Aruba Itineraries: Day Charters and Multi-Day Routes

Oranjestad, Eagle Beach and Palm Beach

Board your yacht at Renaissance Marina by mid-morning. After a welcome briefing and a champagne toast on the flybridge, cruise north to Eagle Beach for a late-morning swim and paddleboard session on Aruba’s most celebrated stretch of sand. Your chef lays out lunch on the aft deck – grilled mahi-mahi, tropical salad and a chilled Sauvignon Blanc – as the yacht repositions to Palm Beach for an afternoon of water sports in the calm, shallow water. As the sun drops, cruise back towards Oranjestad for dinner ashore at Papiamento – a 19th-century manor house with garden dining, keshi yena and Caribbean-European fusion in one of the island’s most atmospheric settings.

Antilla Wreck, Arashi and California Lighthouse

Depart early and cruise north-west to the Antilla wreck – the morning light filtering through the water creates the best visibility for snorkelling over this 122-metre hull. Spend two hours exploring the wreck, then cruise to Arashi Beach for a late-morning swim and snorkel over the shallow reef. Your crew anchors close enough to tender ashore at the California Lighthouse for panoramic views of the coastline and, on a clear day, the Venezuelan coast to the south. Return to the yacht for a long, lazy lunch on the aft deck. In the late afternoon, cruise south to Boca Catalina for a final snorkel in calm water, then return to Oranjestad for the evening – explore the Bon Bini Festival if it’s a Tuesday, or tender to Renaissance Marina for a waterfront stroll.

Mangel Halto, Baby Beach and Savaneta

Rise early for a swim from the yacht, then cruise south along the leeward coast to Mangel Halto – one of Aruba’s best snorkelling spots, with healthy coral reef amid a mangrove setting. Continue to Baby Beach for a morning of floating in the lagoon’s gin-clear shallows. Your crew sets up a beach picnic on the sand. After lunch, cruise back north along the coast, stopping at Savaneta for a farewell dinner at the Flying Fishbone – tables at the water’s edge, European-Caribbean fusion and a moonlit setting that captures everything special about Aruba. Return to Renaissance Marina by late evening.

Aruba to Curaçao – Spanish Water

Depart Aruba mid-morning and set course east for Curaçao – 61 nautical miles, roughly 3.5 hours at cruising speed. The passage takes you across open water with the Venezuelan coast visible to the south on clear days. Your crew serves lunch on the aft deck as you cruise, arriving at Spanish Water (Spaanse Water) by mid-afternoon. This landlocked natural harbour on Curaçao’s south-east coast is one of the best-protected anchorages in the Caribbean – anchor in 5–7 metres over mud with excellent holding and flat-calm water. Spend the late afternoon swimming, paddleboarding or exploring the mangrove-lined shoreline by tender. Dinner aboard beneath the stars, with the lights of the hillside villas reflected in the glassy water.

Willemstad and the West Coast Beaches

Cruise west from Spanish Water to Willemstad – roughly 8 nautical miles along the coast. Enter St Anna Bay and take in the UNESCO World Heritage waterfront of Handelskade – the iconic row of pastel-coloured Dutch colonial buildings that appears on every postcard of the Caribbean. Moor or anchor nearby and tender ashore to explore Punda and Otrobanda, walk the Queen Emma pontoon bridge, and visit Fort Amsterdam (Curaçao’s oldest building, dating from 1635). Provision at the Floating Market – wooden boats from Venezuela selling tropical fruit, seafood and spices along the canal – or tour Landhuis Chobolobo, where the famous Blue Curaçao liqueur has been made since 1896. In the afternoon, cruise west along the coast to one of Curaçao’s stunning west-coast beaches – Cas Abao, Playa Lagun or Grote Knip – for a late swim and snorkel. Dinner aboard at anchor, or tender ashore at Jan Thiel for beachfront dining.

Curaçao’s West Coast and Klein Curaçao

Spend the morning exploring more of Curaçao’s western coastline. Grote Knip (Kenepa Grandi) – the island’s most photographed beach – sits in a small lagoon between high cliffs, with crystal-clear water that feels like a natural swimming pool. Playa Lagun, a narrow inlet carved between rocky cliffs, offers excellent snorkelling with sea turtles commonly spotted in the shallows. Your chef serves lunch at anchor. In the afternoon, cruise south-east to Klein Curaçao – an uninhabited 1.7 km² island about 6.5 miles off the south-east coast. Anchor offshore and snorkel the pristine reefs – dramatic drop-offs, vibrant coral and abundant marine life including nesting sea turtles. The pink lighthouse and rusted hull of a shipwreck on the beach add a Robinson Crusoe atmosphere. Overnight at anchor.

Return to Aruba via Open Water

Depart Klein Curaçao early and set course west for Aruba – roughly 65 nautical miles, arriving by early afternoon. Your crew serves brunch on the aft deck as you cruise, with the Venezuelan coast visible to the south and the open Caribbean stretching north. Arrive at Renaissance Marina in Oranjestad by mid-afternoon – time for a final swim at Eagle Beach, a stroll through the harbour-front shops, or a farewell dinner at Infini’s intimate chef’s table.

Guests looking for a longer voyage can combine the 3-day Aruba coast route with the 4-day Aruba–Curaçao crossing for a comprehensive 7-day charter covering two islands, dozens of beaches and two entirely different Caribbean landscapes – Aruba’s arid desert beauty and Curaçao’s UNESCO-listed colonial capital – without repeating a single stop. Add extra days to continue east to Bonaire for a grand 8-day ABC Islands circuit.