Best beach bar at Eagle Beach?

Have you been to Aruba? Help us pick a good beach spot. Please share your favorite beach spot and beach bar.

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I'd like to know this also!!!

I haven't been yet but I asked this same question on TripAdvisor & several people recommend a place called Moomba's beach bar. I wanted a place I could get drinks but also hang out on the beach with a lounge chair & umbrella. I'm thinking I'll probably go there on my upcoming cruise. It looks fun based on the pics

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Hi sweetlove13, thank for the info. We are looking for the same thing.

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Been to "Mooba" bar. 7 of us took a van cab. Driver came back for us in a full size tour bus. Long story. He told to tell the bar that we were off the ship and they did not charge for the use of the loungers. Bar had reasonably priced food and drinks. Long stretch of beach to walk on. Good washrooms. A good choice. Can also be reached by the public bus for $2. A short 1 block walk from the road to the beach. Ask driver about the bus schedule times. If it is a weekend the buses run less often. Also possible to grab a waiting cab to get back to the ship on time. Watch your time as things happen to slow your return. We also aim for a 2 hr cushion to get back and walk around the area before going back on board. Lots to see and do right there. Free wifi on the street right by ship. Look for the crew sitting against the bldgs with their lap tops open. Enjoy.

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I just want to let everyone know that Moomba is located on Palm Beach, not Eagle Beach, but it is probably the best bar for cruisers to hang out at. The bars on Eagle Beach are pretty small, and more geared for resort guests, not cruisers. Palm Beach has a better selection of cruiser friendly bars. Also worth mentioning on Palm Beach are Bugaloe's and Carlito's.

Thanks Hatteras51. Palm Beach is pretty big. We were going to take the Aruba Bus. Do you know which stop or hotel to use as a guide.

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When I read the post I had to put on my thinking cap. As near as I recall (we have been to Eagle many times) and usually go to the far end (closer to Palm Beach) across the road from the Amsterdam Manor. There is only 1 beach bar (more like a shack with a few seats) at that location....but they do have an afternoon Happy Hour which is a good deal. To be honest, we do not recall any other beach bars on the most popular sections of the beach.

Hank

As Hank mentioned, there are a couple of small bars near Amsterdam Manor and La Cabana, but the more cruiser friendly bars are on Palm Beach, There are a couple others on Eagle, but some of them belong to all inclusives. To go to Bugaloe on Palm Beach, get off of the bus near the Hilton. To go to Moomba, get off the bus near Holiday Inn. The hotels along Palm Beach are side by side, so if you get off at any of the stops, you can easily walk from one to another in just a few minutes.

As Hank mentioned, there are a couple of small bars near Amsterdam Manor and La Cabana, but the more cruiser friendly bars are on Palm Beach, There are a couple others on Eagle, but some of them belong to all inclusives. To go to Bugaloe on Palm Beach, get off of the bus near the Hilton. To go to Moomba, get off the bus near Holiday Inn. The hotels along Palm Beach are side by side, so if you get off at any of the stops, you can easily walk from one to another in just a few minutes.

We normally explain Palm and Eagle this way: If you want to be around lots of people, near some off beach shops and restaurants, and see (and hear) lots of beach activity....go to Palm. If you want a more laid-back less commercial beach, which tends to be not overly crowded then head to Eagle. It also helps that the two beaches are only a few minutes apart (by vehicle) so it is possible to get from one to the other (by bus, taxi, or the shared van/taxis that just rove around the island) if you are unhappy with your first choice.

Hank

Yes Palm is a busier vibe, our fav beach bar is Bugaloe by the RIU Palace.

http://www.bugaloe.com/

Thanks all for the advice. We are going to be flexible and see how we feel. Since the are on the same bus route will work out fine.

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I just want to let everyone know that Moomba is located on Palm Beach, not Eagle Beach, but it is probably the best bar for cruisers to hang out at. The bars on Eagle Beach are pretty small, and more geared for resort guests, not cruisers. Palm Beach has a better selection of cruiser friendly bars. Also worth mentioning on Palm Beach are Bugaloe's and Carlito's.

If we choose to go to any of these bars, do they all have chairs on the beach that can be used (if you order something) or rent? Also, do they all have restrooms available? Trying to figure out where to go after our Trikes tour for a little while. Since we will probably be hungry, we'd want something to eat but we also want to plop ourselves in a chair for a few hours.

We will be in Aruba next month and have been to Moomba previously and had a great day - we are considering going back there.

Can I ask if Bugaloe has a beach - the website looks like its just a restaurant over the water?

Thanks

We will be in Aruba next month and have been to Moomba previously and had a great day - we are considering going back there.

 

Can I ask if Bugaloe has a beach - the website looks like its just a restaurant over the water?

 

Thanks

Located on Palm Beach which is gorgeous! Our favorite spot for a beach bar

Located on Palm Beach which is gorgeous! Our favorite spot for a beach bar

Thanks / it didn't look like there was a beach located at Bugaloe, we may try it

If we choose to go to any of these bars, do they all have chairs on the beach that can be used (if you order something) or rent? Also, do they all have restrooms available? Trying to figure out where to go after our Trikes tour for a little while. Since we will probably be hungry, we'd want something to eat but we also want to plop ourselves in a chair for a few hours.

Surprised you did not get some responses. The norm on Aruba is that you have to rent chairs....even if buy food or drink. This is generally true on both Palm and Eagle Beaches. Unlike some places in Mexico, it is nearly impossible to negotiate for free or reduced price chairs.

Hank

Surprised you did not get some responses. The norm on Aruba is that you have to rent chairs....even if buy food or drink. This is generally true on both Palm and Eagle Beaches. Unlike some places in Mexico, it is nearly impossible to negotiate for free or reduced price chairs.

 

Hank

We visited Eagle beach last month and their were charging $35 for 2 sunbeds and an umbrella. Their attitude was take it or leave it and will continue to rip-off cruisers.

We visited Eagle beach last month and their were charging $35 for 2 sunbeds and an umbrella. Their attitude was take it or leave it and will continue to rip-off cruisers.

This is not really "ripping off" cruisers. Aruba is a pretty expensive island (we have vacationed on the island a few times) and you are going to pay top dollar for chairs on Palm and Eagle...because its simply supply/demand. In fact, the vendors on Eagle do not do anything to seek out cruisers or even visitors. The beach is primarily used by the nearby resort/hotels for their own customers. Many times on Eagle, a visitor will not even be able to get an umbrella or palapa since they are all being used (or reserved) for resort guests.

If you want lower cost, come join us in Puerto Vallarta (our winter home) :). Or I guess you could head out to Falmouth and swim in the warm waters off England :).

Hank

I don't think $35 for 2 loungers and an umbrella is a "rip off"...it's more than reasonable! Lordy folks....

This is not really "ripping off" cruisers. Aruba is a pretty expensive island (we have vacationed on the island a few times) and you are going to pay top dollar for chairs on Palm and Eagle...because its simply supply/demand. In fact, the vendors on Eagle do not do anything to seek out cruisers or even visitors.

Hank

They charged $25 to people from Hotels but $35 to cruisers - that's the rip off.

Of all the islands we visited Aruba's beach vendors charge the most for poor quality beds and sun shade, double what we paid in Barbados, St Maarten, Curacao just to name a few.

They charged $25 to people from Hotels but $35 to cruisers - that's the rip off.

 

Of all the islands we visited Aruba's beach vendors charge the most for poor quality beds and sun shade, double what we paid in Barbados, St Maarten, Curacao just to name a few.

Not a rip off. The hotel (Amsterdam Manor) actually owns and operates the beach bar (across from their location) and staffs the beach chair vendor operation. Although they do allow non-hotel visitors to use their services (although it can be a problem on a very crowded day) it makes sense that people staying at their own hotel/resort get either a reduced rate or even get the chairs for free (if its part of their hotel/resort package). The laws of Aruba require that the beach remain a public (not private) place open to anyone. But there is no requirement that the hotel rent anything to visitors...or even let them buy drinks/food. However, they have chosen to provide those limited services to visitors. If you think its a "rip off" you are free to sit on your towel for free...or perhaps go to a different beach where you might pay even more...or possibly less for a chair rental. When we stay on Aruba we will sometimes stay at the Manchebo Beach Hotel....(about 1 mile from Eagle) where the hotel simply refuses to rent anything (chairs, umbrella) to visitors. Hence, they have few to no visitors on their beautiful stretch of beach (which is why we like staying in that hotel). At least the Amsterdam Manor folks are giving visitors the option to rent stuff. On their behalf, the beach bar has a daily Happy Hour (2 for 1) in the afternoon...and they even allow visitors to take advantage of the low priced drinks. It would be easy to restrict the Happy Hour to hotel folks only....but as they say, "One Happy Island." The hotel staff also works to keep their section of the beach clean and we have personally seen some cruisers leave all kinds of trash on the beach. While you might be wonderful guests...not all cruisers are so good :).

Many cruisers do not understand that cruise passengers are not very popular among everyone on various islands. People that pay big dollars to be at resorts think of cruisers as interlopers that take up their space. And many resorts have to put up with cruisers sneaking into their facilities without paying a penny. You even have entire islands (St Barts and Anquilla are two examples) that would prefer to never have any cruise visitors...and sometimes do their best to discourage cruiser visits. Many visitors to Eagle Beach will go across the street and use Amsterdam Manor rest rooms and even sneak into their pool, which is supposed to be private. So there are two sides to the story.

Also consider that your cruise ship will always offer "beach excursions" which take you to facilities that welcome cruisers. Have you compared the price of those beach excursions to chair rentals on Eagle or Palm?

Thanks for the lecture, hank - it's still a rip off

Thanks for the lecture, hank - it's still a rip off

Hahaha :). Ok, you win,

Hank:)

Been to "Mooba" bar. 7 of us took a van cab. Driver came back for us in a full size tour bus. Long story. He told to tell the bar that we were off the ship and they did not charge for the use of the loungers. Bar had reasonably priced food and drinks. Long stretch of beach to walk on. Good washrooms. A good choice. Can also be reached by the public bus for $2. A short 1 block walk from the road to the beach. Ask driver about the bus schedule times. If it is a weekend the buses run less often. Also possible to grab a waiting cab to get back to the ship on time. Watch your time as things happen to slow your return. We also aim for a 2 hr cushion to get back and walk around the area before going back on board. Lots to see and do right there. Free wifi on the street right by ship. Look for the crew sitting against the bldgs with their lap tops open. Enjoy.

 

 

 

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What beach is this on?

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