Palm Beach
Aruba's most vibrant resort strip — three kilometres of golden sand, luxury hotels and the island's best nightlife
Explore Palm Beach
Click any marker to find out more about each spot.
Things To Do in Palm Beach
The best experiences, restaurants and activities in the area.
Watersports
Palm Beach is Aruba's watersports capital. Jet skiing, parasailing, banana boat rides, paddleboarding, kayaking and glass-bottom boat tours are all available directly from the beach. Several operators run snorkelling and scuba diving trips to nearby reefs and wrecks.
Luxury Resorts
The Palm Beach strip is home to Aruba's finest resort hotels — the Hyatt Regency, RIU Palace, Marriott Ocean Club and Occidental Grand are all here. Even if you're not staying at one of the big resorts, the beach itself is public and the atmosphere is electric.
Restaurants & Beach Bars
The dining scene on Palm Beach is the best on the island. Screaming Eagle is the most glamorous — a theatrical outdoor restaurant with beds instead of chairs. Wilhelmina Restaurant serves excellent Dutch-Caribbean fusion. Moomba Beach Bar is the go-to for sundowners and live music.
Nightlife
Palm Beach has the best nightlife in Aruba. The main strip comes alive after dark with beach bars, clubs and live music venues. Gusto Nightclub and Café Chaos are the most popular. The casino at the Hyatt Regency is open late and worth a visit even if you're not a gambler.
California Lighthouse
A short drive north from Palm Beach, the California Lighthouse sits at the island's northern tip and offers the most spectacular views in Aruba. The lighthouse is named after the SS California, which sank offshore in 1891. The surrounding dunes and rock formations are extraordinary.
Palm Beach Travel Guide
Palm Beach is where most visitors to Aruba end up, and it's easy to see why. The three-kilometre strip of golden sand is one of the most developed and well-facilitated resort beaches in the Caribbean — but it manages to retain a genuine holiday atmosphere that never feels tacky or over-commercialised.
The beach itself is beautiful. The sand is golden rather than white, the water is calm and warm, and the facilities are excellent. Sun loungers and parasols are available from the hotels and independent operators along the strip. The water is perfect for swimming — calm, clear and warm year-round, with the trade winds providing a constant cooling breeze.
The resort hotels along Palm Beach are among the best in the Caribbean. The Hyatt Regency Aruba is the standout — a sprawling beachfront complex with multiple pools, a lazy river, excellent restaurants and a spa. The RIU Palace is the most popular all-inclusive option, with a lively atmosphere and a prime position on the beach. The Marriott Ocean Club and Occidental Grand are also excellent choices.
Watersports are the main daytime activity on Palm Beach. Every conceivable water-based activity is available — jet skiing, parasailing, banana boats, paddleboarding, kayaking, glass-bottom boat tours and snorkelling trips. Several operators run scuba diving trips to the Antilla wreck, the largest shipwreck in the Caribbean, which lies just offshore near Malmok Beach.
The dining scene on Palm Beach is genuinely impressive. Screaming Eagle is the most theatrical — a glamorous outdoor restaurant where you dine on beds surrounded by lanterns and tropical plants. Wilhelmina Restaurant serves excellent Dutch-Caribbean fusion in a beautiful colonial-era building. For something more casual, the beach shacks along the strip serve cold Balashi beers, fresh fish and local snacks at reasonable prices.
After dark, Palm Beach transforms into the island's entertainment hub. The beach bars stay open late, live music drifts across the sand and the casino at the Hyatt Regency draws a lively crowd. It's a world away from the peaceful solitude of Eagle Beach — but on the right night, with the right company, it's absolutely brilliant.
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