Has anyone here been to Aruba?

larrygaga · March 2015

Honeymoon to Aruba!!! I am not at all an expert on these weird "relaxing" vacations where you go sit on a beach for several days. FI and I are big snorkelers, and it seems like the best snorkeling is on the ends of the southwest side of the island, whereas the best place to stay is directly in the middle of the southwest side. So if we were to choose to stay at one of the all-inclusive resorts would it be a waste to get an all inclusive package for the entire day? We are big swimmers, like spending 5-6 hours in the water swimmers. WE ONLY COME OUT TO FEED. I'm thinking we should get up and take a cab to the beach we want to be at. I'm not really picky about getting all my meals at the resort, I would actually rather sample the local restaurants but I hear booze is really expensive there so I thought booze included in the hotel package would be awesome!

What I really want is a all inclusive breakfast and booze, but I'm not seeing that option.

Because of FI's job we have free plane tickets to aruba and half the nights free at either the Marriott or Holiday Inn resorts, which is only on palm beach. So that's why I'm being weird and not just staying next to awesome snorkeling beach.

Anyway, I would like some advice and I didn't post this on the honeymoon board because I like the chitchat people better. Also, if you guys have been to aruba, WTF else should we do? We don't know how to relax, we only know adventuring. We aren't huge shoppers or bar people, but we plan on going a little bit.

FI could rent a car, but I'm thinking a cab would be probably cheaper if we decide not to go snorkeling that much.

MadHops21 · March 2015

I've been to Aruba 6-7 times, always staying at the Marriott Stellar Casino.

Don't rent a car, take a cab or the bus everywhere. They're really cheap, and the bus runs from each hotel to the main city, Oranjestad. You can eat and shop there, but it's not an all day thing. It's pretty small.

We went on a boat called... Mi Dusa. They take you to 3 different snorkeling places (goes from about 12-5 I believe) and they offer you some food on the boat. Bring lots of sun screen, you chill on the deck and can really get burnt. First stop is rough waters and at a sunken boat location. Next is somewhere else, then last stop is super clear and shallow water, where you'll actually eat and swing off the rope on the boat. SO MUCH FUN.

Go to the California Lighthouse, perfect for honeymoon. It's a bit romantic, you sit outside on the edge of the island, and you sit high so you can see down the island. Then the sunset happens right by you over the water and everyone gets up and takes pictures. The staff even offers couples to take their pics with the sunset as the background. It's really nice.

I stayed at the pool a lot, in-pool bar with seats. Beach was behind that, and you can walk up and down to visit different hotels.

If you go to the Holiday Inn, there's a "strip mall" there with lots of fun nights. One night, there were dancing representing different countries, like carnival and were all dancing in front of the colored water display. It's a fun atmosphere, and there are vendors along the street selling dresses, bracelets, hand made purses, little knick knacks. It's a nice walk up and down that street to see everything at night, once the sun is gone.

Me and my FI went last year by ourselves and it was pretty chill. Whenever my family goes, we do a bunch of stuff like snorkeling, boat rides, etc. Food was just overall expensive there, especially NO FREE REFILLS ON SODA. And I don't like the Sprite there, it's canned in the "Caribbean", so it's not the same sugar amount or something strange.

I got my planes and a few nights paid for by my dad (he collects miles for work), but it was still kind of expensive shopping around, buying food, and doing some activities. We mainly spent our time at the pool and beach. It rarely rains and rarely cloudy, so bring a lot of sunscreen. FI burnt like a chip, I fear for his skin.

ETA Sorry for long post, I get really excited about Aruba and hearing other's stories.

larrygaga · March 2015

MadHops21 !!!

FI is a brown guy but I'm a ginger so I wanted to go to the tanning booth for a little basetan to help combat burns. Also I'm really pasty and my skin looks so pretty with a little glow! I'm not sure how long I should tan for- the tanning place near me has a month subscription so I think that would be plenty of time for tanning. But I've never tanned on purpose before so I have no idea what I'm supposed to do.

I know tanning is bad for you. I'm doing it anyway.

MadHops21 · March 2015

larrygaga said:

I know tanning is bad for you. I'm doing it anyway.

FI tans easily and it looks good. I'm pretty white, but not ginger, just Polish. I will be going to Jamaica this summer and I'm definitely going tanning before that for a base. I tan sometimes, and I think each tanning salon is different. I get..whatever the bottom, level 1 tanning booth is and stay for 8 minutes for the first time. Then a few days later, same booth for 10-12, depending on how my skin reacts.

Monthly would be awesome, now I want to look for that at my regular place! I normally go when they have a $5 off day, only costs me $3 on those days. Just bring sun lotion, I normally burn my face there. Not very sexy with a pink face.

larrygaga · March 2015

Yeah my place is like a month by month subscription so I was just going to do the month before my wedding and honeymoon.

FI is half polish! He did not inherit his white side genes.

MadHops21 · March 2015

My dad is 100% polish and tans like no body's business. I used to do that as a kid, now I'm that pasty white polish. Doesn't help other 10% is irish

I didn't even think about tanning before the wedding, now I need to do that! You're smart. Now to experiment with tanning before that. There are too many lotions out there for tanning, I don't know what's good anymore.

larrygaga · March 2015

I wouldn't know either, lol! I can recommend sunscreen like nobody's business

amelisha · March 2015

I don't have any advice but I just came to say that it's really weird that you're talking about being Polish in this thread about Aruba because my FI is super, super Polish in background but his mom grew up in Aruba. Just kind of an unlikely coincidence.

I'll be stalking this thread because we want to go sometime in the next couple years and see his family.

larrygaga · March 2015

That is super weird!

Polish people got fucking everywhere.

emmaaa · March 2015

I don't have any advice for your trip. It sounds amazing though! I hope y'all have fun.

As one ginger to another, for tanning always start low. Like 5 minutes. Using a lotion helps. I honeslty use the tanning lotions from Walmart and they work fine and are so much cheaper. I would go about every other day at first and slowly increase your time. As you get to the color you want to be, you can drop down to only once or twice a week.

I would have tanned for my wedding but ran out of time so I got a spray tan.

southernbelle0915 · March 2015

Never been to Aruba but providing advice on tanning (no, I'm not going to judge you). I would honestly start at like 3 or 4 minutes and see how you do. You're from the north, it's post-winter, and you're a ginger. If you don't see anything, go 4 or 5 the next day.

I don't tan anymore bit I did in high school before dances and vacations. I would go every day for just a few minutes at a time - do that for a week. Then I'd go for a little longer less frequently. No idea if that's the "right" way but it worked for me.

larrygaga · March 2015

Thanks for no judgement! Ha! I'm terrified of spray tans. I really cannot go much darker I would look so weird. I need to go from paper white to like older darker paper white.

cupcait927 · March 2015

Agree with @southernbelle0915's advice. I'm super pasty and like to get a little tan before I go on vacations. I start 4-5 months beforehand and only for a few minutes a session a few times a week. I increase the minutes gradually so I don't burn. After a couple of months, I'll only go two times a week to keep from looking super dark but still keep up the base color I've built up.

ETF - spelling

emmaaa · March 2015

I have a TON of freckles so I look a little darker than I am. I tested spray tans out for multiple weddings I was in leading up to my own. Then I went and got the light shade and did that 4 days before the wedding so it would fade. If I were going to Aruba and going to be in the sun all week, then I would want a base tan though.

larrygaga · March 2015

So should I go for 2 months or 1 month. The pricing for unlimited month long subscription is awesome

southernbelle0915 · March 2015

@larrygaga - I'd go for 2.

teddygirl9 · March 2015

If you're going to a proper tanning place, they should be able to get you set up. If you want an actual tan before you go, 2 months is probably good. If you just want a light base so you dont toast as the plane is landing, 1 month is good. Actually, if you're going to be in the water alot, you might want to go for 2 months, or at least a bit longer. You'll a) not be reapplying sunscreen if you're in the water and b) tan/burn faster and more in the water.

My mom is a ginger, and I inherited most of the traits with strawberry blonde hair. I much prefer tanning before going on a beach vacation. Even if I don't get tanned there (last time I didnt, I was religious with my sunscreen application), at least I dont burn!

emmaaa · March 2015

southernbelle0915 said:
@larrygaga - I'd go for 2.

Seconded

levioosa · March 2015

Do you burn easily? Or do you usually just take a long time to tan? My BFF (redhead) had to start off with 30 seconds- 1 minute because she burns so easily. It took her like two weeks to build to three minutes. I don't think she ever got past six minutes. I will burn, but usually it just takes forever to build up a tan (I'm not a redhead, but I'm super white). I think I started off at 3 minutes and then I worked up to 20 within my month subscription. I don't tan anymore though, because I saw my skin start to really age, but I'd be really tempted for my wedding/honeymoon. I hate spray tans and tan lines.

Although, when I read your initial post, I wanted to overnight you this:

larrygaga · March 2015

levioosa lol! I burn pretty easily but the sun in Michigan is really weak compared to the sun in warmer areas. So in michigan I can spend an hour or two without burning, but I went to Florida once and I swear I was applying sunscreen every 20 minutes. I didn't burn that trip! I also take a very long time to tan.

I'll go with two months just to be sure.

KatieinBkln · March 2015

Agree with others who said to start at 4-5 minutes. I don't tan anymore (it's pretty expensive--NY implemented a vice tax on it because it's a killer, blah blah) but I found that when I was doing it, I would often not see results until at least a day later, so don't give up hope if you don't notice anything right away!

I also have found that the stand-up machines are MUCH stronger than the lie-down ones. I could hang with 8 minutes lying down without a problem but burned myself doing 8 in the stand-up.

Also, in case you aren't sure (I wasn't)--the lotions they recommend are lotions WITHOUT SPF. They're particular lotions for tanning beds, although I imagine you could just slather yourself in Jergens if you really were in a pinch. I liked the bottle I bought (at the tanning salon) since it smelled all summery.

For perspective, I get quite dark in the summer but REALLY white in winter (25% Polish, represent!) so I'm pretty damn ghostly around this time of year.

MadHops21 · March 2015

KatieinBkln said:
Agree with others who said to start at 4-5 minutes. I don't tan anymore (it's pretty expensive--NY implemented a vice tax on it because it's a killer, blah blah) but I found that when I was doing it, I would often not see results until at least a day later, so don't give up hope if you don't notice anything right away!

**********************SITFB************************

This is true. Often times, you'll leave and won't see a difference until the next day. Something about the cells in your body transforming to darker, and it's not instant, so it could take a couple hours to a day to show. So don't be disappointed if you tan and don't see anything when you get out of the bed.

Also, spray tan works the same way. I don't like spray tan because I get orange, even by the pro machines and people, but spray tans can also take a day or so to really show up. It's more instant than bed, but it takes time to seep into your skin and stay.

ETA Spell check

plainjane0415 · March 2015

I started tanning the beginning of this month for our wedding in Aruba at the end of April.

I have a medium colored complexion, and I tan pretty well, but from what I have heard the sun in Aruba can be pretty intense, so I didn't want to take a chance of burning before my wedding.

This month, I'm tanning 3 days a week, next month I'll go up to 5 days and tan 5 days before the wedding. I don't use any lotion or anything while I'm in the tanning bed, I just make sure to keep my skin really moisturized while I'm tanning.

GoldenPenguin · March 2015

My FI & I are also doing Aruba for our honeymoon! I've been once before, and also stayed at the Marriot Stellaris Casino. It's all the way at the end of the beach, and was fantastic. I also did the sailboat snorkeling - we did the Mi Dushi, but there are a few different ones you can choose from. The pirate ones are a little more "party-ish" while the Mi Dushi is a little more low key, although you still get free punch all day.

I also did the de Palm jeep tour to the Natural Pool, and a horseback riding tour at sunset.

I can't wait to go back!!

GoldenPenguin · March 2015

OH, and I'm actually looking at not doing an all-inclusive, only because there are SO MANY amazing restaurants all over the island, and it's very safe and friendly there, so it's a fun place to explore.

Has anyone here been to Aruba?

Re: Has anyone here been to Aruba?

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