Recommend December 2011 - (Page 45)

Trek, submarine and semi-sub adventures and much more. Request this Watersports Guide from the Aruba Tourism Authority by calling 1-800-TO-ARUBA. Snorkeling Snorkeling is one of the easiest and most popular watersports in Aruba—and great for families—with calm waters and an amazing array of coral and underwater life visible often just below the surface. There are even several shipwrecks in waters shallow enough to snorkel. Visitors can use their own equipment or rent a snorkel, mask and ﬁns right at their resort. Another option is to take one of the many snorkel sail tours offered by a variety of local tour operators. Sailing & catamaran cruises Some tour operators combine snorkeling tours with another popular Aruba pastime: sailing. The refreshing ocean breezes visitors feel on land make for some of the best sailing in the Caribbean. Clients can climb aboard an 85-ft. teak schooner with Jolly Pirates Sailing and Snorkeling Tours and sail away to some of Aruba’s top snorkeling sites, enjoying the antics of buccaneers crewing the ship. Visit http://www.aruba.com/thingstodo/activities/jolly_pirates_ sailing_and_snorkeling_tours.aspx for more information. Clients can also book a catamaran cruise through Mi Dushi, with open bar on board and lunch included as the ship sails to Catalina Bay and other sites for beginner snorkelers. Visit http://www.aruba.com/ thingstodo/activities/aruba_adventures.aspx to learn more. Clients can also go sailing without stopping for snorkeling. Sunset sails in particular are popular, especially for honeymooners other traveling couples or for special occasions. DePalm Tours and Pelican Watersports are among the companies offering daily sunset sails, as well snorkel sails, dinner sails and private charters for groups. Visit www.depalmtours.com and www.pelican-aruba.com for more information. eries. Conditions are continuously calm and clear, with visibility ranging from 60 to 100 ft. With conditions like that, it’s no wonder that Aruba boasts a professional, top-notch PADI dive industry, with many professional dive operators competing for your clients’ business. Most, like Mermaid Dive Center and S.E. Aruba Fly ‘n Dive, offer packages and classes in addition to standard tours. Red Sail Sports offers a wide array of trips, packages and classes for all types of divers. Visit http:// www.redsailaruba.com/en/activities/diving/index.html for more information. Similarly, JADS Dive Center at Baby Beach gives divers the opportunity to hone their skills with courses that range from a Discover Scuba course for beginners, to PADI Open Water and Dive Master Certiﬁcations. Visit www.jadsaruba.com to learn more. Many of Aruba’s hotels and resorts offer PADI certiﬁcation courses as well. For more information on diving and certiﬁcation in Aruba, visit http:// www.aruba.com/thingstodo/activities/scuba_diving.aspx. Windsurfing and kitesurfing Another Aruban adrenaline rush: windsurﬁng and kitesurﬁng. The constant trade winds that keep sailboats in motion also power daredevils across the water, kites and sails in hand. The south shore of the island offers gentle waves for newcomers to these sports, as well as plenty of instruction and equipment rentals from companies like Aruba Kitesurﬁng School. The north coast, near Boca Grandi, draws experienced adrenaline junkies from around the world with its choppy waters, especially during the annual Aruba Hi-Winds, a 5-day summertime competition for windsurfers and kitesurfers. See this year’s full schedule at www.hiwinds-aruba.com and visit http://www.aruba. com/thingstodo/activities/kitesurﬁng_windsurﬁng.aspx to learn more about the sports in Aruba. Scuba diving Aruba ranks among the world’s best diving destinations. In fact, Rodale’s Scuba Diving Magazine awarded it the #1 spot on its list of wreck diving destinations in the Caribbean. Here, divers can choose from 31 named dive sites that cover a wide range of undersea environments. Among them are an impressive array of wreck dives, including The Antilla, a German freighter that, at nearly 400 ft. long, is the largest wreck in the Caribbean. Beginners can also check out the wreck of the Pedernales, a World War II oil tanker sunk in 35 ft. of water in 1942. Fascinating and plentiful, shipwrecks make up just a handful of Aruba’s dive sites. Divers can also access a number of natural reefs, often right from the shore. No matter what type of diving your clients are looking for, they’ll ﬁnd it here. And with it, they’ll ﬁnd a wealth of exotic sea life: moray eels, barracuda, seahorses, sea turtles and, of course, a whole spectrum of tropical ﬁsh. Aruba’s undersea conditions only enhance divers’ discovdecember 2011 A11 http://www.redsailaruba.com/en/activities/diving/index.html http://www.jadsaruba.com http://www.aruba.com/thingstodo/activities/scuba_diving.aspx http://www.aruba.com/thingstodo/activities/jolly_pirates_sailing_and_snorkeling_tours.aspx http://www.aruba.com/thingstodo/activities/aruba_adventures.aspx http://www.hiwinds-aruba.com http://www.aruba.com/thingstodo/activities/kitesurfing_windsurfing.aspx http://www.depalmtours.com http://www.pelican-aruba.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend December 2011

Sabre Travel Network
Rail Europe & Hertz Rental Car
Southwest Airlines & Delta Air Lines
Florida
Hawaii
France & Italy
Tahiti
Thailand
China
Cancun
Riviera Maya
Costa Rica
Jamaica
Aruba Certified Expert Specialist Program
Saint Lucia
South Africa
Israel
Isram
Abercrombie & Kent
Globus
Goway Travel
Travel Impressions
Avanti Destinations
GOGO Worldwide Vacations
Apple Vacations
Tauck
Marriott International
Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts
Sandals & Beaches Resorts
AMResorts
Best Western International
Cruising to the Top

Recommend December 2011