10 Fab Inspirations to Warm Up in Winter in Aruba
Going to Aruba is a great idea, every month of the year. Spring is very appealing with its soothing temperatures and the temptations of Aruba’s largest annual event, Carnaval. The Summer season brings the island to a more relaxed rhythm to deeply restore and rejuvenate, while Fall bursts with local events such as Aruba Art Fair and Autentico, Aruba’s open air culinary festival in Oranjestad.
And then there is Winter, the absolute best time of the year to take a break from your daily reality of endless rainfall, freezing temperatures and miserable grey skies. Even amid winter Aruba offers consistent sunny skies, warm ocean temperatures and colorful Caribbean vibes. Does that sound too good to be true? Come and experience winter in Aruba for yourself, you are warmly welcome! And while you start planning your vacation in Aruba, we compiled a list with 10 things-to-do-inspirations to warm up in winter.
Join the trails
Consider Aruba your open-air playground where you can indulge in vacation delights from sunrise to sunset and beyond, in warm temperatures no less! On a typical winter morning when temperatures slowly climb from about 76F to 82F in the hours between 5-8 am, we highly recommend getting active. Hit one of the many hiking or biking trails in the ‘cunucu’, the backlands towards Aruba’s North Coast. Climb the 591 paved steps up one of Aruba’s highest hilltops, Hooiberg for amazing 360 island views. Or stay close to Boardwalk Boutique Hotel and simply cross the street for a walk alongside the ocean on the paved walking path towards Arashi Beach. The options for outdoor exercise on land such as walking, hiking, and biking, or ocean activities like diving, swimming, windsurfing and snorkeling are endless.
Yoga in the outdoors
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to practice yoga in the outdoors? Hearing the birds sing, feeling the sun kiss your skin, and a cooling breeze touch your hair while you move from downward dog to child pose. As a guest of Boardwalk Boutique Hotel Aruba, you have 24/7 access to the outdoor, well-shaded yoga and fitness deck adjacent to our indoor gym facility. Each casita is stocked with a yoga mat, which opens the possibility to practice yoga at any given moment of time in the convenience of on your private patio as well. Want to experience more ways to practice yoga in the outdoors in Aruba? Try SUP Yoga on a special board in the ocean or take your meditation or yoga practice ocean front. Namaste.
More inspiration to add wellness and wellbeing to your Aruba vacation here.
Sun-kissed sailing
An experience not to miss during your Aruba vacation is a sunset sail. It’s the perfect way to take in breathtaking skies during ‘golden hour’, explore the island from the water and enjoy the Caribbean vibes on board. There’s a variety of boat-types and vendors to choose from; we mostly recommend the sunset sail on a specious catamaran offered by Red Sail Sports. Other vendors are fine too, the boat size or ‘load-capacity’ on board might vary, as might the ambiance on board. Some tours crank up the music, others let you take in the tranquil sounds of the ocean and the wind in the sails. Private sailing tours and sunset dinner on a sailboat are available too, try Tranquilo Charters Aruba, they do a beautiful job. Either way, a day or evening spent sailing in Aruba is a must.
Barefoot Bliss
Embrace the joy of going about your day barefoot, and where better to do so than at Boardwalk Boutique Hotel where your hotel stay in barefoot luxury is the norm, not the exception. The Caribbean-style casitas at Boardwalk are designed to seamlessly connect your indoor and outdoor living spaces which ultimately encourages you to go barefoot. In addition, all amenities on our cozy property are just a few steps removed from your casita: two pools to choose from, a fitness & spa facility, lobby with concierge services and The Coco Café, our open-air bar and restaurant. Feel free to explore our hotel as you please, barefoot is just fine. Contemplating what footwear to bring when not trotting around barefoot at Boardwalk Hotel or Boardwalk Beach? Flipflops and sandals will do; maybe bring a pair of sneakers for your travel days and possible run or hike you want to add to your vacation itinerary. Between endless, long-stretched sandy beaches to choose from and rocky, dusty backlands to explore you might want to think twice about bringing heels at all.
Chill by the grill
In the mood to stay in and embrace the moment? Light up the barbecue grill on our private patio for a laid-back dining experience. All the supplies and fresh ingredients you might need can be obtained through our Front Desk (BBQ starters kit) or via our hotel app, where you can order a fresh catch or meat packet from local suppliers. Want to make your stay-in dinner an authentic and unforgettable experience? Fancy it up with the hired help of a local chef, who will come in and prepare a meal of your choice on the barbecue grill at your private patio. There’s a few private chefs we highly recommend, such as Chef Taki, who’ll share his foraging experiences and talk story all night.
Shower under the stars
Nothing beats the liberation of taking a shower in the outdoors, especially in winter! Boardwalk Hotel offers four Deluxe Coco Casita, all four exclusively equipped with an outdoor shower. Choose to shower during the day in sunlight, or at night beneath the stars. The good news: temperatures in Aruba are warm and soothing around the clock, so an outdoor shower is comfortable anytime. Not staying in one of our four Deluxe Coco Casitas? For your convenience you’ll find outdoor showers in public areas (for exclusive use by Boardwalk Hotel guests only) next to our main pool, and on Boardwalk Beach.
Hang loose in a hammock
A vacation in the Caribbean is synonymous for sun, sea, sand and…… laid back vibes. Therefore, at Boardwalk Boutique Hotel each casita comes with its own hammock for the ultimate lounging experience. Act like a local and retreat to your hammock for some relaxing me-time, to snooze or dream away, or read a book you never get to at home. Either stay in the comfort and privacy of your own casita, where a hammock is provided on your patio or in your casita’s garden. Some casitas come with a chair-hammock, yet other hammock experiences are offered throughout our public spaces as well. Head out to our main pool for the fabulous over-water hammock; find your favorite hammock in our lush gardens or head out to Boardwalk Beach where hammocks are also provided.
Beach Bummin’
Aruba’s winter weather consists of daytime temperatures around 87F (30C), dropping at night to a minimum temperature of 76F (24C) and ocean water temperatures year-round of 80-82F (27-28C). This means that even in winter, every day in Aruba is a beach day. And coming from much colder places in the world, it feels almost otherworldly to have the luxury to take a dip in warm ocean waters in let’s say January. The choice is yours: walking on snow-white beaches or shoveling heaps of snow from your driveway. By hopping on a flight to Aruba, you can plant your toes in the white sands and sip a delicious piña colada this winter. Once here, you will pinch yourself for a moment to realize you did it. You found your warm winter wonderland on Aruba’s beach sand.
Dining by the ocean
Aruba offers an abundance of fabulous places to enjoy a barefoot dinner on the beach with your toes in the sand, while sometimes even your entire dining table is placed in the water like at Flying Fishbone. For iconic over-water dining experiences at locally owned and operated bars & restaurants in Aruba that also offer an authentic experience head out to Fishhouse Aruba behind the airport, to Zeerover in Savaneta or to Marina Pirata in Pos Chiquito. Pincho’s Bar & Grill and West Deck, both near Surfside Beach in Oranjestad, might be a bit more visitor-oriented yet are locally owned and offer Aruban-infused dishes and drinks on the menu besides stunning ocean views.
Sunny Holidays
You might be so used to being cuddled up by the fireplace during the Holiday season, that your mind won’t even consider a tropical Christmas or Thanksgiving vacation. Well, in Aruba the Holidays are celebrated in swimwear and salty hair, in shorts, flipflops, lit-up palm trees and festively decorated public spaces. Curious what a winter vacation in Aruba during the Holidays would look like? Have a look at an overview of Holiday traditions in Aruba and fun things to do during Christmas, New Years and Thanksgiving. In addition to a palm-fringed Holiday season, there’s more reasons to consider a winter escape to Aruba. Have a look at these inspirations to give back during the Holiday season, and bring warmth and support to those in need.
