Noord Holidays

The town of Noord takes up most of Aruba’s northernmost tip. It’s right next door to Palm Beach, one of the island’s swankiest towns. In five minutes’ drive, you can get your mitts on its collection of glitzy boutiques, beaches and restaurants. If trundling over to the capital’s on your to-do list, you can reach Oranjestad in 20 minutes by car. It’s brimming with Dutch-style houses that are painted in every colour of the crayon set, plus a bunch of waterfront bars.

In true Caribbean fashion, Noord isn’t shy when it comes to its beaches. Sandy belts like Greenberg’s Cove and Arashi Beach are spot on for by-the-sea snoozing sessions. Hadicurari Beach, however, is the place to be if you’ve got a hankering for windsurfing – the trade winds here whip up the perfect swells. Snorkelling in waters teeming with tropical fish, meanwhile, is Malmok Beach’s forte.

As sightseeing goes, Noord hangs its hat on attractions that look out over Aruba’s coastline and countryside. The 140-year-old California Lighthouse, for example, is plonked by the Arashi Sand Dunes, which have swept over almost all of Aruba’s northern tip. Then, there’s the Alto Vista Chapel, near the west coast. This teeny temple’s home to a Spanish cross that’s well over 200 years old. Plus, its views of the ocean are off the hook.