Anyone who sees photos of Aruba already sees the Instagrammable photos with flamingos, but did you know that there are no wild flamingos in Aruba like in Curaçao and Bonaire?
The only place where you can see flamingos in Aruba is Flamingo beach on the island of the Renaissance hotel in Aruba, a private beach. However, you can also visit the beach on the island without being a guest in the hotel. You can buy a day pass at the hotel, after which you will be brought to the island by boat that leaves every 15 minutes.
Now and then you see them on Instagram influencers who pose between the salmon and pink flamingos. At Flamingo Beach, are a dozen flamingos that are completely used to the people around them, they stroll on the beach every half hour. In between, they seem to be happy to have their picture taken and to be fed by people (buy a cup of food on the walkway to the beach for a quarter of an hour).
There are two ways to visit the flamingos. The easiest way is to book a room in the hotel. If you find it too expensive to stay in the hotel for a whole week, you can also just sleep one night, for example at the end of your holiday. So you can guarantee a day to see the Flamingos or two if you have a late flight as we did.
You can also decide to come to the hotel early in the morning and inquire at the reception about a day pass. As " one day pass costs approximately 125 dollars per person and gives you that day access to the private island. Lunch is included in the price. The day pass for children under 12 years is free, but children are not allowed in that part of the island where the flamingos walk, only between 9 and 10 hours is there an opportunity to feed the flamingos
Please note that the hotel will not sell day passes if more than 80 percent of the hotel rooms are occupied. This way they want to prevent it from getting too busy on the island. Renaissance is a popular hotel, so when passes are sold daily, it is often very few. That makes this option quite risky. Therefore, make sure you are at the reception before 7:30 AM to buy day passes. It is safest to buy a pass via this link so you are guaranteed that you have a place at Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino (idaypass.com)
Another good tip for once you are on Renaissance Private Island: the adjacent Iguana Beach (where children are allowed) is usually quieter than Flamingo Beach. If you have seen the flamingos, you can swim and relax at Iguana Beach without too many people around you, the water is clearer and the sand softer.
Practical information
Flamingo Beach can be reached daily by water taxi between 7 AM and 7 PM.
Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino guests have free access to Flamingo Beach.
A day pass to Flamingo Beach costs $ 125 per person. This price includes a return trip by water taxi, lunch, and drinks at Papagayo Bar & grill.
Flamingos are sensitive animals and can quickly become stressed by crowds and (unfamiliar) noises. To disturb the natural habitat of the animals as little as possible,
Flamingo Beach is an Adults-Only beach. Children are welcome at Flamingo Beach between 9 AM and 10 AM. After 10 o'clock, families with children can enjoy a beach day at the kid-friendly and nearby Iguana Beach.
Here are some resources to help you get your trip going:
Travel Essentials what's in my bag: To help you get started on packing, here are my essential travel and photography gear
Flights: WayAway to start looking for cheap flights and great deals from your home country.
Accommodation: Hostelworld, Booking.com, and Agoda.com are the ultimate go-to platforms to search for amazing hostels and hotels at affordable prices.
Car Rental: DiscoverCars.com is a great and reliable platform to find rental cars all over the world.
Internet: Airalo is the best way to get a sim card and has reliable internet access for your trip. All you need is an Esim-compatible smartphone, install it on your phone prior to your trip, and you are all set.
Day Trips & Tours: Viator, and GetYourGuide, are great platforms to search for activities to do
Tickets & Deals: Tiqets is always my go-to website when I want to find cheaper deals for entrance tickets to tourist attractions
Klook to find the best deals for trips in Asia, somehow they are 30% cheaper than when you buy them at a local agency
Train, buses, and ferries 12Go to find your travel route for local buses, and ferries, we use them all the time as you can easily see the reviews, and the vouchers are everywhere accepted. tickets are sold for more than 5,000 destinations in 100+ countries worldwide.