What to see, where to stay and the best time to visit Noord, Aruba.
Photo: James Martins / Wikimedia Commons
Noord is an area of Aruba that takes in several beach districts, each with its own feel. Palm Beach suits first-timers, families and nightlife. Eagle Beach is quieter and suits couples. Malmok and Arashi draw snorkelers, and Malmok also suits windsurfers. Noord itself suits budget travellers and longer stays, with more local life. Sights include California Lighthouse, Alto Vista Chapel and the Butterfly Farm. The best months to go are April and May.
There is no set number of days. Palm Beach and Eagle Beach each take half a day. Most other sights, such as California Lighthouse or Arashi Beach, take between 1 and 3 hours. Plan your days around beach time.
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 |
High 28°C, 13 rain days. Scores 5.3, rated ok. It is warm all day, but showers are common.
High 28°C, 10 rain days. Scores 5.9, rated ok. It is drier than January and one of the better months.
High 28.7°C, 11 rain days, but only 28 mm of rain in total. Scores 5.5, rated ok. Warm with light showers.
High 29.4°C, only 5 rain days and 15 mm of rain. Scores 6.2, rated good. This is the best month on our scores.
High 29.9°C, 5 rain days. Scores 6, rated good. Dry and sunny, it is a strong second choice after April.
High 30°C, 7 rain days. Scores 5.5, rated ok. It is hotter, with a little more rain, but still a fair time to go.
High 30°C, 10 rain days. Scores 4.9, rated ok. It is hot, with about twice as many rain days as May.
High 30.7°C, 9 rain days. Scores 4.8, rated ok. It is hot and sticky, and nights stay around 27°C.
High 31.3°C, the hottest month, with 8 rain days. Scores 4.7, rated ok. The heat is the main drawback.
High 30.5°C, 13 rain days and 62 mm of rain. Scores 4.2, the lowest of the year. Go in April or May instead if you can.
High 29.3°C, 20 rain days and 115 mm of rain, the wettest month. Scores 4.4. It is a poor time if you want dry beach days.
High 28.8°C, 17 rain days. Scores 4.6, rated ok. It is still wet, and drier weather only returns in the new year.
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.
A round of Gouda or Edam cheese stuffed with spiced chicken or beef, then baked. It is Aruba's best-known dish. Look for it on menus at local restaurants for lunch or dinner.
A deep-fried pastry filled with cheese, meat or fish. Arubans eat it for breakfast or as a quick snack. You buy it from snack bars and bakeries, often with coffee.
A thick, slightly sweet cornmeal pancake. It is not eaten on its own. It comes as a side with soups, stews and fried fish in local eateries.
A slow-cooked goat stew with tomato, onion and spices. It is home-style food. Locals eat it at family meals, and small local restaurants serve it with rice or pan bati.
A firm cornmeal porridge, similar to polenta, often sliced and fried. It is a common side with stews and fish. It shows the island's Dutch Caribbean roots.
April and May are the best months to visit Noord. They have the highest scores of the year, 6.2 and 6. Both months average only 5.3 rain days. Rainfall is 15 mm in April and 20 mm in May. Highs are 29.4°C and 29.9°C, with about 11.6 and 11.5 hours of sun a day.
November is the wettest month in Noord, but it is still warm, with highs around 29.3°C. It averages 115 mm of rain over 19.9 rain days, which is far more than any other month. Sunshine drops to about 10.3 hours a day, the lowest of the year. Its score is 4.4, rated ok. Expect frequent showers between sunny spells.
September is the hottest month in Noord. Highs average 31.3°C and nights stay warm at about 27.4°C. Rain is moderate, with 40 mm over 8.4 rain days, and there are around 11.2 hours of sun a day. The heat helps explain why its score is 4.7, lower than spring's.
Yes, January is warm and sunny, with highs of about 28.2°C and around 11 hours of sun a day. It has 13.2 rain days, but the total is only 35 mm, so most rain is light. It scores 5.3, rated ok. February is a little drier, with 10.1 rain days and 29 mm.
A few days covers the main sights in Noord. Palm Beach and Eagle Beach each take half a day. Arashi Beach, Boca Catalina and Malmok Beach, and the Fishermen's Huts take 2–3 hours each. Shorter stops include California Lighthouse and the Butterfly Farm at 1–2 hours each, and Alto Vista Chapel at about 1 hour.
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