Your advice needed, please!

[Paigehh]

Hello all:
I posted a few weeks back about the possiblity of my husband and me moving to Aruba with his job at the oil refinery.

Well, we now have travel dates! We're arriving tomorrow and staying thru the 26th.

Do you have any recommendations for me? We're staying in company housing in San Nicholas, but I will have a car.

• Where should I eat?
• Where are the internet cafes?
• Where is El Gaucho (I keep hearing great things about it)
• Is Baby Beach and Rodger's beach safe to be alone?

Any advice/recommendation/tips etc would be GREATLY appreciated.
I've never been to aruba before and am really looking forward to the trip.
Thanks for all your help
Paige

[arubabob]

El Gaucho is in Oranjestad on Whilhelmina Straat. It is about 6 blocks from the Renaisance hotel. Madame Janettes, Chalet Suiss, and Alfredos are excellent restaurants. The Paddock and Iguana Joes in Ostad are good for informal dining. I have heard that the Promenade Restaurant in San Nicholas is very good but have never eaten there.

Baby Beach always has a lot of people around. Rogers beach is usualy deserted. Even though Aruba is very safe I would be wary of going alone to Rodgers beach if I were a woman. You can go to any of the beaches at the high rise and low rise hotels(all public) to swim or lay out. They just dont like for you to use their lounges and huts.

I only know where 2 internet cafes are but there are probably more. One is in the Seaport shopping mall across from the Seaport casino. The other is in a building next to Amicis in the highrise area.

[aruba time]

Aruba is a safe island, but like anywhere else use common sense.I have never felt in harms way there.

[flora]

Originally Posted by Paigehh

Hello all:
I posted a few weeks back about the possiblity of my husband and me moving to Aruba with his job at the oil refinery.

Well, we now have travel dates! We're arriving tomorrow and staying thru the 26th.

Do you have any recommendations for me? We're staying in company housing in San Nicholas, but I will have a car.

• Where should I eat?
• Where are the internet cafes?
• Where is El Gaucho (I keep hearing great things about it)
• Is Baby Beach and Rodger's beach safe to be alone?

Any advice/recommendation/tips etc would be GREATLY appreciated.
I've never been to aruba before and am really looking forward to the trip.
Thanks for all your help
Paige

Please stop in our live chat room and we would be happy to answer all your questions. Top of main page hit on chat.See schedule.Mon. & Thur. evenings 9:00pm est.

[Paigehh]

Originally Posted by flora

Please stop in our live chat room and we would be happy to answer all your questions. Top of main page hit on chat.See schedule.Mon. & Thur. evenings 9:00pm est.

I will actually be in Aruba tomorrow. I won't be able to join the chat this time. Any help you could offer would be so helpful! TIA.
Paige

[dixieluvsaruba]

Some retaurants you don't want to miss......

Driftwood - Seafood Downtown
Rumba - Downtown
Cuba's Cooking - Downtown
Plaza Cafe - downtown
Papiamento - Near the High Rise Section
Chalet Suisse - Low Rise Section
Fishes and More - High Rise Section
Costa Riba - San Nicolas area

There is a pretty good internet cafe downtown, directly across the street from the Bus Station in the mall.

Hope this helps. Enjoy!!!!

[Darryl]

You missed.....Madam Janette!!!!! It's a restaurant NOT to be missed!!!

[dixieluvsaruba]

Salt and Pepper is also great for Tapas. ( High rise Section)

[Corrine]

Madame Janettes and Marandi! Delicious food!

[Carol]

Since you will have a car, go to Marina Pirata. Great local seafood.

If you want a romantic night, Flying Fishbone - go early for sunset if your husband is able to go early.

The Promenade in San Nicolas would be good for your first night.

Our favorite restaurant is Papiamento (when you make your reservation, ask for a table for two next to the pool). A close second is Madame Janette (when you make your reservation ask for a table outside "under the stars" with Rik as your waiter).

More casual/reasonably priced restaurants in Oranjestad include Que Pasa and Rumba.

If you want to treat yourselves, both Chez Mathilde and Le Dome are excellent. We also enjoy Chalet Suisse.

For very casual dining Smokey Joe's (love their ribs!) and Pizza Bob's (great thin crust pizza and burgers).

If you are able, go out on the Tranquilo for the day. http://www.visitaruba.com/tranquilo/ Talk to Captain Anthony and he'll be able to give you other suggestions.

Have a great time!

[roschone]

Originally Posted by Paigehh

Hello all:
I posted a few weeks back about the possiblity of my husband and me moving to Aruba with his job at the oil refinery.

Well, we now have travel dates! We're arriving tomorrow and staying thru the 26th.

Do you have any recommendations for me? We're staying in company housing in San Nicholas, but I will have a car.

• Where should I eat?
• Where are the internet cafes?
• Where is El Gaucho (I keep hearing great things about it)
• Is Baby Beach and Rodger's beach safe to be alone?

Any advice/recommendation/tips etc would be GREATLY appreciated.
I've never been to aruba before and am really looking forward to the trip.
Thanks for all your help
Paige

There's a restaurant right in San Nicholas that's really good - The Promenade (we actually like it better than El Gaucho's). And Charlie's Bar is also in San Nicholas. Some will say it's pretty much for the tourists, but it's a really great little bar, and very unusual. We always take first-timers there because we love to see their reaction to the decor. Last year we took a ride down to Rodgers Beach, and we saw an outdoor restaurant overlooking the water. We hadn't been there in a long time and were very surprised. It definitely wasn't deserted the day we went. We didn't have time to stop, but everyone looked like they were having a good time. We are definitely going there this year. Good Luck!