Arikok National Park

Arikok: the wild heart of Aruba

Arikok National Park is a must-see if you are in Aruba. It offers a combination of beautiful nature and history. This vast park covers approximately 20% of the island and provides a fascinating combination of dramatic rock formations, caves with mysterious paintings, steep cliffs, desert landscapes and dangerously beautiful beaches. Thousands of cacti dominate the scenery, and even if you don’t like them, you’ll love them here.

How to get around the Arikok Park

Since the park is large, it’s best to visit it in a rental car. You’ll get a freedom you’ll definitely appreciate here. Our journey began via the San Fuego Entrance, one of the two entrances to the park. We recommend entering through this entrance, driving all the way through the park, and exiting through the other and heading straight for Baby Beach.

You pay a few euros to enter and there’s nothing stopping you from exploring.

For the first few minutes, you’ll walk through an inhospitable landscape of cacti. Surprisingly, we didn’t find it parched, but beautifully green.

Cacti came in all shapes and sizes, and we stopped the car almost every few meters to admire them as we drove through Arikok Park. I never would have believed we would be so excited about cacti. Maybe it’s the fact that we live in a country where they are not commonly found, and so we only saw many species for the first time here.

On the way to the Fontein Cave, which was our first planned stop, we came across some wonderful viewpoints. The stone walls allow you to sit back and soak up the atmosphere.

Abandoned houses in Arikok

Along the way, we also saw an abandoned and crumbling house, which was, as usual, surrounded by a cactus forest. When we approached it closer, we found that it was not so abandoned, as we were greeted by parrots.

During our walk from the road to the house, we found some beautiful plants that we had never encountered before, even during our travels in the Caribbean. In fact, the park is home to many unique animals and plants. You’ll find wild goats and donkeys, iguanas basking on the rocks, and various species of birds, such as trupals with their distinctive orange feathers.

First beaches

We left the cacti behind and a new vista opened up. We were greeted by rugged cliffs and picturesque coves with strong waves. And even though we weren’t heading here for the beaches, they were irresistible.

Although Aruba is known for its tranquil white beaches on the west coast, the beaches in Arikok National Park are of a completely different character. Here you’ll encounter fierce waves, rugged cliffs and raw beauty that will captivate you with its untamed beauty.

We stopped at Boca Prins Beach, as it is the closest one to the road. Still, there was hardly anyone here, so we didn’t need to look for more remote beaches. The white sand, steep cliffs and crashing waves worked together to create harmony. And even though you’re not allowed to swim at the beaches in Arikok, their beauty will entice you to stop for at least a few minutes.

Fontein Cave

A few minutes from the beach we park in front of the first cave, Fontein Cave. This cave is the best place to observe the original Indian drawings. Hundreds of years ago, the red and brown symbols that decorate the walls were created by the Arawak people. Their meaning remains a mystery, but many believe they are linked to their religious rituals and spirit worship.

Both the walls and especially the ceilings of the cave are dotted with red symbols. Some of them you can immediately recognize, some of them look really mysterious. We found a fish, a hand or a deer. There was even a drawing of a chemical compound, so it’s probably something else, but it really looked like that.

But that’s not all the cave has to offer. You will also find typical formations and bats.

However, the Europeans also left their mark in Fontein Cave when they conquered the island. On the ceilings, you will find the cartographic signatures of important people and the year they visited the cave.

As an added bonus, there is a photo booth where your head is replaced by a stone monster. It’s definitely worth the fun, that is if you’re tall enough.

Free pedicure

From the cave, a footpath leads to the former 19th century dignitary’s hacienda. On the way, you will pass a freshwater pond, which you should dip your feet in.

Its clear water attracts not only visitors but also tiny fish, which provide an unusual experience – they gently nibble the skin of the feet and provide a natural “fish pedicure”.

This pond is the only natural freshwater resource on the island, making it a rare ecosystem. Although small, its calm surface reflects the tropical sun and the leaves of the trees, creating a magical atmosphere. If you sit here for a while and dip your feet in the water, you will feel not only the gentle tickling of the fish but also the special calmness that this place exudes.

Quadirikiri Cave

The second well-known cave in Arikok National Park is Quadirikiri Cave. Even the entrance to the cave is impressive and different. And appearances are not deceiving. There are no karst formations in the cave. What awaits you here is a heart-shaped opening in the ceiling, through which the sun’s rays penetrate into the second chamber.

Overall in the cave, you will only find rocks and interesting formations of them and many, many bats. You don’t have to worry about not seeing them. There is a local guide who will show you around the cave for free (already included in the park entrance fee) and tell you information about the cave and also point out these cute creatures.

As a surprise at the end, there was a gigantic crab that must have wandered in and looked very unhappy.

Local legends say that it was here that the daughter of an Aruban chieftain who fell in love with an enemy warrior once hid. Her father locked her in this cave, where, according to legend, she died and her spirit remained here forever.

After exiting the cave, the wild goats also showed up and we were able to head to the exit of the park, this time to the Vader Piet Entrance and from there straight to Baby Beach, which is nearby.