Aruba Sailing: Spanish Lagoon, Snorkeling & BBQ Lunch or Dinner

4.88

(145 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

“If you see the pelicans diving, it means the fish are awake,” our captain grinned as we left Varadero Marina. I liked him right away — he had that way of talking like you’re already friends. The boat felt sturdy but open, and the air smelled faintly salty and sweet, like sunscreen and grilled pineapple. We drifted past the Spanish Lagoon while a couple of locals waved from their little fishing boat. I tried to wave back without looking too much like a tourist (failed). The sky was that washed-out blue you only get in Aruba after midday.

I’d heard about Flamingo Island before but seeing it from the water is different — the colors are louder somehow. Our guide pointed out some old stories about the desalination plant (I didn’t catch every detail; blame the wind or maybe my own distraction watching flying fish skip by). We got to Mangel Halto Reef just as the sun started softening. Snorkeling there was wild — warm water, flickers of neon fish, and coral that looked almost fake until you reached out and felt its roughness. I swallowed a bit of seawater trying to laugh underwater when someone pointed out a tiny octopus hiding in plain sight.

Lunch (or dinner if you sail later) is this easygoing BBQ on board — smoky chicken, veggie skewers for me (they asked about food stuff ahead), cold drinks from an open bar. Nothing fancy but everything tasted better with wet hair and bare feet. Someone put on music low enough not to fight with the sound of waves. Afterward we stopped at Surfside Beach for a swim; sand stuck everywhere but no one cared. On the way back to Varadero Marina, I watched the horizon go pink and gold behind us. Funny how quiet everyone got for a minute — maybe just soaking it in.