Aruba, Dutch West Indies

Aruba was a beautiful, arid island along with being "One Happy Island."  It was like a desert out in the middle of the Caribbean - cactus everywhere except the resort beaches.  The resort beaches boasted huge luscious palm trees, which are not indigenous to the island. Those palm trees did a little traveling of their own to be planted on the little desert island.

All in all I really enjoyed Aruba - snorkeling, shipwreck excursions, sailing, spending time in the casinos, lazing on the beach.  The water is the most incredible pale aquamarine and so clear that you can still see clear to the white sand ocean floor for several feet.

I probably won't choose Aruba again for a couple of reasons: first, it was just too dry. I really enjoy humid tropics.  Second, our hotel experience was horrid. Right off the bat we were in a cheaper room with no air conditioning and no chance of getting what we had already paid for since they were sold out. Maybe we would have better luck at a different hotel but I think I would rather gamble on a different destination than make the same mistake twice.