Averaging 82 sunny degrees year round, fringed with blond beaches and lapped by turquoise shallows, Aruba lets the climate do the talking when it comes to appealing to tourists. Beach lovers flock here, happy to claim a chaise with a paperback in one hand and a cold Balashi beer in the other. But the Dutch island's manageable 20-by-6-mile dimensions and its desert landscape — calm and sandy on one coast, rough and rocky on the other — make it an explorer's island, too. Notably multicultural, with Dutch, the Creole-like Papiamento, Spanish and English commonly spoken, the island is also increasingly sophisticated, with an aloe-focused spa, a new avant-garde restaurant and a Ritz-Carlton resort, the island's most luxurious property, set to open Nov. 22.
FRIDAY
3 p.m.
1. Racket Club
Aruba may be famous for kite surfing, but it's also known for the hybrid sport of beach tennis. Played on a beach volleyball court with elongated paddle tennis rackets, depressurized balls and a 5-foot-7-inch-high net, the all-volley game has a big following among islanders, European visitors and ranked players who show up each November for an international tournament. MooMba Beach Bar & Restaurant on Palm Beach has four lighted courts run by Beach Tennis Aruba, where you can rent a ball and paddle ($5). (Note: Dollars are widely accepted.) After you work up a sweat, it's a quick sprint into the ocean.
6 p.m.
2. Sunset Salute
Despite the number of casinos promising late-night action, night life on Aruba tends to center on the predinner cocktail hour when the sun dips into the ocean and the rum flows freely. Any west-facing beach bar will do, but it's worth seeking out Pinchos Grill & Bar near downtown Oranjestad for extra atmosphere. Elevated on a pier at the Aruba Surfside Marina Hotel, the family-owned Pinchos offers shade in the form of sail-like awnings and candlelight to add to the romance factor once the sun has faded. Find a spot at the circular central bar for one of nine margaritas listed on the extensive bar menu ($10 for the Golden Gate made with Grand Marnier), best paired with the mango margarita shrimp appetizer ($10).
7:30 p.m.
3. Barefoot in the Dark
Barefoot defies its unexpected location by the Reina Beatrix International Airport's runway with its romantic beachfront ambience. Indoor dining is loosely defined here as 18 tables under a giant palapa. But most diners — honeymooners, local families and sunset photo snappers — opt for the 20 tables planted on the beach and lit by tiki torches. Opened in 2010 by Gerco Aan het Rot and Luc Beerepoot, the chef and the maître d', the restaurant specializes in Burgundy beef stew ($28), a recipe from the chef's grandmother, and other Dutch-Caribbean fusions like grouper in a cheese crust ($26.50). Even the occasional airplane landing is more spectacle than nuisance.
SATURDAY
8 a.m.
4. Beach Bagging
The adjacent west-coast Eagle and Palm Beaches are lined with towering resorts and staked by beach clubs. But with a rental car you can string together a series of much more tranquil spots. After driving north, haul out your snorkeling gear at the pocket cove of Malmok Beach, which offers walk-in access to offshore coral heads teeming with reef fish. Join local families at nearby Arashi Beach, where a gentle drop-off ensures good bodysurfing on a breezy day. The main road continues north past a series of sand dunes, ending at the hilltop California Lighthouse, a whitewashed 1910 signal tower named for a ship that sank before its construction. Buy a fresh coconut ($3) from one of the vendors here and sip the refreshing coconut water while drinking in the 360-degree view.
11:30 a.m.
5. Studio Call
Shopping on Aruba tends to involve either the same luxury-end diamond and fashion outlets seen in every popular Caribbean cruise port or cheap trinkets and T-shirts. Perhaps the best souvenir you can bring back is a piece of artwork by Elisa Lejuez, whose colorful, richly patterned canvases can be found at hotels throughout the island. Some of her designs are featured on scarves ($100) and dresses ($170) sold at the Eva Boutique in Oranjestad. But make a trip to her studio on the north end of the island to see her canvases that layer paint and imagery in colorful collages (paintings from $850). The artist herself guides visitors through the studio.
1 p.m.
6. Fish on the Dock
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