Aruba Shore and Dive Shop Information

[trdiver]

Hello Everyone,


Going to Aruba in July and looking for shore diving spots, that also have a dive shop at the location. It would be a plus if it also has a good place to eat and a beach to enjoy the day after the dive.

What reefs do you think are best, from shore and boat dives?
How far is the reef from shore?
Depth of reef?
Best entry points for the reefs?
Directions to see the best spots on the reef?
Dive shop information and do they have lockers we can use?
Parking information?
What is there to do at the site out of the water?

Thanks,

TRdiver

 

[Joneill]

Hello Everyone,


Going to Aruba in July and looking for shore diving spots, that also have a dive shop at the location. It would be a plus if it also has a good place to eat and a beach to enjoy the day after the dive.

What reefs do you think are best, from shore and boat dives?
How far is the reef from shore?
Depth of reef?
Best entry points for the reefs?
Directions to see the best spots on the reef?
Dive shop information and do they have lockers we can use?
Parking information?
What is there to do at the site out of the water?

Thanks,

TRdiver

No much shore diving in Aruba at all - only a few spots I know of:

Baby Beach - can be challenging and many times not dive-able due to strong current. JADS dive center is right there and has restaurant. There is a nice public beach at Baby Beach as well as next door at Rodger's Beach.

Dive Sites | JADS Aruba

There are decent shore dives at Mangel Halto (public) and Rocky Beach (private with JADS). There are palapas at Mangel Halto, but not much else - beautiful spot, though.

Mangel Halto Beach, Aruba - Excellent Snorkeling & Shore Diving | Aruba.com

The only other shore dive I've heard of is Cabez - again very challenging with the entry being a leap off of a 15 foot cliff.

 

[trdiver]

Thanks Joneill for all the information.

This trip is mostly a beach, food and drink vacation. With 1 or 2 days of diving in the mix. Aruba sounds like the perfected place.

For what I can tell most dive shop boats are located in the downtown area and they would pick us up from our hotel at Eagles Beach. Is this correct?

I would love more information about the Baby Beach shore dive. It looks like the only place that we might be able to do a shore dive. That has a dive shop Dive Sites | JADS Aruba, a beach and place to eat. How easy is it to navigate and how far is the swim to the reef?

It sounds like Mangel Halto Beach, is another good place to dive for us. Is there a dive shop close that would let us rent all the gear and shore dive on our own? I am thinking about not taking our gear to save luggage fees and use a dive shops gear. Is there a place close that you enjoy eating at in the area? How easy is it to navigate and how far is the swim to the reef?

The dive shops I am looking at is JADS Dive Center , Dive Aruba and Aqua Windies. Which one would you pick and why? Boat dives are not off the table and in Aruba we may just go with a boat dive.

Thanks,
TRdiver

 

[islandboysrule]

I used fly n dive Aruba. Lots of good wrecks and drift dives.

 

[irie1029]

Thanks Joneill for all the information.

This trip is mostly a beach, food and drink vacation. With 1 or 2 days of diving in the mix. Aruba sounds like the perfected place.

For what I can tell most dive shop boats are located in the downtown area and they would pick us up from our hotel at Eagles Beach. Is this correct?

I would love more information about the Baby Beach shore dive. It looks like the only place that we might be able to do a shore dive. That has a dive shop Dive Sites | JADS Aruba, a beach and place to eat. How easy is it to navigate and how far is the swim to the reef?

It sounds like Mangel Halto Beach, is another good place to dive for us. Is there a dive shop close that would let us rent all the gear and shore dive on our own? I am thinking about not taking our gear to save luggage fees and use a dive shops gear. Is there a place close that you enjoy eating at in the area? How easy is it to navigate and how far is the swim to the reef?

The dive shops I am looking at is JADS Dive Center , Dive Aruba and Aqua Windies. Which one would you pick and why? Boat dives are not off the table and in Aruba we may just go with a boat dive.

Thanks,
TRdiver

You will love Jads at Baby Beach shower spotless bathrooms great food and folk!. BUT shore dive is sort of tough. JADS does great boat dives as well.

 

[Joneill]

You will love Jads at Baby Beach shower spotless bathrooms great food and folk!. BUT shore dive is sort of tough. JADS does great boat dives as well.

I would only do shore dives with a guide to make sure you know the correct entry points and don't miss the exit points - you can arrange shore dives with JADS. Baby Beach is not always diveable due to strong currents. I dove it last year and it was what JADs considered "diveable" conditions and it was still a little challenging - definitely not for beginners - a nice dive though - tons of soft corals.

 

[trdiver]

JADS sounds like the place for me. I am thinking that if JADS will pick us up from our hotel that would work out great for us.
It looks like their boat is docked close to the airport. Is there anything close to the marina that we can do after our dives?
Does anyone know the name of the marina?

Thanks for all the information!!!

 

[Joneill]

JADS sounds like the place for me. I am thinking that if JADS will pick us up from our hotel that would work out great for us.
It looks like their boat is docked close to the airport. Is there anything close to the marina that we can do after our dives?
Does anyone know the name of the marina?

Thanks for all the information!!!

It's the Varadero Caribe Marina. There is not really anything close to it/anything else to do there. Note that when they dive the Antilla/Asrashi Reef, they move the boat to the Pier at Hadicurari (right next to the Marriott Surf Club) on Palm Beach, so you meet the boat there and not at the Varadero Marina - lot's to do near the boat on those days.