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Exploring Aruba
There is much more to Aruba than fun in the sun on the beaches. You can tour an Aloe factory
and the electricity and water plant known as WEB. Visit caves with ancient indian drawings,
explore the Cunucu (countryside) where you're likely to see herds of goats wandering freely.
Visit a Butterfly Farm, a donkey sanctuary and an Ostrich Ranch. Marvel at ancient giant
boulder formations that no one has been able to explain.
Climb a mountain, hike at Arikok National Park, see portrayals of Aruban music and dance,
find museums, slide down sand dunes, visit an art gallery. There's even a brand new
Archaeology Museum.
| Cunucu
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North Coast
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The Papiamento word for "countryside," the Cunucu is the rugged, rambling
interior of the island which is generally flat but punctuated by all kinds of vegetation.
Small pastel houses fenced in by cactuses line the roadsides.
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Fort Zoutman and Willem III Tower
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Oranjestad
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The oldest building on the island, this Dutch fortress now houses the Historical Museum of Aruba, where
Caiquetio artifacts from the prehistoric past are now on display alongside remnants from the Dutch
colonial period and other items of local interest. The Fort is home to the weekly Bon Bini Festival
featuring local talent, foods, arts and crafts.
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| De Olde Molen
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Palm Beach
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This old windmill was first built in 1804 in Holland and then shipped to Aruba piece by piece and
reconstructed in 1960. Located in front of The Mill Resort.
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| Bushiribana
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North Coast near the Natural Bridge
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On the northern coast midway down the island lie the abandoned gold mines that were the
center of Aruba's gold rush during the nineteenth century. Nearby sits the ruins of an
old pirate castle that some say goes all the way back to 1499, the year that Alonso de
Ojeda landed here.
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| Natural Bridge
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North Coast
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In the early morning hours of September 2, 2005, Aruba's Natural Bridge,
the largest in Aruba and the Caribbean, collapsed. One of the main attractions on the
northeast coast, this coral formation was 25 feet high and 100 feet long, which had been carved
out by the pounding surf over the course of the centuries. It was as a result of this
constant pounding that the bridge collapsed. The snack bar and
gift shop remain as a stopping point for island tours exploring the area.
There is another smaller Natural Bridge nearby and several others throughout the island.
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| Hooiberg
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Oranjestad
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Shaped like a haystack (Hooiberg means Mt.Haystack in Dutch), this mountain looms prominently from
the middle of the island. At 541 feet, it is not the tallest mountain (Mt.Yamanota and Mt.Arikok
at 617 feet and 577 feet respectively are both taller), but it is the most accessible. Climb it's
500 steps to the peak where it is possible to see across to the coast of Venezuela on a clear day.
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| Casibari And Ayo
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Oranjestad
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Just north of Hooiberg, a strange geological formation of large diorite boulders looks
as if it had just been dumped here in a pile. Climbing paths lead to the top for a
spectacular view of the island. Scientists still have not been able to explain how these
rocks got here.
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| Boca Prins
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Eagle Beach
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A favorite pastime along the beach here is to join the locals in dune sliding. Sneakers
and a strong pair of jeans are definitely encouraged.
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| Arikok National Park
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San Nicolas
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Surrounding Mt. Arikok near the center of the island is a natural preserve which features some
of the oldest Arawak drawings, as well as trails that showcase Aruba's great variety of
plants and animals like the divi-divi and kwihi trees, rare and exotic cacti, aloe,
tropical flowers, birds and iguanas.
There's also an old Aruban "cunucu" house, "cas ditorta," made of
mud and grass. Together with the Coastal Protection Zone, Arikok National Park
encompasses 25 percent of the island.
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| Fontein And Quadiriki Caves
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Eagle Beach
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The Quadirikiri cave is famous for its two chambers where sunlight shines through and is the perfect
backdrop for unique pictures. Be adventurous and dare to go down the 100ft. long tunnel, home of
hundreds of harmless bats.
The Fontein cave is the most popular of the caves as it is the only one that has Indian drawings on
the ceilings, providing a real sense of island history to this cave.
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| Saveneta
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South of the Airport
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On the southeastern side of the island is the oldest town in Aruba, Savaneta, the original
capital. This is where the Dutch first settled after re-establishing control of the
island in 1816. Today, it is an active fishing village, but there are still the
remnants of an earlier time. The oldest house in Aruba, a cas de torto or mud-hut
dating back some 150 years, is still standing here.
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| Natural Pool
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Northeastern Coast
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On a deserted stretch of coastline, dramatic shows of water spraying over the rock occurs
on a regular basis as the tide rushes to shore. In a unique formation of rock, volcanic
stone circles a small depression, creating a tranquil pool known as "conchi" or
"Cura di Tortuga," or more familiarly by visitors as the Natural Pool.
The location of the Pool is surrounded by some of Aruba's most rugged terrain, so a
visitor truly gets the feeling of having "discovered" something when they reach the
site, by either foot, horseback or 4x4 vehicle. Because of the nature of the environment
in this secluded area, the site is not accessible by car.
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