De Palm Island Aruba

Fun, Fun, Fun

If your spending time in Aruba, De Palm Island is a must see.  Aruba is known for its great beaches, wonderful shopping, and excellent restaurants, but sometimes it can get a little busy.  Unfortunately, it can be hard to find a spot to get away to when you're on an island, but if you're looking for a getaway that is close by you should check out De Palm Island.  De Palm Island is an all inclusive island that is perfect for families and groups of all ages.

De Palm Island, Aruba

De Palm Island is a quick ferry ride away from the main land of Aruba, and it can be a great place to get away and relax.  It is in Aruba, so the water is turquoise and the sand is white, and just coming to lie in the sand can be a great way to escape the Aruban beach on a busy day.  There are numerous activities planned around the beach.  You can play some beach volleyball or take salsa lessens, and there are also a number of activities planned for children.  For an additional fee a beach side massage can even be arranged.  Upon reaching De Palm Island you can grab some food at the all you can eat buffet.  Pick up a hamburger or hot dog from the grill or familiarize yourself with the Caribbean food.  De Palm Island also offers rides on their banana boats.  A banana boat ride offers a great way to help you cool down, and it also provides an excellent view of the island from the water.  If you're tired of the sand and salt water there is a water park, with slides of varying degrees that are good for people of all ages.

If you're looking to interact with Aruba's extensive marine life, De Palm Island offers a few different options and opportunities.  The island provides snorkeling gear, and there are tours offered twice a day.  The snorkeling surrounding De Palm Island is incredible, and the reef that is found off of the island offers snorkeling in both shallow and deep waters.  If you're looking to explore deeper waters there is SNUBA, an exciting blend of snorkeling and scuba.  There is no certification required; however everybody has to be at least eight years old.  SNUBA allows you to explore deeper waters without bulky or restrictive gear.  You can also try the Sea Trek Underwater Helmet Walk.  This is an excellent underwater experience for people who aren't very strong swimmers.  The underwater helmet provides oxygen, and you can walk on the sea floor, which rests twenty feet below the water's surface.  The Sea Trek Underwater Helmet Walk allows you to interact with tropical fish, a sunken Cessna, and you can also take a picture at the underwater Sea Trek Café.

Aruba is a great vacation spot, but sometimes no matter where you are you need to get away.  For this, De Palm Island is the perfect place.  It allows you and your family or group to get away from the busy main island and take part in a number of different activities that are suitable for all ages.  You can eat and drink as much as you like as you lie by the beach, and you can also explore the aquatic wild life through snorkeling, SNUBA, or the Sea Trek Underwater Helmet Walk.  The best part of De Palm Island: it's a quick ferry ride away from Aruba.      

Geology and Aruba

Every island has a story, and one of the more interesting stories of Aruba is its natural and geological history.  Aruba was formed from an undersea eruption 95 million years ago.  As the lava rose to the water's surface it mixed with sediments and formed Aruba.  Then 10 million years later more volcanic activity began underneath Aruba, and this activity lead to the formation of batholiths.  As the initial lava cover began to slowly erode the batholiths were exposed to the naked eye.  There are various types of batholiths scattered throughout Aruba, and these include tonalite and hooibergite batholiths.

Tourists can visit Hooiberg, which is a 165 meter tall hooibergite formation almost in the dead center of Aruba.  There are 562 steps that ascend to the summit of Hooiberg, and from the top the tourist is offered incredible views of Aruba.  On a clear day one can even see Venezuela.  The only other places on Earth where hooibergite has surfaced are Canada and Iceland.  Many geological formations can be viewed in Aruba's Arikok National Park, and on the coastline of Arikok National Park is a marine terrace that formed about 1.5 million years ago.  This marine terrace was formed as the Earth pushed the island higher above sea level, and the exposed reefs and seabed fossilized.  Aruba is actually made up of three different levels of marine terrace, and along the coast a number of karst caves.

There are many reasons to visit Aruba, and once you've gotten there you shouldn't overlook the natural beauty that surrounds you.  There are numerous geological formations that have developed over millions of years, and they contribute to the truly incredible scenery that makes up the Aruban landscape.