Palm Beach, Aruba has white powder sand as far as the eye can see. The beautiful turquoise water is calm and excellent for swimming and tanning.
There are no rocks; it's shallow close to shore and a bit deeper as you go out. However, if you are thinking of snorkeling, you won’t see much here because there are no rocks or coral for the fish to find shelter.
Palm Beach is the “fun” beach that runs along the very popular High Rise Hotels, resorts and time shares. You can definitely get in some people-watching here. Although the hotels do not own the beach, they do own the lounge chairs and palapa (palm) huts on the beaches. These are meant for the guests of those hotels only and are usually reserved in the early morning. But, for changing and refreshments, you can use any of the hotels' public areas.
And each High Rise Hotel offers its own water sports center. I highly recommend trying the parasailing. The tours fill up fast, and it is first come, first serve. So, get there early, and bring cash. Most of them do not have the equipment for credit card processing and they don’t take travelers checks. (You can cash in your travelers checks at any of the hotels’ casinos.) But they all offer Hobie Cats, jet skis, windsurfing, kite surfing, scuba. They also offer instructions and classes for those who have never, but want to try any of the actives.
Each resort opens their property to the beach so you can walk from one end to the other and take your pick of refreshments from a variety of snack shacks, bars and restaurants. On Palm Beach, you also have access to six resort casinos. Some of the resorts have beautiful gardens and waterfalls complete with animals. All free to walk through and enjoy.
One of my favorite restaurants on Palm Beach is Hadicurari’s, on the beach just between the Marriott Resort and the Holiday Inn. I had my “ladies wedding brunch” here, and we came back a few days later with the rest of our group.
Another great spot is Moomba Beach Bar. Around dinner time, it’s a younger crowd, the music is loud, and the place is hopping!
Because Palm Beach is located in the center of the action on Aruba, it does get crowded. It's busy and loud, but there is always something to do on Palm Beach. So, if your hotel is not on Palm Beach, be sure to make it a stop during your Aruba vacation. There is some parking along L.G. Smith Boulevard if you can find a spot. If you are not with in walking distance of Palm Beach, I would suggest a cab, or the bus. (Buses stop at all the High Rise and Low Rise Hotels, and it is very inexpensive.) The best time to visit – mid-morning for sun bathing – late afternoon for walking and enjoying romantic sunsets.
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