About Aruba
Aruba is a self-governed Dutch Caribbean island with very little unemployment, poverty or violent crime. Almost everyone speaks English and the signs, menus, phone books, etc. are all in English. Direct flights to a modern airport are available from New York and Miami, among other places. Aruba has a very modern fully equipped hospital, a modern phone system for your fax and modem, the Robert Trent Jones II golf course less than 1/2 mile from our house and you can drink the water. The major industry is tourism and the local Arawak Indian and Dutch population is very friendly and helpful.
Because Aruba is located 12 degrees from the equator and is a desert island, the weather is always perfect (that is, if you like year round 82 to 86 degree temperatures, bright sunny skies, refreshing trade winds and crystal clear 82 degree, calm, turquoise Caribbean water every day of the year). Aruba is so far outside the hurricane belt, storms are almost unheard of. The license plates tell the whole story; "Aruba - One Happy Island"
Our house is located about one mile up the beach from the highrise hotels. Malmok is the finest residential area on the island, but less than two miles from most restaurants, casinos, hotels and four American style supermarkets with most American products. Windsurfing, sailing, snorkeling, scuba diving, deep sea fishing, tennis, swimming in our pool under the palm trees, relaxing in our hot tub or whatever Caribbean fantasy you desire is either on our beach or close at hand.
Fodor's Pocket Travel Guide 1998 says (page 54) "Malmok. On the drive to the northern tip of the island you'll pass through Malmok, where Aruba's wealthiest families reside. Jutting above the water not far off Malmok Beach - one of the finest spots for shelling, snorkeling, and windsurfing, are parts of the wreck of the German ship Antilla, scuttled here in 1940."
ArubaServices.com:
Some of the more popular restaurants and activities are often booked for the times you want prior to your arrival. It is expensive and time consuming to make your reservations from outside Aruba. ArubaServices.com can do it all for you. Everything from restaurant reservations to tennis and golf, to renting cell phones, VCR's, arranging tours, baby sitters, cooks, massage and exercise classes, stocking your refrigerator and sending flowers or gifts to people in Aruba. For years, Anneke Gorter, who takes care of ArubaPlace, has provided this for our guests. Now it is available to everyone (for a small fee). Take a look at the web site and avoid wearing out your index finger dialing like mad on the first day. Please let me know how you like it. http://www.ArubaServices.com.
Aruba has a lot of very nice timeshares. So do a lot of other places. Travel bulletin boards often have people asking questions about buying or not buying a timeshare.