Arikok National Park: What you Need to Know about Visiting!
Arikok National Park is one of the main attractions on the beautiful island of Aruba. It takes up nearly a quarter of the island and is home to some of Aruba’s most diverse landscapes.
If the landscapes aren’t enough, Arikok National Park is where you can get the best hiking, natural pools and more.
It is the perfect addition to an Aruba itinerary if you are wanting to do more than just beaching!
Here is everything you need to know about visiting Arikok National Park including what to do in the park, how to get there, the best way to navigate the park, how much time you need and more!
- Arikok National park Overview: Location, Geography, Etc
- What to Do in Arikok National Park (With a Map)
- Tour to Arikok National Park
- Everything Else to Know About Visiting Arikok National Park
- Final Thoughts on Visiting Arikok National Park
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Arikok National park Overview: Location, Geography, Etc
Arikok National Park is located on the southeast side of the Dutch-Caribbean island of Aruba. While many islands are full of a tropical landscape, Aruba has more of a desert landscape and it is most obvious in the Arikok National Park!
Within the park are large sand dunes, large cacti and a rocky coastline; pretty unique for a Caribbean island right?
The highlights of the park are the natural pools, perfect for swimming and cliff jumping, and the unique caves that reside inside the park.
Park Location: San Fuego 70, Santa Cruz, Aruba. This is about 22 minutes from Eagle Beach and 27 minutes from Palm Beach.
Arikok National Park Mini Guide
8 AM – 4 PM Daily; You can enter before 8am but must purchase tickets when they open (or prior)
~$20 per person for adults; Kids age 17 and under are free
What to Do in Arikok National Park (With a Map)
What is there to do in in the park? Arikok National Park takes up about 20% of the island of Aruba, so many of the things to do in Aruba are located inside the park!
Within the park you can swim and cliff jump at the pools, hike, explore caves and more.
Rent a car to explore Arikok National Park!
Learn about the Park at the Visitor’s Center
At the San Fuego entrance of the park, you can stop at the visitor’s center.
Actually, you NEED to stop here. Because to enter the park you need to have tickets, which are purchased at the visitor’s center (or at the other park entrance.)
But, while you are there, you can also learn more about the park.
The Aruba Conservation Foundation provides information on the conservation efforts in Aruba and there is also information on the landscape and geography of Arikok National Park.
You should also be aware, there are parts of the park that do NOT ALLOW UTVs/ATVs/Jeeps due to conservation efforts. So if you plan to visit with your own motorized vehicle, make sure you are aware of where you can and can not go.
Conchi Natural Pools
One of the biggest reasons people visit Arikok National Park are due to the Conchi Natural Pools that are found inside the park.
The Conchi Natural Pools consist of a large and a smaller pool of water that are fed by the ocean and protected from the huge waves by large volcanic rocks.
The water inside the pools is generally calm despite the waves crashing into the rocks and can be a good place to snorkel also. Most of what you will see will be little tropical fish and small crabs.
In order to hike to the pools, you need to (again) first visit the visitor’s center to get your passes for the park. Then you will drive the trailhead which is just outside Arikok National Park.
From there you will hike back INTO the park 🙂
A little confusing, but the hike is a great way to see some of the unique landscapes of Arikok National Park!
Everything to know about hiking to the Conchi Natural Pools!
Visit Boca Keto Beach
If you opt to do the hike to the Conchi Natural Pools, you will hike by Boca Keto. This beach has rugged terrain and some intense waves (as most of the beaches due on this side of the island.)
Or, if you don’t go all the way to the pools, you can access this beach from Daimari Beach and parking within about a 15-20 minute walk.
Due to the currents on this side of the island, swimming is NOT recommended at this beach.
However, the rocky terrain and beach are worth seeing (especially if you are hiking to the pools already 🤪)
See the Wild Goats
Throughout Arikok National Park, there is a herd of goats that roam freely. While we saw them near Boca Keto, they can be anywhere really. So keep your eyes peeled!
The goats are owned by locals and are a part of their history and culture.
You can even visit The Goat Aruba to learn more about their efforts in tending to the goats and preserving the history that comes with them.
*Have common sense when you see the goats and don’t try to chase them or bother them.*
Hike Through the White Dunes
Adding to Aruba’s unique landscape, it has two different areas with sand dunes, one of which is Arikok National Park.
The White Dunes are accessible by foot with a short hike from the Daimari Beach area. Again, if you opt to hike to the Conchi Natural Pool, you will hike through the White Dunes.
The other set of dunes are the Sasarawichi Dunes at Hudishibana near the California Lighthouse on the north tip of Aruba. While these dunes are bigger than the White Dunes, if you are in Arikok National Park, it is worth seeing the dunes.
Fontein Cave
There are two caves within Arikok National Park, one of which is the Fontein Cave.
Fontein cave is the smaller of the two. While this cave doesn’t have as deep of a chamber, you can still walk inside.
This cave is most known for its petroglyphs from the Arawak tribe.
Quadirkiri Cave
Quadirikiri Cave is the larger of the two caves. It is home to two larger chambers, both of which you can walk into.
The highlight of the Quadrikiri Cave is the light that streams through two separate holes of the cave roof.
Keep your eyes peeled, because at the right time of day, one of the holes can look like a 🩵!
*Also, be on the lookout for park rangers at the cave entrances. While they make sure everyone respects the caves, they can also answer any questions you may have. They are who showed us the heart trick!*
Visit Boca Prins Beach
Boca Prins is another beach carved from the intense waves of the east side of Aruba.
While many of the beaches in Aruba require hiking, Boca Prins does NOT require hiking.
It is located just off the main road, Rt 7 (or North Loop) that runs through Arikok National Park.
Again, it is not recommend to swim at Boca Prins due to the strong currents and undertows. While you can enjoy the view and the sand, the water is not recommended.
Hike to Dos Playa Beach
Another popular beach in Aruba is Dos Playa Beach. However, this beach requires some hiking to get to. The trail starts at the Arikok National Park visitor’s center and is about a 2 to 2.5 hour hike.
As you can probably guess, there are two beaches here 🙂
While the beach area here is larger, again, it is not recommended to swim here due to the currents and undertow.
You may, however, see *experienced* surfers in this area.
Want an Affordable Accommodation Recommendation?
Stay at the Dancing Iguanas Apartments!
We spent less than $600 for 5 nights in February of 2023! The apartment was clean, the owner was so friendly and we loved the kitchen!
Tour to Arikok National Park
While I recommend renting a car and exploring the park (and the island) on your own, I know thats not for everyone. So if you don’t like driving in another country, the best way to see Arikok National Park is via tour.
Here are some of the top-rated tours that explore Arikok National Park! The best hiking tour and a highly-rated Jeep tour for those who don’t prefer to hike.
Hiking Tour Through Arikok National Park
One of the best tours through Arikok National Park is a PRIVATE guided hike through the park.
Starting at sunrise, hike to the top of Arikok Mountain, the highest point on the island of Aruba. Take in the views before continuing to the Conchi Natural Pools to take a dip as a reward for your hard work!
You will also stop to see Daimari Beach and then end your day with lunch at a local restaurant!
This tour comes with hotel pick-up and drop off and includes tickets into Arikok National Park.
Hike Through Arikok National Park with a Private Guide!
-Cost: $115
-Rating: 4.8/5 Stars on GYG
-Includes: Entry ticket into park, private tour on the hike and lunch
Jeep Tour
If you aren’t a big hiker (I get it, that is a lot of hiking!) then one of the highest rated tours to take is the Jeep Safari with EZ Raider Aruba Tours.
This tour takes you to many of the highlights of Arikok National Park including the Conchi Natural Pools, both caves, as well as Dos Playa beach.
A perk of taking a Jeep tour is you will be able to see the park more efficiently. While the hiking is a great way to get close and personal with the park, it can restrict how much you see due to time. With the Jeeps, you will likely be able to see all the corners of the park.
Ride Through Arikok National Park!
–Cost: $99
-Rating: 4.9/5 stars on GYG
-Includes: Hotel pick-up/drop off, stops at major sites in the park including Conchi pools, snacks and park entry tickets
Everything Else to Know About Visiting Arikok National Park
For a complete guide to Arikok National Park, here is the rest of what you should know before you visit the park (especially if you plan to visit the park on your own.)
How to Get to Arikok National Park
From the beaches of the west coat of Aruba, Arikok National Park isn’t the easiest to get to. It isn’t something that is walkable from the popular west coast.
To explore the park (and the island) you really need to rent a car (or you will have to take a tour.)
Now, if you rent the car the park is easy to get to. It is about a 20-30 minute drive from the Eagle and Palm Beaches to the visitor’s center where you get your tickets to the park.
There is a bus that will take you *close* to the park, but not IN the park. Santa Cruz is the closest bus stop. But from here, you will have to hike to whatever you want to see. It is probably a couple miles to Dos Playa, then a couple more to the Conchi Natural Pools, etc.
Rent a car to explore Arikok National Park!
How Much Time Should You Allot for the Park?
How much time you need depends on what all you want to see and do in the park.
If you plan to do the hike to the Conchi Natural Pools, you should allot at least 3 hours for the getting the ticket, hike, swimming and getting back to your car.
For reference, we spent about 4 hours in the park. This included hiking to the natural pools plus driving through the park and stopping at the Fontein and Quadirikiri Caves and Boca Prins Beach before heading to Baby Beach!
We didn’t do any additional hiking besides to the natural pools, so if you wish to do more hiking then you will need to allot more time.
Is Arikok National Park Worth Visiting?
This is a loaded question.
But if you are asking this question, you are probably based at a resort on the west side of the island and are trying to decide if it is either a) worth renting a car to see the other parts of the island or b) worth the price of taking a tour to Arikok National Park.
If you want to add a little exploration to your beach trip, I definitely think it is worth visiting!
Aruba isn’t a really large island and, in reality, is limited on adventurous activities that aren’t water activities. Arikok National Park is the best place to see the unique landscapes of Aruba, to do hiking and to visit the cool natural pools!
Final Thoughts on Visiting Arikok National Park
Aside from the amazing beaches of Aruba, Arikok National Park was our favorite part of Aruba. We really liked getting to see the other side of the island, get a little movement in with our hike to the pools and then, of course, swimming in the natural pools!
Here is how to spend 5 days in Aruba visiting the best beaches, the pools and more!
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