Thu 9 Jul 2009
Oranjestad is a favorite holiday destination with fishing enthusiasts from around the world. The quaint capital town of Aruba is situated in the southern part of the country and is reminiscent of the Dutch colonial era, with buildings and houses that sport multicolored facades. The best season for fishing here is between October and February.
The local fishermen here set sail in their boats to catch fish early in the morning at the crack of dawn and return with their prized catch. Home to many species of large fish like marlin, the fishermen usually prefer using the simple hand-line and bait instead of nets. Most of the fishing action is in the waters of the south coast of Aruba but a few boats do venture into the choppy sea in the north coast. The rough sea pushes the fish into a pool near the limestone rocks making it easier to hook the fish.
The beautiful marina in Oranjestad is always teeming with life with numerous yachts, cruise ships, tour boats, and local fishing boats docking here daily. On can either rent boats from the local fishermen for half a day or a full day or book the fishing expeditions from the hotel tour desks. You can bait for fish such as the sailfish, shark, wahoo, blue and white marlin, and tuna in the warm waters here. Some of the restaurants even offer to cook your prized catch for you if you are interested in tasting it.
The Seaport Marina offers plenty of water sports activity like sailing, diving, and snorkeling apart from offering sophisticated docking facility for yachts, sea faring sloops and local fishing boats. The well protected harbor is situated in downtown Oranjestad. Additionally all adults and children alike who enjoy watching marine life prefer the Submarine tour.
