All the latest from the Caribbean island of Aruba – what’s new, what’s happening and what’s coming up…

- Aruba’s Historical Centre Gets A Facelift
- See The Less Known Aruba With New Jeep Tour
- Just Launched ZoiA Spa Inspired By The Caribbean Elements
- New Look For Aruba’s Oldest Hotel Following £20-Million Renovation
- R. Kelly To Headline Aruba’s Soul Beach Music Festival
- New Plans Announced For Arikok National Park
- Free Wedding and Honeymoon Packages From Divi Aruba
- Aruba UK Campaign On Awards List

WHAT’S NEW

Aruba’s Historical Centre Gets A Facelift
Aruba’s capital Oranjestad is in the process of urban renewal, with extensive work being done to restore the island’s historical centre to its former glory. Aruba was conquered by the Dutch in 1636 and this heritage can be seen everywhere on the island, particularly in Oranjestad, which is known for its pastel-coloured, gingerbread-house style architecture.

A number of projects are currently proceeding to innovatively transform the look of various areas across town, including the construction of a new National Historic Centre and a common plaza area, the restoration of the Court Building and the Water Tower, the revitalisation of the Main Street and the removal of the container tanks close to the harbour.

Part of the BoAruba (Your Aruba) programme, the project aims at repairing and rebuilding historic buildings and monuments in the city centre within walking distance from the cruise port’s main gate.

www.boaruba.com

See The Less Known Aruba With New Jeep Tour
If you are looking to discover a little more of Aruba, De Palm Tours has just launched a new excursion. The new Baby Beach Jeep Safari takes you through the island’s less known land and sea gems, with stops at sites such as the vast Arikok National Park, the millennia-old caves and the quirky Ostrich Farm and Donkey Sanctuary.

Lunch is served at the popular Hollywood Smokehouse Diner: located in a historic building on the sunrise side of the island in San Nicolas, guests can enjoy mouth-watering dishes such as the local barbecue joint’s famous pulled pork or smoked chicken breast.

The beautiful Baby Beach, at the southeastern tip of the island, is the last stop of the day. The beach has taken its name from its shallow waters which are safe enough even for a baby. Swimmers can wade out for a long distance and still touch the sea bottom, whilst snorkellers will behold a colourful kaleidoscope of coral and tropical fish.

www.depalmtours.com

New ZoiA Spa Inspired By The Caribbean Elements
The Hyatt Regency Aruba presented earlier this month its brand new spa experience. The 5,200 square-foot ZoiA (meaning ‘balance’ in Papiamento, the local language) offers an indoor/outdoor experience and an extensive spa menu of luxurious treatments and native ingredients such as Aruba aloe vera.

The Aruba-inspired, all-natural treatments are based on the colours of the Aruban flag (yellow, white, blue, and red) and four key Caribbean elements: sun, geared towards revitalising the skin through the use of botanical blossoms; sand, designed to detoxify and rid the skin of any impurities; sea, aiming to make guests feel completely relaxed, just like the serenity felt when hearing gently crashing waves; and love, helping guests achieve a sense of wellbeing through the use of traditional island methods that incorporate Aruba’s indigenous aloe plant.

Featuring eight treatment rooms, ZoiA Spa also offers antioxidant-rich ingredients and products. An aloe garden located in front of the spa further encapsulates the theme and demonstrates the importance of Aruba’s multidimensional plant.

www.aruba.hyatt.com

COMING SOON

R. Kelly To Headline 2012 Soul Beach Music Festival
Multi-platinum selling, chart topping, Grammy award-winning powerhouse R. Kelly will headline this year’s Aruba Soul Beach Music Festival. Known for his mesmerizing live stage show, the multi-instrumentalist, producer and vocalist will perform on the main stage of the Nikki Beach Amphitheatre on the closing night of the festival.

Celebrating its twelfth anniversary this year, the Aruba Soul Beach Music Festival takes place from 23-27 May and will see soul music lovers from around the world taking part in amped-up nightclubs, sizzling beach parties and music concerts over five days.

Previous acts of the Aruba Soul Beach Music Festival have included some of the world’s most famous high-octane R&B artists, such as Alicia Keys, Jennifer Hudson, Jamie Fox, Wyclef Jean, Estelle, Sean Paul, Boyz II Men, Lauryn Hill and Chaka Khan.

www.soulbeach.net

New Plans Announced For Aruba’s National Preserve
A series of developments have just been announced for Arikok National Park, Aruba’s national preserve.

A new lookout will be created at the summit of Mount Arikok, the island’s highest point, which will be accessible by a hiking trail from Cunucu Abao. New signage will be posted throughout the park with photos of local flora and fauna and information regarding the various species, while a number of site facelifts will take place throughout the park, including the historic Miralamar gold mill.

Visitors to Aruba can also admire Arikok National Park’s beauty and diverse biodiversity at an inspiring new photo collection at the Westin Aruba Art Gallery. The ‘Inspired by Nature’ photo collection is a mix of landscape, wildlife, and nature photography. The photographs are for sale at £167 (US$265) per piece, with all proceeds going to the Arikok National Park to be used for nature conservation.

www.arubanationalpark.org

HOTEL UPDATE

New Look For Aruba’s Oldest Hotel Following £20-Million Renovation
Aruba’s oldest hotel, the award-winning Radisson Aruba Resort, Casino & Spa, has now completed an extensive, £20 million (US$30 million) renovation of its three towers. Built in the 1950s, Radisson Aruba was the very first high-rise hotel to open on the island.


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Tags: Caribbean island of Aruba, News