It only took one quick glance at my Aruba itinerary for me to know this was going to be my favorite day on the island for two reasons:
1. I would get the opportunity to capture natural beauty at its finest which makes it perfect for an eclipse travel.
2. Snorkeling!
My travels have led me to snorkel many oceans and seas over the years, but for some unknown reason, this summer I can’t seem to get enough of it. I’ve heard so much about the molokini snorkel tour and I’m so excited to try it soon. The thought of it alone sends me into a kid in a candy store-type fit of excitement!
DE PALM TOURS
De Palm Tours is your one stop portal to fun and adventure! They offer a wide selection of tours and activities throughout Aruba to suit your mood; quiet time, mellow cruising, amazing discovery, wet ‘n wild action, cool comfort, rugged exploration – whatever it is you’re feeling, De Palm Tours has got you covered.
Today I woke up on the rugged exploration side of the bed… and not for the reason you’re thinking either – get your mind out of the gutter, people!!!
Look at this bad boy. We be travelin’ in style, yo…
NATURAL BRIDGE
Over on the north-east side of the island, you will find the spot where Aruba’s Natural Bridge once stood. This bridge was formed naturally over the centuries by the pounding waves crashing into and chiseling away at the coral limestone cliffs. Before collapsing in September of 2005, the Natural Bridge was the largest of its kind in the world and one of Aruba’s most popular tourist attractions. The remains of the bridge are still a popular landmark, with the adjacent Baby Bridge now stealing the show.
One thing you will definitely notice while wandering around are the many piles of stacked up rocks – they are literally everywhere you turn. These are called wishing rocks. Anyone can participate and leave their mark; simply collect a few rocks that you think will be stackable. Find a clean surface to start stacking them on, if you can find somewhere that has a wind break, bonus points. Stack them one-by-one and make a wish on each one as you go. Easy peasy.
NATURAL POOL
Arikok National Park covers about 18% of the island and is home to Aruba’s Natural Pool. Getting here is half the fun – the location of the Pool is surrounded by some of Aruba’s most rugged terrain and is therefore inaccessible by car. This is where the De Palm Tours safari jeep comes in handy. The descent down the bumpy, rolling hills really gets the adrenaline pumping. Word of advice – hold on, for real! There are times when your ass will literally come flying off your seat and you will be left airborne for a few seconds before crashing down again. Good thing I have a big butt (thanks mum), it made that crash landing a little more bearable! Turns out we all have beautiful screaming voices too, our poor driver. Haha.
Once your arrive, there will be a slight hike down a few make-do stairs; nothing that can’t be concurred in a pair of flip flops though! What awaits you down the bottom will be well worth a bruised bum.
The Natural Pool is protected from the rough sea by a unique formation of rocks and volcanic stone that creates a tranquil pool area. As the tide rushes to shore, the waves crash into the rock and sprays water over into the Natural Pool on a regular basis. This makes the protected Pool area a fantastic place to snorkel, swim or just cool off. De Palm Tours provided us with snorkeling gear and an inflatable life jacket (while you may think you don’t need the life jacket, if big waves come smashing in, it can get rough).
Without hesitation, I climbed over the slippery rocks and threw myself into the crystal clear water. I wasted no time getting my snorkel adjusted and going under to explore. There were so many beautifully colored fish swimming all over the place and right below our feet too – it was AMAZING! I was in my element and wish it didn’t have to come to any end! Hands down, the highlight of my entire Aruba adventure.
To check out more of De Palm Tours offerings, you can read about my catamaran sunset sail with them here. It’s #5, so scroll down to the bottom!
Exploring Aruba’s Natural Beauty with De Palm Tours
Exploring Aruba’s Natural Beauty with De Palm Tours
Exploring Aruba’s Natural Beauty with De Palm Tours
*I participated in this De Palm Tour as a guest of the ‘Au Naturel Aruba’ press trip provided by Marriott Aruba Resort & Stellaris Casino, but all opinions are my own.
.
I love your snorkling shots! It looks like you had a blast
tiffany recently posted…Adventures in Lolla Land
I did, it was so much fun. Wish I could have stayed longer 😀
whoa, those rocks…it looks super awesome there, and you got amazing photos of it all. pinning!
Jill recently posted…hooked on hasbeens
I’m kinda wishing I took some rocks and made one of those wishing stacks… but it was so windy and I pretty much convinced myself I wouldn’t be able to get them to stand 🙁
Oh. It’s very helpful. I didn’t know about that. Thank you for your article!
NOT EVEN SURE I CAN KEEP READING YOUR BLOG. Your life is too damn cool, Lynda! I hope you wake up every morning like “Damn it’s good to be Lynda” !
Kate recently posted…Tally: Week 2-3 (?!)
Hahaha, some times I wake up and am still so grateful for just being able to live and work here 🙂 Other mornings I’m just like, ugh, another day!