🇦🇼 Aruba · Places to discover
What to see in Noord ?
26 places curated by Hozy - landmarks, nature, hidden restaurants and activities.
MAP · OVERVIEW
Landmarks & heritage (4)
Wikipedia (en) - CC BY-SAAlto Vista Chapel
Landmark
A charming pink chapel perched on the northern hills, built in 1750 by the island's first missionaries. Panoramic views sweep across the wild coastline, with an atmosphere of pure serenity.
Wikipedia (en) - CC BY-SACalifornia Lighthouse
Landmark
Aruba's iconic northern lighthouse offering sweeping 360° views across the coastline and sand dunes. Named after a nearby shipwreck, it remains the island's most photographed landmark.Tierra del Sol Residential Windmill
Landmark
Decorative Dutch windmill marking the entrance to the Tierra del Sol residential neighbourhood, a symbol of the island's heritage. The neighbourhood itself, with its luxury villas and cacti, offers an unusual walk through the north of the island.Bushiribana Gold Mill Ruins
Landmark
Windswept ruins of a 19th-century gold foundry on the wild northern coast. A haunting reminder of Aruba's brief gold rush, set against an almost lunar landscape.Nature & parks (5)
Wikipedia (en) - CC BY-SAVader Piet Wind Farm
Nature
Wind farm supplying a significant share of Aruba's energy needs. Walking amongst the turbines at sunset with the parched landscape stretching behind creates a visually striking experience.Aruba's Cunucu Landscape (Noord District)
Nature
The cunucu is Aruba's rural heartland: giant kadushi cacti, twisted divi-divi trees carved by trade winds, and free-roaming goats. Noord district offers the finest vistas from dirt tracks threading between traditional farms.Wariruri Beach & Blow Holes
Nature
The island's north-west tip, where natural geysers are created by swell funnelling into rocky cavities. The spectacle is particularly dramatic in rough seas.Casibari Rock Formations
Nature
Spectacular rock formations with carved stairways leading to the summit. Unobstructed views stretch across the central plains in a quintessentially desert-like atmosphere.Ayo Rock Formations
Nature
Colossal diorite boulders scattered across the landscape, adorned with ancient Arawak petroglyphs. This sacred ancestral site, ringed by towering cacti and unique reptilian fauna, holds powerful cultural significance.Viewpoints (5)
Zeerovers Harbour Sunset (Hadicurari Pier Area)
Viewpoint
Hadicurari's working fishing pier at sunset—a world away from the bustle of Zeerovers. Watch fishermen mend nets, pelicans dive for supper, and Oranjestad ignite on the horizon. A free, living tableau of island life.Ruinas di Bushiribana (Northern Coast, Sea Views)
Viewpoint
Distinct from the mill, this natural viewpoint at the foot of the coastal ruins offers vertiginous views over the churning Caribbean. Waves crash spectacularly against black basalt rock in a visceral display of sound and fury.Tierra del Sol Golf Course Viewpoint
Viewpoint
The golf course itself is incidental, but the promontory at its northern tip offers a panoramic vista of the California Lighthouse and the island's russet sand dunes, visited by remarkably few tourists.Sunset at Malmok Beach
Viewpoint
A small rocky beach in the north, a local favourite for watching the sunset with a Balashi in hand. No bar, no sunbeds — just the orange sky and the sea. True Aruban luxury.Divi Divi Tree Trail (Tierra del Sol)
Viewpoint
A nature trail in the island's north, lined with divi-divi trees — Aruba's iconic emblems, bent by trade winds towards the south-west. A living symbol of the island, each tree pointing the way to the sea.Activities (7)
Wikipedia (en) - CC BY-SAAntilla Shipwreck
Activity
The Caribbean's largest shipwreck: a 120-metre German cargo vessel scuttled by its own crew in 1940. Accessible by snorkelling in calm conditions, it remains Aruba's most impressive dive site.Aruba Marriott Surf Club Reef (Palm Beach North Reef)
Activity
Discreet fringing reef north of Palm Beach, accessible by swimming from the public beach. Less known than Mangel Halto, it shelters stingrays, barracudas and healthy coral just 100 metres from shore.Aruba Night Market (Paseo Herencia)
Activity
A lively nocturnal market and musical fountain at Paseo Herencia Mall in Palm Beach where locals gather with family for free entertainment, authentic street food, and genuine Caribbean festivity.Aruba Certified Diving (Pedernales Wreck)
Activity
The Pedernales, a tanker torpedoed by a German U-boat in 1942, lies 8 metres down near Palm Beach. Accessible to novice divers, this Second World War wreck is a haunting chapter of global conflict told beneath tropical waters.Aruba Butterfly Farm
Activity
Enclosed garden harbouring hundreds of tropical butterflies in flight, with explanations of their life cycle. Less celebrated than the beaches, it offers a peaceful interlude just off the main road.Rancho Daimari Horseback Riding
Activity
Family-run ranch offering horseback rides through the cunucu (arid countryside) down to the wild northern coast. One of the finest ways to traverse the island's interior far from tarmac roads.Aruba Ostrich Farm
Activity
A unique ostrich farm in the Caribbean, set inland on the island, offering guided tours and the chance to feed the animals. Surprising and authentic — a local curiosity beloved by Aruban families.Beaches (4)
Wikipedia (en) - CC BY-SAArashi Beach
Beach
An intimate white-sand beach on the north coast, quieter than Palm Beach, with a coral reef just offshore ideal for snorkelling. Bring your own mask—sunbeds aren't available for hire.
Wikipedia (en) - CC BY-SAEagle Beach
Beach
Consistently ranked amongst the Caribbean's finest beaches, with pristine white sand and minimal seafront development. Sea turtles nest here—witnessing them at night is a genuine privilege.Boca Catalina
Beach
A sheltered, shallow cove between Arashi and Palm Beach, ideal for family snorkelling. Sea turtles frequent these waters regularly and the sea remains remarkably calm even in north-easterly winds.Andicuri Beach
Beach
A white-sand beach nestled between limestone cliffs on the windward coast. A discreet surf spot and nesting ground for sea turtles — visit early morning for the best chance of spotting them.