, including a 10,000 foot high mountain, deserts, and rain forests. Aruba's climates are: dry and windy, and dryer and windier.
Aruba is small, too -- only 20 miles long and 6 miles wide. Much of the island is a national park, so no structure around save perhaps a wind farm or water tower. The entire east side of the island is barren and the sea is very rough there. Almost the entire populations lives on the west side, which is where the resorts are. They have a small downtown area as well, and traffic through there is predictably tough during certain times of the day.
Weather
Aruba is known for its predictable weather and its wind. It did not disappoint on this front. There were only a few times when the wind wasn't blowing either gently or fiercely, and it was noteworthy when it stopped. The wind also helped with the flies and mosquitoes. When we traveled at the end of November, the temperature was 78 low and 83 high every day, with cooling breezes making it almost the perfect temperature.
Hawaii, of course, is known for its gorgeous weather. It's also known for its dreamy ambience, with tiki torches lining foliage-lined walkways and koi ponds. Ahhhh! While it CAN be rainy and/or humid in the tourist areas, it's consistently wonderful weather cannot be dismissed.
While there's something to be said about Aruba's predictable 83 and sunny forecast, there's also something incredibly special about Hawaii's weather.
Activities
Snorkeling
We love to snorkel. While Aruba had much better snorkeling than, say, St. Maarten, it's not as good as St. John. But I've yet to encounter anything that comes close to snorkeling Molokini on a calm day. The clear water, the diverse aquatic life...it's heaven on earth.
Of course, to get to Molokini, you have to get on a boat. While snorkeling from the shore is possible in Hawaii, it's also much more difficult to get in and out of the water from shore thanks to the lava. On Aruba, because it's so flat, getting in and out of the water was very easy. Of course, that constant wind might blow you out to sea, but the good news is that you're not instantly in over your head like in Hawaii.
Other Water Activities
In terms of other water activities, there were definitely more touristy water activities on Aruba, from parasailing to jet skiing, to swimming to snorkeling to kite surfing than you'll see on a typical Hawaiian beach. And they're usually affordable. The Caribbean, because of its calmer seas, just has more to offer for water lovers than Hawaii.
While Hawaii is an oceanic community, without a doubt, it's just not as emphasized as in the Caribbean. But it's not missed too much because there's so much more to do in Hawaii that doesn't involve the ocean because it's so much bigger. If you're into hiking or biking or running or stargazing or horseback riding...well, Maui has it all.
And, it's also worth stating that even though I've been to Maui a half a dozen times, I've never run out of things to do. In Aruba, there might still be one or two activities on my wish list, I'd cover them all in one or two trips.
Reputation
One of the main reasons I chose Aruba, outside of the fact that it was below the hurricane belt, is that many people (often strangers) spoke so positively of it. Like Hawaiiphiles, there are definitely Arubaphiles. As the saying goes, 50,000 fans can't be wrong.
Logistics
Getting to Hawaii from Ohio is an all-day affair on the way there and all-night affair on the way back. Add in a 5 to 6 hour time difference, and I'm zombified by the time I arrive and for a few days after I return. For this reason, I plan to stay at least 10 days in Hawaii, if not longer. Aruba is just one hour difference, so adjusting to the time change is much, much easier. A week's stay is quite doable.
Flight times from most of the East/Midwest to Aruba are very good, with many cities enjoying direct flights. In theory, even with a layover, we could depart at 7am and arrive by 2:30pm Aruba time (3:30pm our time). That's not bad. On the way back, it's not so great (we left at 3:50 and arrived at 11:30pm (10:30pm Aruba time)). But it was mitigated because we were still arising/sleeping on the same schedule. Even though we didn't hit the sheets til 1am, I was able to get up the next day and play tennis at noon. I could never do that following a Hawaiian red eye.
However. Aruba is still a foreign country and with that comes hassle. Getting through Customs and making sure you have a current passport, blah blah blah. It adds time and hassle that I'd rather do without. On the way home, we were advised to arrive at noon for a 3:50pm flight. No matter how you slice it, that's a looong day. The only positive is that you can clear US customs in Aruba, and can book tighter flights because you don't have to worry about clearing customs when you land.
Hawaii isn't a cakewalk, as they still force you to go through agricultural screening and TSA, but it's awesome to be spared the whole Customs process and having to get a passport.
Affordability
Air
For ME, both lodging and airfare were more affordable to Aruba (from Ohio). I easily booked flights with points, which I've done in the past to Hawaii but usually by adjusting my itinerary to arrive and/or depart on a day when Saver flights were available. I didn't have to do this for Aruba. Out of pocket airfares from Ohio to Aruba are ~$700. Hawaii usually averages ~$1000+, so a significant savings if traveling with kids. West Coasters, of course, have a real advantage with cheaper flights and air fare sales to Hawaii.
Lodging
For lodging, I booked directly from a Redweek week. I targeted a 2 bdrm/2 bath condo at a highly rated resort, and was able to get an ocean front 2-story 2B/3BA penthouse for $2750 at Divi Phoenix Aruba. While it was not as nice as WKORV, it was on par with the WSJ IMO, both of which would be at least $1000 more, if not $2000.
Activities
Activities were very reasonable on Aruba vs. Hawaii, thanks in part to the strong USD. Half day snorkeling trip cost ~$60 in Aruba, compared to $100+ on Hawaii. Sunset Booze cruise cost about $40pp, an all-day PinkJeep-like activity was $115pp, and a 6 hour Made in Aruba tour that included lunch was ~$40pp. Once again, this all helps when you're traveling with kids.
Groceries
Grocery prices were approximately 30% higher on Aruba than the mainland for most items. Beer and bagged chips are very expensive, even the locally brewed beer ($20 for 12-pack), Balashi. Most activities that included drinks didn't include beer.
Hawaii prices are about the same, except beer and chips aren't as bad.
I found the quality of food on both islands to be first-world nation good.
Car Rental
I'd say car rental prices are about the same, though I've gotten some pretty good bargains on Maui. However, I'd definitely recommend renting from a local car company on Aruba because the international companies have older, beat up cars. Our Alamo small SUV was embarrassing. I'm talking dents and scratches everywhere, and no electronic locks.
While renting a car is pretty much a must on any of the major Hawaiian islands, except possibly Oahu, I can safely say that had I not gotten the rental car on points, we could have easily made do with taxis/bus given that we stayed on Palm Beach in Aruba. Most activities offered resort pick-up, and the island is so small that a taxi ride isn't even that bad. Being at the end of resort row, most nights we strolled along the oceanfront path to the restaurants along Palm Beach. Even though you can technically drink and drive, we hailed a few taxis if we didn't feel like walking. They also offer a bus service, but I think that they could improve on this because the buses aren't clearly marked like ours are.
Culture
Strangely, Aruba feels more like the US than Hawaii does. There is very little evidence of Dutch or South American or Caribbean culture. The food is the same as the States, the drinks are the same, they drive on the same side we do, they accept USD, you can use Verizon phones, catch an American football game. Every Aruban citizen speaks 4 languages, including English.... It was very surprising to sit down the first night at our resort and see them offering a low-country BBQ, complete with cole slaw.
Ironically, Hawaii, though it's a US state, feels more like a foreign country than Aruba. Hawaiians are fiercely proud of their indigenous culture...but that also translates as a bit of xenophobia as well. You do get the feeling if you were to move to Hawaii, you'll always be a haole because your grandfather's father's father wasn't native born. While there's something to be said about preserving your culture, it definitely isn't an inclusive culture.
Safety
I've never traveled anywhere in the world, including my own country, where I've felt safer than in Aruba. We never drove anywhere that felt as sketchy as places I've driven to in the Caribbean and the States. We routinely walked the ocean front path at night, and never felt afraid. The people are known to be nice and they WERE nice, from the tour guides to the housekeepers to the manager. I routinely left my wallet and iPhone out (not realizing that I'd get daily housekeeping) and nothing was ever touched.
While Maui is safe, they do suffer from petty theft against tourists. It's advised to never leave belongings in your car or they'll smash out the windows. Homeless people are taking over many Oahu and Maui beaches. And, of course, Hawaiians are notorious for not liking tourism, especially Maui Council, who's made it abundantly clear that timeshare owners especially are not welcomed.
I think there are many reasons why Aruba is so much better at welcoming tourists, including the acceptance that Tourism is their #1 industry. But it goes deeper than that. They pride themselves on paying a living wage to most people, unemployment is low, Dutch citizens are well educated (college in the Netherlands costs them $3000/year), and there are so many nationalities and religions represented that they've all learned to get along.
It really is one happy island. Albeit a little island.
Would I return? Absolutely. If I had to choose between a condo on Maui or Aruba, all things being equal, I'd choose Maui. But all things AREN'T equal, and I could actually afford an ocean front condo on Aruba. There's something to be said for that!
Well, I'm back from Aruba and promised to report back on my impressions of Aruba as ann alternative to Maui. Here it is! Sorry for the novel!
Topography
My first impression of Aruba was that it was really, really flat and really, really dry. There are only a few hills and no mountains at all on the entire island. This is very different from the Hawaiian islands, whose mountains are named characters with personalities in their mythology. While Aruba is a volcanic island, it was covered in coral before it emerged from the ocean, so it's a white island, not lava black and green like the Hawaiian islands. You really need your sunglasses on Aruba because the sun coming off that bleached coral is really intense. And it looks more like a whitewashed Phoenix than Florida.
Both islands have a resort side (west and south) and a windy side. But Maui is much bigger and has many micro-climates, including a 10,000 foot high mountain, deserts, and rain forests. Aruba's climates are: dry and windy, and dryer and windier.
Aruba is small, too -- only 20 miles long and 6 miles wide. Much of the island is a national park, so no structure around save perhaps a wind farm or water tower. The entire east side of the island is barren and the sea is very rough there. Almost the entire populations lives on the west side, which is where the resorts are. They have a small downtown area as well, and traffic through there is predictably tough during certain times of the day.
Weather
Aruba is known for its predictable weather and its wind. It did not disappoint on this front. There were only a few times when the wind wasn't blowing either gently or fiercely, and it was noteworthy when it stopped. The wind also helped with the flies and mosquitoes. When we traveled at the end of November, the temperature was 78 low and 83 high every day, with cooling breezes making it almost the perfect temperature.
Hawaii, of course, is known for its gorgeous weather. It's also known for its dreamy ambience, with tiki torches lining foliage-lined walkways and koi ponds. Ahhhh! While it CAN be rainy and/or humid in the tourist areas, it's consistently wonderful weather cannot be dismissed.
While there's something to be said about Aruba's predictable 83 and sunny forecast, there's also something incredibly special about Hawaii's weather.
Activities
Snorkeling
We love to snorkel. While Aruba had much better snorkeling than, say, St. Maarten, it's not as good as St. John. But I've yet to encounter anything that comes close to snorkeling Molokini on a calm day. The clear water, the diverse aquatic life...it's heaven on earth.
Of course, to get to Molokini, you have to get on a boat. While snorkeling from the shore is possible in Hawaii, it's also much more difficult to get in and out of the water from shore thanks to the lava. On Aruba, because it's so flat, getting in and out of the water was very easy. Of course, that constant wind might blow you out to sea, but the good news is that you're not instantly in over your head like in Hawaii.
Other Water Activities
In terms of other water activities, there were definitely more touristy water activities on Aruba, from parasailing to jet skiing, to swimming to snorkeling to kite surfing than you'll see on a typical Hawaiian beach. And they're usually affordable. The Caribbean, because of its calmer seas, just has more to offer for water lovers than Hawaii.
While Hawaii is an oceanic community, without a doubt, it's just not as emphasized as in the Caribbean. But it's not missed too much because there's so much more to do in Hawaii that doesn't involve the ocean because it's so much bigger. If you're into hiking or biking or running or stargazing or horseback riding...well, Maui has it all.
And, it's also worth stating that even though I've been to Maui a half a dozen times, I've never run out of things to do. In Aruba, there might still be one or two activities on my wish list, I'd cover them all in one or two trips.
Reputation
One of the main reasons I chose Aruba, outside of the fact that it was below the hurricane belt, is that many people (often strangers) spoke so positively of it. Like Hawaiiphiles, there are definitely Arubaphiles. As the saying goes, 50,000 fans can't be wrong.
Logistics
Getting to Hawaii from Ohio is an all-day affair on the way there and all-night affair on the way back. Add in a 5 to 6 hour time difference, and I'm zombified by the time I arrive and for a few days after I return. For this reason, I plan to stay at least 10 days in Hawaii, if not longer. Aruba is just one hour difference, so adjusting to the time change is much, much easier. A week's stay is quite doable.
Flight times from most of the East/Midwest to Aruba are very good, with many cities enjoying direct flights. In theory, even with a layover, we could depart at 7am and arrive by 2:30pm Aruba time (3:30pm our time). That's not bad. On the way back, it's not so great (we left at 3:50 and arrived at 11:30pm (10:30pm Aruba time)). But it was mitigated because we were still arising/sleeping on the same schedule. Even though we didn't hit the sheets til 1am, I was able to get up the next day and play tennis at noon. I could never do that following a Hawaiian red eye.
However. Aruba is still a foreign country and with that comes hassle. Getting through Customs and making sure you have a current passport, blah blah blah. It adds time and hassle that I'd rather do without. On the way home, we were advised to arrive at noon for a 3:50pm flight. No matter how you slice it, that's a looong day. The only positive is that you can clear US customs in Aruba, and can book tighter flights because you don't have to worry about clearing customs when you land.
Hawaii isn't a cakewalk, as they still force you to go through agricultural screening and TSA, but it's awesome to be spared the whole Customs process and having to get a passport.
Affordability
Air
For ME, both lodging and airfare were more affordable to Aruba (from Ohio). I easily booked flights with points, which I've done in the past to Hawaii but usually by adjusting my itinerary to arrive and/or depart on a day when Saver flights were available. I didn't have to do this for Aruba. Out of pocket airfares from Ohio to Aruba are ~$700. Hawaii usually averages ~$1000+, so a significant savings if traveling with kids. West Coasters, of course, have a real advantage with cheaper flights and air fare sales to Hawaii.
Lodging
For lodging, I booked directly from a Redweek week. I targeted a 2 bdrm/2 bath condo at a highly rated resort, and was able to get an ocean front 2-story 2B/3BA penthouse for $2750 at Divi Phoenix Aruba. While it was not as nice as WKORV, it was on par with the WSJ IMO, both of which would be at least $1000 more, if not $2000.
Activities
Activities were very reasonable on Aruba vs. Hawaii, thanks in part to the strong USD. Half day snorkeling trip cost ~$60 in Aruba, compared to $100+ on Hawaii. Sunset Booze cruise cost about $40pp, an all-day PinkJeep-like activity was $115pp, and a 6 hour Made in Aruba tour that included lunch was ~$40pp. Once again, this all helps when you're traveling with kids.
Groceries
Grocery prices were approximately 30% higher on Aruba than the mainland for most items. Beer and bagged chips are very expensive, even the locally brewed beer ($20 for 12-pack), Balashi. Most activities that included drinks didn't include beer.
Hawaii prices are about the same, except beer and chips aren't as bad.
I found the quality of food on both islands to be first-world nation good.
Car Rental
I'd say car rental prices are about the same, though I've gotten some pretty good bargains on Maui. However, I'd definitely recommend renting from a local car company on Aruba because the international companies have older, beat up cars. Our Alamo small SUV was embarrassing. I'm talking dents and scratches everywhere, and no electronic locks.
While renting a car is pretty much a must on any of the major Hawaiian islands, except possibly Oahu, I can safely say that had I not gotten the rental car on points, we could have easily made do with taxis/bus given that we stayed on Palm Beach in Aruba. Most activities offered resort pick-up, and the island is so small that a taxi ride isn't even that bad. Being at the end of resort row, most nights we strolled along the oceanfront path to the restaurants along Palm Beach. Even though you can technically drink and drive, we hailed a few taxis if we didn't feel like walking. They also offer a bus service, but I think that they could improve on this because the buses aren't clearly marked like ours are.
Culture
Strangely, Aruba feels more like the US than Hawaii does. There is very little evidence of Dutch or South American or Caribbean culture. The food is the same as the States, the drinks are the same, they drive on the same side we do, they accept USD, you can use Verizon phones, catch an American football game. Every Aruban citizen speaks 4 languages, including English.... It was very surprising to sit down the first night at our resort and see them offering a low-country BBQ, complete with cole slaw.
Ironically, Hawaii, though it's a US state, feels more like a foreign country than Aruba. Hawaiians are fiercely proud of their indigenous culture...but that also translates as a bit of xenophobia as well. You do get the feeling if you were to move to Hawaii, you'll always be a haole because your grandfather's father's father wasn't native born. While there's something to be said about preserving your culture, it definitely isn't an inclusive culture.
Safety
I've never traveled anywhere in the world, including my own country, where I've felt safer than in Aruba. We never drove anywhere that felt as sketchy as places I've driven to in the Caribbean and the States. We routinely walked the ocean front path at night, and never felt afraid. The people are known to be nice and they WERE nice, from the tour guides to the housekeepers to the manager. I routinely left my wallet and iPhone out (not realizing that I'd get daily housekeeping) and nothing was ever touched.
While Maui is safe, they do suffer from petty theft against tourists. It's advised to never leave belongings in your car or they'll smash out the windows. Homeless people are taking over many Oahu and Maui beaches. And, of course, Hawaiians are notorious for not liking tourism, especially Maui Council, who's made it abundantly clear that timeshare owners especially are not welcomed.
I think there are many reasons why Aruba is so much better at welcoming tourists, including the acceptance that Tourism is their #1 industry. But it goes deeper than that. They pride themselves on paying a living wage to most people, unemployment is low, Dutch citizens are well educated (college in the Netherlands costs them $3000/year), and there are so many nationalities and religions represented that they've all learned to get along.
It really is one happy island. Albeit a little island.
Would I return? Absolutely. If I had to choose between a condo on Maui or Aruba, all things being equal, I'd choose Maui. But all things AREN'T equal, and I could actually afford an ocean front condo on Aruba. There's something to be said for that!