Arikok National Park
Twenty percent of Aruba — ancient cave paintings, the Natural Pool and a wild cactus desert unlike anywhere else
Explore Arikok National Park
Click any marker to find out more about each spot.
Things To Do in Arikok National Park
The best natural attractions, hikes and experiences in the park.
Fontein Cave & Cave Paintings
The Fontein Cave contains the most important collection of pre-Columbian cave paintings in Aruba. The paintings and carvings, made by the Caquetios Indians who inhabited the island before European colonisation, date back over 1,000 years. The cave also has impressive stalactite and stalagmite formations.
Natural Pool (Conchi)
The Natural Pool, known locally as Conchi, is the park's most famous attraction — a natural rock pool on the wild Atlantic coast, sheltered from the crashing waves by a ring of volcanic rock. The water inside is calm and crystal clear, perfect for swimming. Access requires a 4WD vehicle or guided jeep tour.
Hooiberg Hill
Hooiberg, meaning "haystack" in Dutch, is Aruba's most prominent hill at 165 metres. A staircase of 562 steps leads to the summit, where on a clear day you can see Venezuela on the horizon. The views across the island are extraordinary — the best panoramic perspective in Aruba.
Cactus Desert & Wildlife
Arikok protects Aruba's unique desert landscape — a world of towering cacti, aloe vera, divi-divi trees and volcanic rock formations. The park is home to several species found nowhere else on earth, including the Aruban whiptail lizard, the Aruban burrowing owl and the Aruban rattlesnake.
Cunucu Arikok Farmhouse
The restored Cunucu Arikok farmhouse gives a fascinating insight into traditional Aruban rural life in the 19th century. The building, constructed from local materials, shows how the island's farming families lived before the oil refinery and tourism industries transformed the economy.
Arikok National Park Travel Guide
Arikok National Park is the side of Aruba that most beach holiday visitors never see — and that's a genuine shame. Covering 20% of the island, the park protects a landscape of extraordinary beauty and ecological importance that is completely unlike anything else in the Caribbean.
The park's most famous attraction is the Natural Pool, known locally as Conchi. Located on the wild Atlantic coast of the island, it's a natural rock pool formed by a ring of volcanic rock that shelters a perfectly calm, crystal-clear pool from the crashing Atlantic waves. The contrast between the violent sea outside and the serene pool inside is remarkable. Access requires a 4WD vehicle or a guided jeep tour — the road is rough and not suitable for ordinary cars — but the journey is part of the experience.
The Fontein Cave is the park's most important historical site. The cave contains the most significant collection of pre-Columbian cave paintings in Aruba — paintings and carvings made by the Caquetios Indians, the island's original inhabitants, over 1,000 years ago. The cave also has impressive stalactite and stalagmite formations and is home to a large colony of bats. Guided tours are available and highly recommended.
Hooiberg Hill, just outside the park boundary, is Aruba's most prominent geographical feature. A staircase of 562 steps leads to the summit at 165 metres, where on a clear day you can see Venezuela on the horizon. The views across the island — the resort strips of Palm Beach and Eagle Beach, the capital Oranjestad, the flat desert interior — are extraordinary.
The park's desert landscape is home to several species found nowhere else on earth. The Aruban whiptail lizard, the Aruban burrowing owl and the Aruban rattlesnake are all endemic to the island. The vegetation is equally distinctive — towering cacti, aloe vera plants, divi-divi trees and the thorny acacia that covers much of the interior.
The visitor centre at the park entrance has excellent maps, information about the park's ecology and history, and can arrange guided tours. The park is open daily from 8am to 4pm. Entry is $11 per person for adults. A 4WD vehicle is essential for reaching the Natural Pool and the more remote areas of the park.
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