Turtles at This Beach Need Your Help
ORANJESTAD (March 1, 2020) – Sundays I write about the most relevant and interesting happenings on the island in my newsletter.
Subscribing to my newsletter is an ideal way to stay up to date with what’s going on in Aruba – whether you’re living on the island, miles away or your first visit!
Sea Turtles at Baby Beach Are Asking For Help
Sea turtles visiting Baby Beach looking for a nesting spot are asking you not to scare them away by trying to touch or take them out of the water.
Only admire us from a distance – Sea Turtle from Aruba.
This is a polite gesture towards our friendly island visitors, not doing so is illegal by law.
Every year between March and December, female sea turtles look for a nesting spot at one of the beaches around Aruba. The most popular nesting spots for sea turtles in Aruba are Eagle beach, Palm beach, Arashi and Baby beach.
There are 4 different turtle species that visit Aruba to lay their eggs and each has their own season.
- Leatherback Sea Turtle – March until September
- Loggerhead Sea Turtle – May until September
- Hawksbill Sea Turtle – June until December
- Green Turtle – July until November
For several years sea turtles have been an endangered species worldwide and also in Aruba, because they are scared away from nesting on the beach. They are known to alter their behavior when they feel scared, making them less likely to return to the beach to nest.
The largest volunteer group for sea turtles in Aruba, Turtugaruba, recently launched an awareness campaign after complaints about harmful behaviour against sea turtles at Baby beach.
Turtugaruba was founded in 2013 and is the largest volunteer turtle efforts in Aruba.
Here’s a list of “friendly sea turtle” behavior recommended by Turtugaruba when you encounter sea turtles when swimming or snorkeling in Aruba.
- Do not attempt to touch sea turtles, stay at least 5 meters away
- Do not take sea turtles out the water
- Give a nesting sea turtle space, stand at least 10 meters away.
- Do not shine lights directly at sea turtles at night
- Do not feed sea turtles, the sea provides enough food.
- Keep the beach clean of plastic and other harmful items.
Local Recommendations
The New Restaurant at Tierra Del Sol
Tierra Del Sol recently renovated their restaurant into a new concept – Aruba’s first premium casual dining experience!
After 3 months of renovation, Tierra Del Sol now has a brand new designed restaurant with a capacity for 260 people and a revamped menu with excellent cuisines.
The menu includes new savory cuisines and traditional signature dishes made by local chefs.
One of the most popular dishes is still available, a classical duo of land and sea, called surf and turf – grilled to perfection petite steak and Caribbean rock lobster tail.
The new restaurant design features a new color scheme, with comfortable furniture, additional dining options, indoor air conditioned space, alfresco outdoor terrace and a brand new lounge bar with views of the blue Caribbean sea and green golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones II.
Tierra Del Sol Bar also has a new happy hour from 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm on Tuesday through Thursday and Saturday, where dollars become florins – you save up to 43%.
The restaurant at Tierra Del Sol serves lunch and dinner, and also has an amazing Sunday brunch.
Vegan Week in Aruba
Five restaurants in Aruba are offering a vegan 3 course menu for 3 days at only $34.
It’s a vegan only food event with the best in vegan cuisines – appetizers, main dish and dessert, even wine and cocktails.
Enjoy different vegan appetizers including vegan shiitake mushroom soup, vegan sushi rolls in soy paper, calamari vegan, eggplant, lemongrass noodle soup, crispy teriyaki tofu with avocados, and sesame seed or a vegan taco al pastor.
Main vegan dishes include veggie pad thai, garden rolled in rice paper, portobello stuffed chickpea piccata and tropical flower tofu, vegan filet mignon, served with mashed potatoes, vegan wrap with portobello mushroom, avocados, roasted bell pepper, strawberry and romaine lettuce. Or try the vegan chicken schnitzel served with rice, spinach and baked potato.
Dessert is also covered, pick your sweets between ice cream made from wild berries, vanilla or chocolate.
There’s also peanut butter brownie a la mode or fruit bowl for dessert.
Participating restaurants are:
- Dragonfly
- Salt & Pepper
- Fishes & More
- Tango Argentine Grill (has a 15% extra service charge)
- Sopranos Piano Bar
Sopranos piano bar has specials on vegan wines and vegan cocktails.
Try the momo special at Sopranos – a special cocktail made with mint, vodka, lemon juice, syrup and oregano essential oil.
Vegan Week is from March 6 – 8, 2020.
The Arnold Palmer Golf Course Project
Negotiations are underway for a new development that will make every golf enthusiast heart beat faster.
The Arnold Palmer Group is interested in constructing a brand new golf course in Seroe Colorado, San Nicolas.
Arnold Palmer is a legend in the world of Golf and has several golf courses with his name around the globe.
The Group eyes Aruba as their next destination to design and build an Arnold Palmer Golf Course, because of the future of tourism on the island and the perfect location to develop a course. APG already expressed interest in a constructing a PGA golf course in Aruba, according to a press conference by the tourism minister early in 2019.
The golf course project is not official yet, however, negotiations are currently underway between the tourism minister and the Arnold Palmer Group, until both parties agree to terms and conditions.
If plans go through Aruba might be next on the list to receive yet another PGA championship golf course and resort, which will be unique of its kind in the Caribbean.
Deals & Coupons
Restoration at Uncle Louis Store Completed
A monumental building in San Nicolas constructed in the 1950’s that used to be a fabric shop and also sold fashion accessories was recently restored.
After the popular Uncle Louis Store closed, the government bought the building and transformed it into an office for local customs in the 1990’s.
When the local customs office was relocated years later, Uncle Louis Store remained abandoned, until the Monument Funds of Aruba made definite plans to restore the building.
The Monument Fund of Aruba is a local foundation that engages in financing, restoration, maintenance, management and operation of protected monuments in Aruba.
The total restoration period took 9 months, and the final result is worth traveling to San Nicolas to see.
Uncle Louis Store was left as original as possible since the first day it was constructed, but with modern innovations including solar panels for sustainable delivery of energy, a green wall with self watering mechanism, and a new system for recycled water use.
Uncle Louis Store now functions as an office for the governmental department of Nature & Environment.
More Renovations in San Nicolas
A new renovation project was announced this week for the district of San Nicolas.
The Old Barbershop, used to be locally owned shop that sold ice cold beers and authentic snacks will receive a makeover.
It’s located in the promenade of San Nicolas, close to all the newly made mural arts.
Soon you will be able to drive to San Nicolas, and enjoy a cold beer inside a monumental building and enjoy stories of local happenings in the old days.
Aruba Vacation Newsletter
