What's a good 3-day itinerary for Palm Beach?

Three days, three arcs of the island. Day 1 stays close to Palm Beach and the Noord district. Walk the 2-km strip before 7:30 AM, when the sand is still cool underfoot and the only sound is pelicans diving. By 9 AM, drive 5 minutes north to the California Lighthouse for a full view of the coastline. The original tower dates to 1916, and the restored observation deck opened in 2016 with $5 entry. From there, 10 minutes east to Alto Vista Chapel, rebuilt in 1952 on the site of Aruba's first Catholic church from 1750. The chapel sits alone on a scrubby hill with nothing but cactus and trade wind. Worth 15 minutes, not more. Back to Palm Beach for lunch at Eduardo's Beach Shack, where grilled mahi tacos run $12 and Balashi beer is $5. Afternoon snorkeling off the pier near the Marriott. Parrotfish hover at 2 metres and the water temperature holds at 27°C year-round. Sunset drinks at Bugaloe Beach Bar on the De Palm pier. Dinner at Madame Janette in Noord, where keshi yena costs $34 and reservations fill 3 days out.

Day 2 heads south. Start at Eagle Beach by 7:30 AM. The sand is wider than Palm Beach, whiter, and almost empty before 9 AM. The fofoti trees lean permanently southwest from decades of constant trade wind. A 15-minute drive puts you in Oranjestad by 10 AM. Fort Zoutman, built in the 1790s, houses the Historical Museum and costs $5 to enter. The Archaeological Museum of Aruba across the street has been open since 1850, is free, and takes 30 minutes. Walk the waterfront to The West Deck for lunch. The catch-of-the-day plate is $18 and you eat with your feet in sand, 2 metres from the harbour. Afternoon heat tends to peak around 33°C. Retreat to the Royal Plaza Mall until 4 PM. Que Pasa on Wilhelminastraat serves Dutch bitterballen for $9 and has thick masonry walls that keep the interior noticeably cooler than the street. Return to Eagle Beach for sunset. The light turns copper around 6:45 PM in June.

Day 3 requires a car. Arikok National Park opens at 8 AM, costs $11 per person, and covers 18% of the island. The park was established in 2000. Drive the unpaved road to Conchi, the natural pool on the windward coast. You need a 4x4 or a 45-minute hike from Boca Keto. The pool is sheltered from Atlantic swells by volcanic rock, and the water inside stays calm while waves crash 3 metres away. Fontein Cave, 10 minutes south, has Arawak petroglyphs that predate European contact. Exit toward Savaneta for lunch at Zeerovers, a no-frills fish market where you pick your catch from the cooler, pay by weight at roughly $15-20 per plate, and eat on a wooden deck over the water. The smell of frying red snapper carries far downwind. After lunch, Baby Beach at the island's southern tip is a 10-minute drive. The lagoon is knee-deep for 200 metres out. Finish in San Nicolas, where 30-plus murals cover the walls of the old refinery town.

Three practical trade-offs to know. Palm Beach is convenient but loud. The resort strip runs music until midnight, and jet-ski operators start at 8 AM. Eagle Beach is quieter but sits 5 km from most restaurants. Rent a car for Day 3 at minimum. Rates start around $45 per day from local agencies on L.G. Smith Boulevard. Skip the hotel desks. The island drives on the right, roads are well-marked, and the longest drive, Palm Beach to Baby Beach, takes 35 minutes. The constant 15-25 km/h trade wind keeps the heat manageable but dries you out fast. Carry a litre of water per person per half-day outside the hotel zone. Mind you, almost everyone accepts US dollars alongside the Aruban florin, so currency exchange is not something to worry about on arrival.