What to see, where to stay and the best time to visit Noord, Aruba.
Photo: James Martins / Wikimedia Commons
Noord is a town in Aruba, best known as the base for Palm Beach, Eagle Beach and the island's northern coastline. It's not a coastal town itself, but it sits close enough to reach the beaches, the California Lighthouse and Alto Vista Chapel in minutes. Expect a mix of local life and tourist infrastructure, with budget stays and longer-term rentals more common here than in the busier beach strips. April and May bring the best weather for exploring.
With beaches, a lighthouse, a chapel, a butterfly farm and a bird sanctuary nearby, plan on 2–3 days to see the main sights around Noord without rushing.
Palm Beach
A long white-sand beach with calm, clear water, lined with the island's high-rise hotels. It is good for swimming, snorkelling and water sports, and the strip behind it has many restaurants and bars.
Eagle Beach
A wide, quieter beach south of Palm Beach, lined with low-rise resorts. It is known for its soft sand and the twisted fofoti trees that grow near the water.
Hudishibana
A stone lighthouse on the island's northwest tip, named after a ship that wrecked nearby. The hilltop gives wide views over the dunes, the coast and the sea.
Alto Vista
A small yellow chapel on a quiet hill near the north coast, rebuilt on the site of an early Catholic mission on the island. The road up is lined with prayer markers, and the site is peaceful and open to visitors.
Malmok
A calm beach near the northern tip, popular with locals for swimming and snorkelling. It has shade huts and is less built-up than Palm Beach.
Malmok
Small rocky coves along the northwest coast with clear, shallow water. They are among the easiest places on the island to snorkel from the shore and see tropical fish.
Palm Beach
A covered tropical garden where butterflies from around the world fly freely. Guides explain the full life cycle, from egg to caterpillar to butterfly.
Bubali
A wetland of freshwater ponds inland from Palm Beach, with a wooden observation tower. It is a good stop for spotting herons, cormorants and other water birds.
Malmok
A beach with steady wind and shallow water, the main spot on Aruba for windsurfing and kitesurfing. Even if you do not ride, it is fun to watch the sails from the shore.
Noord
A non-profit rescue centre that cares for exotic and farm animals that were abandoned or mistreated. It is a relaxed stop for families, with guided visits and chances to see the animals up close.
Average weather and our month score, from 10 years of climate data.
| Month | High / low | Rain days | Sunshine | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 28°C / 25°C | 13 days (35 mm) | 11.0 h/day | 5.3/10 |
| February | 28°C / 25°C | 10 days (29 mm) | 11.5 h/day | 5.9/10 |
| March | 29°C / 25°C | 11 days (28 mm) | 11.6 h/day | 5.5/10 |
| Best month: April | 29°C / 26°C | 5 days (15 mm) | 11.6 h/day | 6.2/10 |
| Best month: May | 30°C / 26°C | 5 days (20 mm) | 11.5 h/day | 6.0/10 |
| June | 30°C / 27°C | 7 days (24 mm) | 12.0 h/day | 5.5/10 |
| July | 30°C / 27°C | 10 days (33 mm) | 11.9 h/day | 4.9/10 |
| August | 31°C / 27°C | 9 days (32 mm) | 11.7 h/day | 4.8/10 |
| September | 31°C / 27°C | 8 days (40 mm) | 11.2 h/day | 4.7/10 |
| October | 31°C / 27°C | 13 days (62 mm) | 10.4 h/day | 4.2/10 |
| November | 29°C / 26°C | 20 days (115 mm) | 10.3 h/day | 4.4/10 |
| December | 29°C / 26°C | 17 days (54 mm) | 10.8 h/day | 4.6/10 |
Highs reach 28°C with 13.2 rain days and 35mm of rain. Score 5.3, an ok month overall.
Highs of 28°C and fewer rain days, 10.1, with 29mm total. Score rises to 5.9, still ok.
Warm at 28.7°C high, 10.7 rain days, 28mm rain. Score 5.5, an ok choice.
Highs climb to 29.4°C with just 5.3 rain days and 15mm rain, the driest spell. Score 6.2 makes this a good month.
Highs of 29.9°C, still only 5.3 rain days and 20mm rain. Score 6, a good month.
Highs reach 30.1°C and rain days rise to 7.1, with 24mm total. Score drops to 5.5, ok.
Highs of 30°C with 10.4 rain days and 33mm rain. Score falls to 4.9, ok but less favourable.
Highs peak near 30.7°C, 9.4 rain days, 32mm rain. Score 4.8, ok.
Hottest month at 31.3°C high, with 8.4 rain days but 40mm rain. Score 4.7, ok.
Highs of 30.5°C but rain days jump to 12.6 and rainfall to 62mm, making it wetter. Score 4.2, the lowest of the year, ok.
The wettest month: 19.9 rain days and 115mm rain, with highs of 29.3°C. Tough weather due to heavy, frequent rain. Score 4.4, ok.
Highs of 28.8°C with 17.1 rain days and 54mm rain, still fairly wet. Score 4.6, ok.
Climate averages 2015–2024 · Best time to visit Aruba →
The best areas to base yourself and who each one suits.
Good for first-timers, nightlife, families
This is the high-rise hotel strip, with calm water, beach bars, restaurants, casinos and shops all within walking distance. It is the easiest base if you do not want to rent a car. The drawback is crowds: the beach fills with loungers, and the main road is busy and noisy in the evenings.
Good for couples, beach lovers, quiet
Eagle Beach has low-rise hotels along a very wide, soft beach, and it feels calmer and more open than Palm Beach. Sea turtles nest here in season, so parts of the beach are kept dark at night. There are fewer restaurants and less nightlife within walking distance, so you may need taxis or a car in the evenings.
Good for snorkelers, windsurfers, self-caterers
Malmok is a residential area of villas and small apartments north of Palm Beach. It is close to good snorkelling spots and to the windsurf and kite beaches at Fisherman's Huts. There are few shops or restaurants nearby, and the rocky shoreline has only small sandy patches, so a car is useful.
Good for snorkelers, quiet, nature
Arashi sits near the northern tip of the island, close to Arashi Beach and the California Lighthouse. It has clear water for snorkelling and a relaxed, low-key feel. It is the most remote option in Noord, with very few services, so you will need a car for groceries and dinners out.
Good for budget travellers, longer stays, local life
The village of Noord lies inland from the hotel strip and has supermarkets, local restaurants and a church square. Apartments here give a more local feel and are handy for self-catering. The drawback is that you cannot walk to the beach, so you will need a car, bike or bus.
This is a baked dish of spiced meat stuffed inside an Edam cheese shell. Families in Aruba serve it at home for Sunday dinners and holiday meals.
A pastechi is a fried pastry filled with cheese, chicken, or fish. Locals eat it for breakfast or as a quick snack from roadside stands.
This is a flat, slightly sweet cornmeal pancake. It is a common side dish served alongside stews and grilled meat.
Funchi is a cornmeal dish similar to polenta, often cut into pieces and fried. It appears as a staple side on everyday dinner plates across the island.
These are simple fried or baked dough cakes, often eaten warm with butter or cheese. They are a common breakfast item in Aruban households.
August is ok, not the best month. It scores 4.8 out of 10. The high is 30.7°C and there are about 9.4 rain days, so it's warm and fairly dry, but the score drops because other months offer a better mix of heat, rain and sun.
April and May are the best months. April has a high of 29.4°C, just 5.3 rain days and 15mm of rain. May is slightly warmer at 29.9°C with the same 5.3 rain days but a bit more rain at 20mm. Both months score 6 or above, the highest of the year.
November is the wettest month, not a total write-off. It has 19.9 rain days and 115mm of rain, both the highest figures of the year. Sun hours drop to 10.3, the lowest along with December. Its score of 4.4 reflects this wetter, cloudier stretch.
Plan for 2 to 3 days. The main sights, Palm Beach, Eagle Beach, California Lighthouse, Arashi Beach and Alto Vista Chapel, each take between 1 hour and half a day. Spreading these across a couple of days lets you cover the beaches and the short inland stops without rushing.
Rainfall varies a lot by month. The driest months are April and May with 5.3 rain days each and 15 to 20mm of rain. November is the wettest, with 19.9 rain days and 115mm. Outside of November and December, rain days generally stay under 13.
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