🇦🇼Aruba · Places to discover
What to see in Santa Cruz?
11 places selected by the community - landmarks, nature, hidden restaurants and activities.
Landmarks & heritage
3 places
- 1
Landmark
Landmark
Aruba's Abandoned Balashi Gold Smelter
Industrial ruins of the Balashi gold foundry, distinct from the Bushiribana mill. A ghostly site amidst the mangroves, rarely visited, where 19th-century mining history is written in stone.
- 2
Landmark
Landmark
Piedra Plat Protestant Church
A modest 18th-century Protestant chapel nestled in the arid countryside of Piedra Plat, surrounded by a historic cemetery with Dutch tombstones. One of Aruba's oldest and most understated religious buildings.
- 3
Landmark
Landmark
Cunucu Arikok Traditional House
Restored traditional dwelling in Arikok park, built using nineteenth-century techniques with limestone walls and sun-dried cactus thatch. A rare example of preserved rural Aruban architecture.
Nature
3 places
- 4
Nature
Nature
Pos Chikito (Natural Salt Flats)
Natural salt lagoons in central-eastern Aruba where pink flamingos regularly feed at dawn. One of the island's rare birdwatching spots accessible on foot without guide or entry fee—pure, unmediated nature.
- 5
Nature
Nature
Playa Pabao (Spanish Lagoon)
An isolated inland lagoon in south-east Aruba, rimmed by mangroves and virtually unknown to tourists. Advanced kitesurfers train here in strong winds whilst seabirds nest undisturbed.
- 6
Nature
Nature
Boca Keto
An isolated rocky cove on the north-east coast, frequented almost exclusively by locals on weekends. Natural rock pools formed in volcanic stone allow for sheltered bathing away from the swell.
Parks & gardens
1 place
7Wikipedia · CC BY-SAPark
Arikok National Park
Covers nearly 20% of the island with arid landscapes, Amerindian caves and endemic wildlife. The genuine face of Aruba, far removed from beaches and resorts.
Viewpoints
1 place
8Wikipedia · CC BY-SAViewpoint
Seroe Jamanota (Highest Point of Aruba)
Aruba's highest point at 188 metres, accessible by hiking trail from the main road. A full 360° panorama spans the entire island, the pink salt pans and the leeward coast: the only place where you truly grasp Aruba's diminutive scale.
Activities
2 places
- 9
Activity
Activity
Aruba's Donkey Sanctuary
Refuge for Aruba's wild donkeys, an emblematic creature since colonial times. Hand-feed them and wander amongst the herd—both children and adults leave enchanted.
- 10
Activity
Activity
Fontein Caves
Limestone cavern within Arikok National Park featuring Arawak rock paintings and impressive stalactites. Guided tour recommended to appreciate the island's pre-Columbian history.
Beaches
1 place
- 11
Beach
Beach
Boca Prins
A wild, wave-battered beach on the north-eastern coast, framed by white sand dunes and cacti. Accessible only by 4x4, it delivers raw natural drama—swimming is inadvisable, but the landscape is unforgettable.
Also 🇦🇼 in Aruba
