Enjoy beachfront foraysMost resorts offer sensational swim-

ming right off the beach in warm, calm, clear, protected waters. Rent a sun-searcher paddleboat to journey out a little, or get expert instruction to captain your own Waverunner, Hobie Cat, Sunfish, or ocean kayak. If you have a need for speed, try peeling out on a thrilling banana-boat ride or waterskiing, kneeboarding, tubing, or wakeboarding behind a wave-skimming speedboat. You can also experience the ultimate thrill of high-flying parasailing right off the beach giving you a bird’s eye view of what’s under the waves right be-neath your toes!

Dive into an underwater wonderlandThere’s a myriad of ways to discover

Aruba’s astounding undersea enchant-ment, and neophytes can begin without even getting wet! Start with a semi-sub-marine tour, or even a real submarine journey that takes you 130 feet down in air-

conditioned comfort to view the amazing array of marine life that thrives below. Then there’s Sea Trek at De Palm Island, a unique underwater walking adventure where you are surrounded by tropical fish yet don’t even get your hair wet! What better initiation to the wonders of snor-keling or even scuba diving?

Sample superb snorkelingHead out for sensational snorkeling

right offshore at spots like Arashi Beach, Boca Catalina, Malmok, Baby Beach, and further out at Mangel Halto Beach. Frolic freely and safely among the throngs of angelfish, parrotfish, yellowtail snapper, and their friends amid surreal neon hues of healthy, living coral. And if you’re lucky, you might even spot a sea turtle! If you haven’t snorkeled before, most re-sorts and dive operators offer lessons and equipment rentals. If you’re an experi-enced snorkeler you should try the new Seabob underwater scooter that gets you

down into and around the sea life faster! But if you’re seeking something that allows you to snorkel even deeper and longer, try SNUBA – a cool combination of snor-keling and scuba. Air is supplied through a hose connected to oxygen tanks that float on rafts above. SNUBA allows you to follow those smiling parrotfish up to 20 feet below without scuba instruction and without the weight of a heavy tank – it’s like underwater freedom!

Children as young as six can try Supplied Air Snorkeling for Youth, a.k.a. SASY, which incorporates an innovative vest apparatus with continuous air supply. SASY allows children to breathe easily while floating with their face in the water. Children eight to eleven can also try Bubble maker, a pool dive program de-signed to introduce underwater breathing to young sea explorers in preparation for SNUBA and, eventually, diving. After all, why should adults have all the underwater fun when you can make it a family affair? E

Magical Marine Adventuresby Susan Campbell

All around Aruba, King Neptune beckons you to come and experience his captivating kingdom. Whether you seek extreme adventures or you can’t even swim a stroke, there are multiple magical

marine adventures waiting for all. So, get off that beach chair, and let’s make some waves!

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Experience Aruba scubaIt’s ultimately fitting that Aruba

rhymes with scuba since the two go to-gether like two peas in a pod for divers of all experience levels. Serene, warm waters off the island’s leeward side afford won-derful visibility from 60 to 100 feet below, with minimal current. There are dozens of boat and shore diving sites including cool drift dive opportunities in spots where barracuda, frogfish, sea turtles, stingrays, moray eels, and occasionally dolphins can be seen. Night diving here is also an epic adventure since many col-orful ocean creatures only come out after dark! Aruba is also a wreck-diving Mecca with dozens of sunken treasures to explore like underwater airplanes, ghost ships, and the Antilla, a sunken German freighter. The largest wreck in the entire Caribbean, it lies completely intact in only 60 feet of water; divers can explore the whole wreck, inside and out. (Snorkelers can also see it well from above and SNUBA partici-pants can get really close as well.) Resorts and dive operators offer courses of all types from simple afternoon introductions to four-day PADI Open Water Certification. There are also Dive Master courses for those wishing to become dedicated un-derwater explorers.

Learn to “rip” and flyOne of Aruba’s best-kept secrets is

that it offers prime conditions for anyone wanting to learn to windsurf. The bay at Fisherman’s Huts provides an optimum combination of protected, waist-high, clear water, constant trade winds, expert in-struction, and state-of-the-art equipment to ensure even first timers will be “rip-ping” on the waves in no time. This location is also the spot for the annual Aruba Hi-Winds – a week-long wind surfing com-petition and party celebrating the sport of windsurfing on a global scale with some of the world’s absolute best wind-surfers always in attendance. If you’re looking for even more extreme adventure,

try kitesurfing at Fisherman’s Huts and Boca Grandi. It’s like skateboarding on the ocean with the added excitement of being tethered to a powerful kite and soaring through the air! You’ll learn to control your billowing kite on land and then take to the waves with expert in-struction soon to become master of the sea and sky.

Your ship has come inAruba is home port for many fabu-

lous boat excursions. Whether seeking the thrill of a 1,000-horsepower, turbo, twin-engine speedboat guaranteed to make you scream in both fear and delight or an über-romantic sunset sail, it’s just a E

The Antilla wreck

J.E. Irausquin Blvd Z/NConveniently located across

from the Phoenix Hotelwww.thebutterflyfarm.com

BEAUTIFUL BUTTERFLIES FROM ALL OVER

THE WORLD

A visit to Aruba’sButterfly Farm

is an unforgettableencounter with nature in all

its beauty and diversity. Step into a tropical garden teeming with

butterflies from around the globe and prepare to meet some of the world’s mostcolourful creatures. Observe the life cycle

of these fascinating animals from egg tocaterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly. The Butterfly Farm is also home to

Aruba’s most unique gift shop.

Open 7 days a week 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Last tour starts at 4 pmCall us at 586-3656

Project1:Layout 1 5/26/10 3:51 PM Pag

reservation away. There are also pirate offerings replete with rope swings, classic oak, teak, and mahogany vessels, and party-hearty booze cruises with live music and wild entertainment. Or choose from special seafaring snorkel jaunts that take you to secret fishy hideouts, or classy dinner cruises catered by the island’s five-star restaurants. There are also guided ocean kayak tours along and through the magical mangroves for a unique eco-adventure. Of course, there are tons of charter options available – sleek catamarans, comfortable sailboats, luxurious yachts, and more, either bareboat or fully crewed – to take you where you want to go, when you want to go there!

Catch deep-sea fishing feverCast a line out to fate and see if you

can catch your own fresh fish dinner with an exciting sport-fishing excursion. An abundance of sailfish, white and blue marlin, wahoo, shark, barracuda, amber-jack, kingfish, bonito, blackfin, and yellow-fin tuna are all waiting just offshore to test your skills. And if you are lucky enough to reel in a big one, some restaurants will cook and serve you your freshly caught catch!

Make waves on land and seaBlue Parrot Water Park on De Palm

Island is another great family option com-plete with the requisite waterslides and fountains. This is also a wonderful spot to snorkel or SNUBA up close with gigantic neon blue parrotfish; in fact, this is the only place on Aruba you are guaranteed to see them!

You can’t go wrong when you head out to discover all the watersports Aruba has to offer on top of and beneath the waves, except maybe that someone might grab your empty beach chair while you’re gone! But no worries, they have no idea just what they are missing! K

De Palm Island

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