Arashi Beach

I usually am just a lurker on cc but today I will share my experience on arashi beach. My wife and I are in our early 50's when we cruise I usually try and find a beach where I can snorkel from shore and we can rent chairs and an umbrella. We took a taxi from cruise terminal it was $24 plus any tip. 2 chairs and umbrella were $40 a little on the expensive side oh well I'm on vacation. I believe if you just wanted 2 chairs it was $14. But I need shade and later in day even my wife wanted shade. The little beach shack has beers for $5 or a bucket of 6 for $24. Water was $2. They also sold ice cream and had some hotdogs and hamburgers but they did not look good. If you spend $7 they will give you wifi password. They also charge for bathroom. The beach did get crowded around noon or so. Snorkeling was pretty good in my opinion. I only went to the left side of arashi beach towards boca. There are about 5 or so houses separating the 2 beaches. I did make my way all the way to the other beach but I found the best fish right in front of the blue house close to shore as you you can get. There are rocks sticking out of ocean you just need to swim around them and keep yourself as flat as possible to get where I saw the best fish. There are pelicans sitting on the rocks I even got into a large school of bait fish and a pelican dove in the water near me. On the way back to the ship we took the bus we noticed it was coming about every hour at 50 minutes past the hour. It was $2 something per person for the return trip. The bus was empty when we got on but before the time we got to the other beaches to pick up it was full. I think the driver didn't even stop at some stops as there was no place for anybody to squeeze on. If anybody has any question I will try and answer.

We will be making our 3rd (all on cruises) trip to Aruba in a couple weeks and this time renting a car. We love to snorkel and are tired of the excursions that blow all the time outside the water for open bar/party time. We plan to drive up to the Arashi/Boca/Malmock areas-- my question is- did you happen to notice the parking situation? Last time we were there in Sept, we drove by those spots but did so on an UTV excursion and blew by them so quick I couldn't see (I was already planning my route in my head)

We will be making our 3rd (all on cruises) trip to Aruba in a couple weeks and this time renting a car. We love to snorkel and are tired of the excursions that blow all the time outside the water for open bar/party time. We plan to drive up to the Arashi/Boca/Malmock areas-- my question is- did you happen to notice the parking situation? Last time we were there in Sept, we drove by those spots but did so on an UTV excursion and blew by them so quick I couldn't see (I was already planning my route in my head)

There is a nice parking lot at Arashi.

Yes arashi beach had a lot of parking.

Thanks!

Do you happen to know how much their soda was or the price of hamburgers?

When you took the bus, I believe it has been reported that it cost $2.30pp, do you have to have the correct amount? Or do you go somewhere and buy the tickets and then just present the ticket?

Thanks in advance.

Hi Kim. I think that the bus fare has increased to $2.60 per person. You don't have to have exact change, but you will get your change back in florins. I think that others have reported buying a round trip ticket at an office at the bus depot. I've never done that. The bus drivers used to sell round trip tickets when you got on the bus, but they weren't doing that the last time that we rode on one.

I haven't been to Arashi since they opened the snack bar, so hopefully someone will chime in with that info. I know that you need your sodas:). I'm looking forward to reading your review. I'm reading your back to belly review right now. Is the whole family going with you this time?

We paid $11 American for 4 of us from Arashi back to the terminal in February. We paid the driver directly.

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I can't remember exactly how much bus was but right around $5 for 2 people one way. We just paid driver and he gave us change. I don't know price of food or soda sorry.

On 2/21/2017 at 1:40 PM, bw21 said:

They also charge for bathroom. 

Do you remember how much it was? Also, is it true there are no facilities at Boca Catalina so you have to walk to Arashi to use them?

I think it was $1 but not exactly sure. I never was on the beach at boca Catalina. I just snorkeled over there from arashi. 

49 minutes ago, TMW67 said:

Do you remember how much it was? Also, is it true there are no facilities at Boca Catalina so you have to walk to Arashi to use them?

The restrooms are $1 to use. However, if you are buying drinks or food, they will give you a ticket for free. We've never had to pay all the times we've been there and we vacation there in the summer (over the last 2 weeks) and never paid and visited multiple times. (We always buy drinks or sometimes food).

Boca Catalina does not have ANY facilities there. Not a restroom or food/drinks or anything but it's an awesome place to snorkel and hang out at. Not many people there and usually only the locals.

Thanks bw21 & mitsugirly, good to know, since we are planning on snorkeling at Boca.😊