Unique Things to do in Aruba besides beaches – Art, Culture, History

Looking for some unique things to do in Aruba besides beaches? You have landed at the right page! If the art lover/artistic soul in you is craving more colors and patterns than just the shades of blue and green, Aruba is a paradise island for you as well, from murals in Aruba’s San Nicolas district to paintings of the Arawak Indians let’s explore some artistic beauty around the island.

Murals in San Nicolas Aruba

There are just so many unique things to do in Aruba besides its world class beaches. Head to the sunrise city of Aruba, San Nicolas which is situated at the south east side of the island also known as the Street Art capital and the only Mural district in Aruba. You can either take a paid tour or just wander on your own, taking it all as you please. We just like to walk around at our own pace admiring wonderful artwork created by international and local artists. We love how every year a new masterpiece is added, filling the city with more than just nature’s sunrise colors.

Fort Zoutman, Oranjestad Aruba

Next, to know more about the history of the island, check out this particular Aruba festival that takes place in this monument called Fort Zoutman, which is the island’s oldest remaining building built in Oranjestad in 1796 for coastline protection.

Every Tuesday from 6:30-8:30 pm the “Bon Bini Aruba Festival” takes place in the outdoor courtyard of this monument in efforts to introduce Aruba’s visitors to the unique history, culture and traditions of the island through music, dance and storytelling.

The best part is the festival is truly welcoming (Bon Bini the term that means welcome in the local language of Papiamento) by being interactive and giving the audience a chance to participate as well.

The cost is around USD 10.

Caves in Aruba: Arikok National Park

Another unique things to do in Aruba besides beaches is exploring century old caves. Located inside Aruba’s Arikok National park, are two caves exuberating history and nature’s artwork. Duck and slide through the darkness, dodging the bats to be rewarded with intriguing sights in the form of centuries old rock formations and artwork.

These caves home to friendly fruit bats are damp and dark, but a phone’s flashlight is sufficient to navigate through these tunnels. So those of you who are claustrophobic we recommend you could skip these two sights. Also we recommend having sturdy shoes on while exploring these two caves, that don’t take long to explore it thoroughly.

Fontein Caves: The only caves that give you a visual insight on Aruba’s history. Witness with your own eyes paintings of the Arawak Indians dating back to centuries. Another interesting thing to see is the natural formed interiors of this cave that add even more charm through the various shapes and sizes of Stalactites: tapering rock structures hanging from the ceiling and stalagmites: tapering rock formations rising from the floor both formed due to calcium salts deposited from dripping water.

Quadirikiri caves: This cave is great for some unique photo opportunities. It has two open chambers through which rays of the sun enter in, brightening up that little area of the cave. It is a beautiful sight to watch and a great spot to take in that filtered natural light.

Also note than these caves are accessible during the opening hours of the national park.

Now that you know about the history & culture of Aruba let’s follow the links below to uncover some more shades, sides & fun things to do on the island.

• Fitness/Wellness: If you enjoyed the colourful murals click here to see how doing laps in shades of turquoise feels.
• Retail therapy: Click here to find out where to pick up some colourful memorabilia of the island.
• Honeymoon/Babymooners/R&R: After exploring the colourful murals on the island click here  for activities that will add color to your love life.
• Culinary: Click here to get a taste of Aruba’s food history.
• Adventure: Click here to dive a little deeper to explore the rugged landscapes of the island bumping along on a 4×4.
• Bonus: Click to indulge in some musical cultural activity & to find out where the locals like to head out for a day of fun & relaxation.

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