The tiny Island of Aruba has become famous on Instagram for one main reason and that is the unique flamingo beach. Their motto is one happy island and it is very true, with their perfect weather nearly all year round and lots of amazing restaurants. Flamingo beach is still my favourite beach so far, it is hard to describe how amazing it is to lie on the beach and watch the flamingos walk around, play in the water and take a nap.
How much does it cost
The only place flamingos are found is on a private Island owned by the Renaissance hotel and it is free for guests to use. There are day passes to the island that can be purchased for $99 per person. However this is only when the hotel is below 80% occupancy and has to be bought on the day. This is to stop the beach from becoming overcrowded.
I personally think it is better to pay for at least one night at the hotel because at times it can cost $150, which isn’t much more than the day pass. We stayed for 3 nights and I am so glad that we did. Although the Flamingo beach is the hotels main selling point, our room was very nice and there are lots of restaurants to choose from as well as a small shopping area.
Best time to visit
The speed boats that go to the island and back run roughly every 15 minutes from 07:00 until 18:00. The journey itself only takes 8 minutes and you can make as many trips there and back as you want in a day.
If you want photos of a quiet beach then the best time to go is at 07:00. Also at this time the flamingos are happy to be fed, whereas later on they are full and disinterested in food.
We took some protein bars with us and would eat one for breakfast before taking the first boat over to the beach, spend a few hours there and then go back to the hotel for a full breakfast later in the morning. We would then go back to the beach again in the afternoon, there were a lot more people there but it is still a lot quieter than most beaches.
Feeding flamingos
Food for the flamingos can be bought at the beach from a small vending machine, it costs 25 cents for a handful. The first day we didn’t have anything to keep it in so we asked for a cup from the bar but apparently it is appealing to other types of birds as well, so it kept being knocked over as they tried to help themselves.
There are 6 flamingos in total and in the morning they would all come straight over when they saw the food, which was easier to keep in a zip lock bag.
The island
The beach is split into two sections, the one on the right has the flamingos and is only for adults. The family beach is on the left and called the iguana beach, it is bigger and has the main bar and restaurant. It was named after the iguanas that like to relax by the entrance. Children are allowed to visit the flamingos between 09:00 and 10:00.
There are plenty of sun loungers on both beaches as well as a few hammocks dotted around. Also flamingo beach has 4 private huts on the water with their own hammock that can be hired out, but these need to be booked in advance. In addition to regular facilities they provide beach towels and even have free Wi-Fi which can be accessed from everywhere on the island.
I don’t usually enjoy spending a long time at the beach because I can tend to get bored. But this beach is different, it is the perfect combination of relaxation and fun. Three days went by so quickly and I hope to go back again one day. Below is a video of flamingo beach Aruba first thing in the morning.
Best time to visit
The weather in Aruba is generally good all year round but room prices tend to be highest from January to March. April to August have lower room prices and because Aruba lies outside of the hurricane belt this does not have to be taken into consideration. I would recommend visiting in April or May. When we went at the end of April and it was 30°C and very sunny.
Aruba also has some amazing restaurants:Romantic beach restaurants in Aruba
Visited: 4 days at the end of April 2018
