When you travel as much as I do, peace of mind stops being a nice-to-have and starts being the whole deciding factor.
We all want the crystal-clear water and the white-sand beaches. But do you actually want to relax, or do you want to spend a week with one eye open? Because those aren’t always the same thing, depending on where you go.
Well, the numbers are in. Based on 260 recent traveler votes on our Safety Index, Aruba just scored a 98/100, higher than any other destination on the entire index. Officially voted the safest destination in the Caribbean right now, and honestly? Not even a little bit surprising to me.
I’ve been saying this for a while. 😄
The Vibe the Second You Land
Aruba is only about 20 miles long and 6 miles wide, so your ride from the airport to your resort is going to be short no matter where you end up staying.
But the thing I notice every single time isn’t the drive… it’s that the tension just drops the moment I step off the plane.
Because the safety index is so high here, you don’t feel like you have to stay glued to your resort property.
I’ve walked back to my hotel at 1 a.m. after a few drinks and felt completely fine.
That’s not something I’d say about a lot of major tourist destinations, and it genuinely changes the entire experience.
San Nicolas: Way More Than A Beach Day
When most people think of Aruba, they think beach. And look, the beaches are incredible, and we’ll get there. But my favorite thing to do on the island has nothing to do with sand.
You have to go to San Nicolas.
Founded in 2016 by Tito Bolivar after a visit to Bogota, Colombia inspired him, the Aruba Art Fair kicked things off and San Nicolas has never looked back. Now there are well over 40 murals covering the buildings, painted by some of the greatest muralists in the world. Everywhere you turn your head, there’s something jaw-dropping.
I’d do the morning tour: the sun won’t be as brutal, and you’ll thank yourself. Afterward, swing by Zeerover on your way back. It’s a local spot right on a pier, and you’ll be eating fresh fish while staring out at the same water it came from. That’s a hard combo to beat.
The Desert (Yes, Really)
Here’s something I didn’t know until a few days before my first trip: Aruba has a desert.
I first grew my Caribbean knowledge spending time in Grenada, which is incredibly mountainous. You can’t look in any direction without hitting a peak. Aruba is the complete opposite.
The north side of the island is flat, arid, and rugged in a way that genuinely feels like a different planet. You can see for miles.
The best way to see it? A UTV tour. 🌵
UTVs are basically a hybrid between an ATV, a golf cart, and a car, and they are an absolute blast to drive. We went with De Palm Tours, and our guide was both hilarious and actually informative, which is a rarer combination than you’d think. You stop at several points along the way. Natural bridges, the California Lighthouse, spots to stretch and switch off driving, and it is a great time to get some video as a passenger.
One thing: wear sunglasses with serious coverage, or grab some off-roading goggles. They sell them before the tour if you forget. There’s no windshield, and the desert will find its way onto you. 😂
After the ride, jump straight into the water at Tres Trapi beach. Best shower you’ll ever take.
The Perfect Basecamp: Why I Pick The Marriott
Aside from choosing to visit Aruba in the first place, your biggest decision is where you stay. The two-mile stretch of Palm Beach is legendary, and for my trips, the Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino is the absolute perfect pick for a completely stress-free vacation.
The property has everything you could possibly need on-site. (I once realized an hour into my trip that I had forgotten toothpaste, deodorant, nail clippers, and my snorkel gear—a total amateur move. Instead of panicking, I just walked downstairs and found all four immediately!)
The rooms are incredible (and freshly updated, can’t wait to check them out)! Having morning coffee while looking off the balcony as the sun comes up is a memory that stays etched in your brain forever.
What really sets the Marriott apart is that you can go home with more than just souvenirs. They offer an awesome Pastechi cooking class where you can learn to make the delicious local Aruban pastry right at the resort and eat the tasty rewards.
To cap off your adventures, you have to enjoy a sunset dinner at Atardi.
You get to dine with your feet literally buried in the sand in one of the most beautiful settings in the Caribbean.
The Part That Makes Aruba The Easiest Caribbean Trip For Americans
Okay, here’s the thing that genuinely makes Aruba stand out beyond everything else, and it has nothing to do with the beach or the art or the desert.
Aruba has a pre-clearance agreement with the United States, which means U.S. Customs officers are actually stationed inside the Aruba airport. When your trip is over, you go through customs before you board your flight home. When you land back in the States, you just grab your bags and walk out like it was a domestic flight.
Just know (and I want to be upfront about this because it matters for your planning), you are essentially going through two full security screenings and luggage scans in the Aruba airport. Give yourself extra time. Arriving early isn’t optional here; it’s genuinely necessary.
But once you’re home, wheels down and walking straight out of the airport with no line, no wait, no customs hall?
It’s the perfect, stress-free ending to a trip on the safest island in the Caribbean. 🏖️
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Stacie Harris is a local resident and reporter of the Maple Grove area. Stacie reports on medicine and science for the Maple Grove Report.
