ABC Islands - how long to stay where?

Old Apr 3rd, 2024, 08:41 AM
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ABC Islands - how long to stay where?

Dear fellow travelers,
We are currently planning a long term trip to the ABC Islands, starting with Bonaire, then going to Curaçao and finally Aruba.
We have 45 days - but how long should we stay on each Island?
We are traveling together with our then 5.5 year old daughter- our priorities will be snorkeling and exploring the nature (flora and fauna) with small hiking trips.
At this moment, we are considering 14d Bonaire, 21d Curaçao and 10d Aruba.

If you have any suggestions, that would be greatly appreciated!! I have done some reading, but the opinions about which island deserves the most attention vary a lot..!

Thank you ❤️
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Old Apr 4th, 2024, 04:29 PM
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What time of year are you going? ABC are very close to the equator and csn be unbearably scorching hot in the summer.

i’ve not been to B or C, but love Aurba in the winter. The island is a desert and thus devoid of both flora and fauna that you’d find in the rest of the Caribbean.

We stay in a condo in Eagle beach and love the location. There is a several mile long paved walking/bike trail that goes all the way to Palm beach. Great for walking but it’s not island hiking. There are some rugged rocky hiking trails along the north shore but I would not call Aruba a hikers paradise by any means.
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Old Apr 4th, 2024, 09:30 PM
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Dear J62,
Thank you for your reply!

We are going from mid of December to end of January.

How long are you normally staying on Aruba?

Thank you!
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Old Apr 5th, 2024, 04:46 AM
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When we visit Aruba we go in Jan or Feb, for a week to ten days.

​​​​​​The condo complex we like is called Oceania on Eagle Beach - nice, quiet complex, great pools, right across from the beach, easy walk or short drive to great supermarket, and a few restaurants right nearby. It's far from the big crowds at Palm Beach. Each unit is individually owned and rented out - there are some agencies that represent numerous owners. The agency we've used several times is called Bocabay For rental cars on Aruba you definitely want to reserve one far in advance. There are co's that will bring the car right to you at your convenience - we've not used them, but it seems a lot more convenient than having to schlep to a Hertz other location and wait for them (on island time).

For snorkeling, there are a few walk-in snorkeling beaches on the north end of the west coast. Easy for snorkelers of any age. Not on par with the big coral reefs elsewhere, but very enjoyable for an hour or so. We bring snorkel gear with us - you can also buy on the islands. Some rental properties may have gear to borrow. We've found that a blow up pool noodle is a great travel accessory....
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Old Apr 7th, 2024, 10:15 AM
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Thank you!

Thank you so much for all the infos for Aruba! I will have a look!
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Old May 2nd, 2024, 04:10 AM
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we just return from Oceania as recommended and really good choice!
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