Holidays in Palm Beach

An introduction to Palm Beach

No prizes for guessing how this place got its name. A curtain of palms polka-dots this sandy sweep on the northwest coast. And as beaches go, Palm Beach is top of the tree. Think blindingly white sand so soft you could talc a baby's bottom with it. Supermodel palms that erupt in a firework display of fronds. And crystal clear waters in a symphony of turquoise and aquamarine. If it all sounds a bit OTT, that's because it is. When Mother Nature was dishing out the wow factor quotient, she gave Palm Beach a double helping. With a shoreline like this, it's no wonder Palm Beach has grown to become Aruba's premier holiday resort. Not only has it got the looks, but it's got the personality to go with it. It's busy. It's buzzy. And it's got plenty to do. Jet-skis and banana boats come courtesy of the watersports rentals that line the shore. And at one end of the beach, there's a rush-thatched jetty called Palm Pier that has a bar, a souvenir shop and coffee/doughnut bar. The other great thing about this place is nearly all the hotels sit right on the sands. Behind the wall of palms, glittering high-rise hotels jostle for space along the beach. Most of them back onto the J E Irausquin Boulevard where you'll find plenty in the way of restaurants, shops and bars. Not that you need to leave the comfort of your hotel though. Most of them are mini-resorts with casinos, a la carte restaurants and boutiques all on site. Sands and glam hotels aside, you'll also find De Olde Molen here. An authentic Dutch windmill, it was uprooted lock, stock and sails over from Holland. For more in the way of culture, full-on shopping and a bigger dining scene, you'll need to head to the capital, Oranjestad, which is about a 10-minute drive from Palm Beach.

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