“There’s no time to be bored in a world as beautiful as this.”
‘Did somebody say flamingos? As in bright pink flamingos? On a beach called Flamingo Beach? I don’t care where it is, take me there right now!’
That basically sums up my first reaction when I heard about Flamingo Beach.
After seeing some pictures on Instagram too, Renaissance Island made it to the top 5 on my bucket list.
I didn’t care how, when or where, all I knew was that we had to go!
JC did not really have a say in this one. Creating memories are what life is all about and this one will be one for the books.
And then it happened!
We made it to Aruba and it was as good as we imagined it to be!
Now, I wish I could tell you it was as easy as just showing up, but unfortunately, there is a little more to it in order to get to Renaissance Island.
My goal for this blog post is not just to tell you about our experience but to give you the ins and outs and make planning on your end a little easier.
Where exactly is Flamingo Beach in Aruba?
The moment of truth…
These pretty pink flamingos cannot be seen on every beach in Aruba because they are not natural inhabitants. There are about 7 of them and the only spot you will see them is on Renaissance Private Island.
Guests of the Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino have access to this 40-acre tropical paradise.
If you are entering Aruba on a cruise you will need to go to the Renaissance Resort. By taxi, it will take you about 4 minutes. The walk is only 10 minutes, and I would highly recommend that.
From the airport, it is more or less a 10-minute taxi ride away.
Fun fact: Here you will find the only private beaches in Aruba and it is only about 8 minutes away from the Renaissance Resort.
The great news is that you don’t have to swim there! Thank goodness, but here is how you can get there…
How to get there?
Getting to the island from the resort is the easy part. There is a complimentary water taxi that leaves from the Renaissance Marina Hotel lobby every 15 minutes.
Now, here is the important part that you should now. Flamingo beach is not open to everyone who feels like hopping on the water taxi.
There are 2 ways to get access:
The first way is to be a guest at the resort. All guests get unlimited access between 7 a.m and 7 p.m daily.
The second way is by getting a guest day pass for $125. It is based on first come, first served and there are only 30 available.
When we showed up at 9 a.m all the guest passes were bought already so we ended up booking a room instead. And on that specific day, all the passes were bought by 7 a.m.
In order to assure you get a pass, show up by 6:30 a.m.
DAY PASS SECRET TIP:
If you are 3 or 4 people, just book a room for a night that sleeps 4 instead, split the cost and get access to the island that way. It will be cheaper even though you won’t be using the room!
If anything, use the room to store extra things you may be carrying with you. You are welcome!!
Things to do?
Our only intention was to go there, relax, snorkel and get some photos with flamingos. I enjoyed every second of it but you may want to do a little more.
There are 2 private beaches on this island.
- The first one is called Iguana Beach and here they cater to families. Children are allowed on this side of the island but unfortunately, there are no flamingos here. You will find the occasional iguana here.
- The second beach is of course Flamingo Beach and this side is for adults ONLY!
On both sides, you will be supplied with complimentary towels and there are beach lounge chairs available.
If you are looking to relax even more, then Spa Cove is definitely what you are looking for. This spa is outside at the end of a private walkway and you get a breathtaking view of the ocean.
I don’t think this experience can get much better than that!
If you are feeling adventurous then you can rent a kayak, paddleboat or even book excursions like snorkeling, scuba diving or a sailing cruise.
Because we only spent half a day there, we took our own snorkel gear and did some snorkeling. You can snorkel inside the wall or outside the wall. The ocean was a little rough so we decided to play it safe and stay inside. We saw some fish, but of course, from what we heard, the snorkel just outside the wall is much better because it is in the open ocean.
One last tip if you decide to book a room at the resort:
You will be able to book a private cabana that has an over-water hammock. There are only 4 available on the adult side and you’ll need to book it at the front desk, in advance!
3 of them accommodate 4 people and one accommodates 6 people.
The rate is between $200 and $250 for the day.
This includes a fruit platter, champagne, bottles of water, along with floats, snorkel masks, and a comfortable private area with shade. Lunch and drinks will be delivered to the cabana when you order it. (Food and drinks are not included in the price).
What about food?
This may be one of the most important questions to cover. To me, food is life. LOL.
Papagayo Bar & Grill to the rescue!
They offer more than enough options. From pizza to salads to burgers and more. Check out the menu here.
On Flamingo Beach they have a cute little bar, Mangrove Beach Bar, with some great frozen drinks.
There’s nothing like having a Piña Colada on Flamingo Beach in Aruba.
Our experience?
We honestly had an unforgettable time here even though it was fairly short.
From relaxing in hammocks…
To feeding the flamingos food in order to get a great picture…
To sipping on Piña Coladas…
We are so blessed for yet another beautiful destination to be checked off the bucket list.
We want to hear from you!
Have you been to Flamingo Beach in Aruba?
Or are you planning on going there soon?
Or maybe you have more questions?
Whichever one it is, let us know in the comments below!
