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Aruba overview
Aruba history
Aruba cruise port
Aruba shopping
Aruba beaches
Aruba natural splendors
Aruba other attractions
Aruba links
Seen in Aruba (cruise ships)
Kukoo Kunuku bus review

Caribbean cruise destinations
CRUISING TO THE CARIBBEAN:

ARUBA

page six



OTHER ATTRACTIONS

Aruba, California Lighthouse
Aruba, California Lighthouse
Aruba
At the northwestern tip of the island is The California Lighthouse. According to popular legend,  the lighthouse  gets its name from the wreck of the Leyland liner Californian - -   the ship that saw the distress rockets fired by the Titanic after she struck the iceberg but which failed to come to the White Star liner's rescue.  However, the lighthouse was built in 1910 and was named after a ship that had sunk offshore a few years before.  The Titanic sinking, of course, occurred in 1912.

     The lighthouse is closed to the public but from its elevated position one not only gets a good view of the wild north coast but of the resort area to the south.

     There is a restaurant next to the lighthouse.  
Also at the northwestern end of the island is the Alto Vista Chapel.  The first church on this site was built in the 16th century.   Today's church dates from 1952 but remains an important pilgrimage church for Aruba's Catholics. 
Aruba, Alto Vista Chapel
Aruba, Alto Vista Chapel
Aruba Aloe factory
Aruba, aloe field
Aruba aloe
Shore excursions in Aruba often include a visit to the Aruba Aloe Factory.  Aloe Vera cultivation began in Aruba at the end of the 19th Century and became an important crop for the island. 

The factory, situated next to a field of aloe vera plants, transforms the plants into aloe lotions, which are used in skin care, medicines and cosmetics.  Before entering the factory itself, visitors are shown how the aloe is harvested from the plant's leaves.  Once inside, visitors can look down from the second floor at the factory floor where the lotions are produced.  There is also a small museum and a shop for buying the factory's products

Another product that played a significant role in Aruba's history is gold.  Not far from the Natural Bridge site is the ruins of the Bushiribana Gold Smelter.  Aruba was believed to have gold almost from the time the first Europeans set foot on the island.  Indeed, the name Aruba may be a corruption of the Spanish "orohubo" (meaning there was gold).  However, sizeable amounts of gold were not discovered in Aruba until the 19th Century.  For less than a century, gold mining took place on the island but eventually, it was found not to be worthwhile.

     Built in 1872, this smelter was used to process the gold mined in the nearby hills.  Today, little remains of this fortress-like structure but it provides a vantage point for viewing the sea and the wild surroundings.  
Aruba Gold Smelter
Aruba, ostrich farm
 An industry that has come to Aruba more recently is ostrich farming.  The Aruba Ostrich Farm is open to the public.  It has a flock of some 80 striches and emus, which it raises for commercial purposes.

     Visitors can take a guided tour of the farm and learn 
about the behavior of these flightless birds.

     A high point for many visitors is the opportunity to 
feed the birds, who are not at all shy about coming into 
contact with humans.

Aruba ostrich farm
Another farm that attracts numerous visitors is the Aruba Butterfly Farm.  Contained in a 3,000 square foot mesh 
enclosure, the farm is home to numerous species of butterflies.  The butterflies and the flowering plants that sustain them are quite eye pleasing.  In addition, the enclosure has been landscaped with  scenic focal points including a fish pond.  For the scientifically-minded, the staff are eager to explain the life cycle and 
habits of the butterflies.  
Not far from the Butterfly Farm is the Old Dutch Windmill.  It is an authentic Dutch windmill built in 1804 to drain water from low lying land in Holland.  Damaged by a  storm in 1878, it was moved to another location in the Netherlands and was used as a grain mill.  It performed this task until 1929 when another storm caused considerable damage.

The windmill stood idle until 1960 when a Dutch businessman decided to bring it to Aruba as a tourist attraction.  He had the windmill disassembled and then re-assembled when it reached Aruba.  It is considered one of the first tourist initiatives in Aruba.

Over the years, the windmill has housed a succession of restaurants and nightclubs.  It has never operated as a mill in Aruba.
Old Dutch windmill Aruba
Aruba is an arid island not particularly conducive 
to maintaining a golf course.  However, it does have 
one championship golf course, Tierra Del Sol, which 
is located near the California lighthouse (right).  There 
are a few other golf courses of various calibers on the 
island.
Aruba Tierra Del Sol
For more about cruising to Aruba

Click here for our introduction to Aruba
Click here for a page on Aruba's history
Click here for our page on Aruba's cruise port
Click here for our page on Aruba's beaches
Click here for our page on Aruba's natural splendors
​
Click here for our review of the Kukoo Kunuku bus
Cruise destination profile and guide - Aruba - Other Attractions - 6
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