Visiting Arikok National Park
Visiting Arikok National Park is a must for experiencing Aruba’s wild, rugged beauty. Covering nearly 20% of the island, the park features dramatic desert landscapes, cacti, and rocky coastlines shaped by crashing waves. Explore highlights like the Natural Pool, Fontein Cave with ancient Arawak drawings, and scenic hiking trails.
A 4×4 vehicle is recommended for rough terrain, though guided tours are very popular and for good reason. You should be extremely comfortable on rough terrain because driving this is not for the novice. Make sure to bring plenty of water, sunscreen, and sturdy shoes, as the heat can be intense. Arikok offers a striking contrast to Aruba’s beaches, showcasing the island’s untamed and adventurous side.
Visiting Baby Beach
Visiting Baby Beach is perfect for a relaxing, family-friendly day by the sea. Located on Aruba’s southeastern coast, this crescent-shaped lagoon offers calm, shallow waters ideal for swimming and snorkeling. The gentle conditions make it especially popular with beginners and children. Bring snorkel gear to spot colorful fish near the rocks. You may also spot sea turtles here. It is away from resort areas making it a calmer environment, though our tour guide said weekends are quiet busy. There is a parking lot if you self drive.
One Day Tour
My friend and I did a tour through Get Your Guide called Aruba: Natural Pool, Caves and Baby Beach Jeep Adventure and paid $178 total in 2026. It included pick up and drop off from our hotel, water and snack, entry to activities and snorkels.
I wore sandals for the most part and brought water shoes for the natural pool which I was happy to have and I recommend if you have sensitive feet. I also brought my camera, sunglasses, sunscreen, a towel and some cash for a tip.
step by step of the day tour
Pick Up for Day Tour
Pick up was included in the tour. We were picked up from our hotel in the Palm Beach area in a bus and dropped at the jeep tour location where we checked in, got our water and snack, wrist band and then loaded onto the jeep. The pick up was later than stated and the whole process took a little time since we were the first to be picked up and had to pick up several other customers. Some of the other people were on our tour but the tour company also did ATV tours too.
Baby Beach
We started first at Baby Beach because the tour guide said it got very busy on the weekends later on in the day. During this stop we were given snorkel masks and just had free time to enjoy. Some people walked beach, some swam and lounged on beach and others (like us) went snorkeling. There was a lot of parking in a big parking lot there and when we got there it was fairly empty. There were signs mentioning sea turtles, however we did not see any. Regardless, the snorkeling was great just from the shore and we saw tons of fish. If you are snorkeling the time does feel a little short but it was still fantastic!
Exploring Arikok National Park
Taking in the Landscapes
There is rugged desert landscapes with cliffs and seaside vistas. It is a beautiful just the drive. You will be able to see some wildlife- we saw some birds and donkeys.
Fontein Cave
Fontein Cave is a fascinating site that showcases ancient Arawak petroglyphs etched into limestone walls. It is easy to access. Keep an eye out for bats, bugs and unique rock formations while exploring this cool, shaded natural attraction.
Fish pedicure
Just a short walk from the Fontein Cave is a place where you can get a natural fish pedicure (if you would like). On the way you walk a small path through the desert landscape.
The Natural Pool
Next you head to the Conchi or the Natural Pool. This is right on the ocean and you have to walk down some stairs to get to the pool. The sand here is rocky and you have to climb over some rocks to access the pool so if you have water shoes I would recommend bringing them (especially if you have sensitive feet). That being said my friend did it barefoot. The pool is fantastic and you can snorkel and see a lot of fish. When the waves crash over the rocks it makes a natural jacuzzi with bubbles all around. It was a really cool experience.
Heading back
After the Natural Pool, we took the jeep back to the main tour company and then small bus back to our hotels. It was such a great day!
Tips
What to Bring
Definitely bring water and snacks for this trip. Bring your sunscreen and a towel. Definitely bring your camera and waterproof case. Bring water shoes if you have them. The tour recommends sneakers for the national park but I wore sandals most of the day.
Do a tour
After experiencing the roads I would recommend doing a tour rather than self driving unless you are extremely confident with off roading and 4x4s. It was an extremely bumpy ride. If you suffer with back problems you may want to skip this tour.
Plan your trip
If you haven’t made it to Aruba yet, consider this your inspiration to go. It is beyond beautiful and you will not be disappointed. Arikok National Park is well worth the hype and my friend and I had a complete blast. I highly recommend visiting here. Check out other things to do while visiting Aruba on my six day itinerary HERE!
