Last Updated on June 26, 2022
Flamingo Beach Aruba is one of the most popular places to visit in Aruba and for good reason! This is a rare and special experience where you can walk with flamingos, feed the flamingos, and get perfect up-close photos of these beautiful birds. We spend a full day at Renaissance Island and Flamingo Beach, testing everything to make sure that you have all the information and a complete guide to have the perfect day at Flamingo Beach Aruba.
Disclaimer: We received complimentary access to Renaissance Island and Flamingo Beach Aruba to visit the famous Aruba pink flamingos! All opinions are our own. Please note that some of the links in the below article are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, we earn a commission if you make a purchase. Click here for the full disclosure statement. Thank you for supporting the businesses that support us!
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Flamingo Beach Aruba: The Complete Guide
We’ve got answers to all of your questions on visiting Flamingo Beach Aruba. It’s hands-down one of the best things to do in Aruba! If you’re looking for more fun things to do, check out our blog post covering the whole island and top 15 unique things to do in Aruba. Visiting the Aruba pink flamingos is a bucket list item for so many people, and we have everything you need to know in this review of the Flamingo Beach Aruba.
What is Flamingo Beach Aruba?
Flamingo Beach is widely known worldwide and is one of the most famous beaches in Aruba, alongside Palm Beach. What makes Flamingo Beach Aruba special is the small flamboyance of pink flamingos (yes, a flock or group of flamingos is called a flamboyance!) that call the private island home. You can visit Renaissance Island and Flamingo Beach and have a wonderful up-close experience with these beautiful birds.
Where is Flamingo Island Aruba?
Flamingo Beach is located on the private Renaissance Island, which is sometimes also referred to as Flamingo Island. The island is located just offshore the main island of Aruba, and is just a 10 to 15 minute boat ride from the main Aruba harbor in Oranjestad. Renaissance Island also has the Iguana Beach, whish is slightly larger than Flamingo Beach. There’s a reason it’s called Iguana Beach, as there are lots of Iguanas hanging around!
How to Get to Flamingo Beach Aruba
As Flamingo Beach is located on the private Renaissance Island, the only way to get there is to take the Renaissance water taxi. The cost of the water taxi is included in your ticket to Renaissance Island.
Boats run from 7:00 AM to 6:45 PM every day approximately every 15 minutes. To catch the water taxi in town, the main pick-up point is located right at the Renaissance Aruba in Renaissance Mall. You’ll see the water access point and small dock that goes into the mall, near the Starbucks. Alternatively, the water taxi also stops outside in the main harbor, mostly to pick-up employees. This dock is located in the southernmost corner of the harbor, near the Renaissance Convention Center.
Your tickets are not time specific so you are free to take any water taxi to the island and any water taxi back. There is only one dock on this Aruba private island, and you just line up and wait for the next water taxi when you are ready to go!
What it Costs to Visit Flamingo Beach Aruba
There are two main ways to gain access to Renaissance Island. One way is to have a hotel room booked at the Renaissance Aruba Resort where access to the island is complimentary, and the other is to purchase a day pass separately just to visit the Aruba pink flamingos.
The easiest way is certainly to spend a few nights at the Renaissance Aruba Resort to gain complimentary access to Flamingo Beach and Renaissance Island. With the Renaissance Aruba being located right in downtown Oranjestad, it’s a great base to walk and explore the city attractions, restaurants, and nightlife.
Check availability at the Renaissance Aruba Resort for your dates!
Alternatively, you can purchase a Renaissance Island Day Pass for $125 USD per person. Note that there is not a guarantee that Day Passes will be available every day, as the hotel generally only sells Day Passes when the hotel is not full. To be 100% sure you can visit Renaissance Island during your visit, either book a stay at the Renaissance Aruba Resort, or book your Day Pass in advance here to be sure that you will get your chance to visit the famous Aruba pink flamingos.
What is Included in the Day Pass to the Flamingo Beach Aruba
When you purchase an Island Day Pass, you get all of the following items included:
- Complimentary water taxi to and from Renaissance Island
- Complimentary beach towels
- Complimentary snorkeling equipment, kayaks, paddle boards, and floats; first come first serve
- 1 lunch meal and 1 cocktail at the Papagayo Bar & Grill or Mangrove Beach Bar on Renaissance Island
Note that Flamingo Beach is adult-only, so if you are traveling with kids you’ll have to spend most of your time at Iguana Beach. Children can visit Flamingo Beach, while being supervised, between 9:00 AM and 10:00 AM. However, if you arrive earlier or stay later, the flamingos will sometimes wander by themselves over to Iguana Beach, so your children should have no problem getting a chance to see the Aruba pink flamingos.
What to Expect When at Flamingo Beach Aruba
You will arrive by water taxi at the main dock in the center of the island. When you get off the water taxi, to the right is Flamingo Beach, and to the left is Iguana Beach.
Exiting right, Flamingo Beach has the Mangrove Beach Bar located on the beach, for the sand in your toes drinking opportunity. There are also a number of lounge chairs located throughout the beach.
If you exit left, you will first pass the beach house where you can obtain your complimentary beach towels, as well as the water sports equipment, if you are interested.
Further along, you will find the large Iguana Beach with lots of lounge chairs and palapas to relax at for the day. At the far end are washrooms and the Papagayo Bar & Grill, which serves a delicious Aruban breakfast as well as lunch and snack food throughout the day.
You can spend the whole day on Renaissance Island, and move between Flamingo Beach and Iguana Beach as much as you like. The Aruba pink flamingos will mostly be at Flamingo Beach, however when we visited, the flamingos were at Iguana Beach early in the morning and at the end of the day.
Enjoy time relaxing at the palapas on Iguana Beach, and enjoy the delicious food served up at the Papagayo Bar & Grill that is included with your Day Pass. Their pizzas, are especially delicious and perfect for snacking on at the beach!
Is a Cabana at Flamingo Beach Aruba Worth it?
Private cabanas are available for rent at both Flamingo Beach and Iguana Beach. Rentals start at about $150 USD per day for the smaller cabanas and $200 USD per day for the larger cabanas on the adult-only Flamingo Beach. At Iguana Beach, the large cabanas are available for rental for $250 USD per day and the smaller ones for $200 USD per day. Prices can fluctuate depending on the time of year that your visit. Cabanas come with bottles of water, a bottle of sparkling wine, wi-fi, and personalized service.
The question of if renting a cabana at Renaissance Island is worth it, is entirely up to your personal preference. It is absolutely not necessary to rent a private cabana, as there is more than enough space for anyone to relax at a lounge chair and palapa throughout the island. Given that you can also get food and drink service at the palapas on the beach, we do not recommend the additional cost of the cabana, unless you really value personal space and privacy.
The Next Trip Top 5 Tips to Make the Most of Flamingo Beach Aruba
1. Make the Most of Your Day
To make the most of your day pass, plan to arrive early or stay late at Renaissance Island on either the first or last water taxi. During the day, the island fills up and the chance of getting a beautiful photo with the flamingos all to yourself decreases substantially. We arrived on the first water taxi, and took the last one back, and for the first hour and last hour we had the whole island, and the Aruba pink flamingos, almost to ourselves.
2. Plan Ahead
Plan your day at Renaissance Island and Flamingo Beach Aruba far in advance! If you are booking the Island Day Pass separately and not staying at the Renaissance Aruba Resort, it is advised to book your day pass prior to arriving in Aruba as the island has capacity restrictions. There is no guarantee that the hotel will offer Day Passes, as if the hotel is at full capacity they may not make Island Day Passes available. You don’t want to be disappointed and not get the chance to visit Playa Flamingo Aruba while on the island!
3. Be Respectful
Flamingos are not native to Aruba, and are kept here on Renaissance Island for tourism purposes. Keep this in mind, and be respectful of the birds. They are used to humans, however there should be no yelling, chasing, touching, or holding the birds. Ultimately the Aruba pink flamingos are wild birds, even if they are now a bit of a tourist attraction, so please be respectful!
4. Have Fun on the Water
Utilize the complimentary kayaks, paddleboards, and snorkel equipment during the afternoon. When most people are on the Aruba private island, take the time to relax and enjoy the sun and water as opposed to jostling for position among the crowds and in between the Aruba pink flamingos.
5. Bring US Quarters Change for Flamingo Food
The best way to get a photo with the flamingos is if you have food for them. That way the will stay with you and you can tell your photographer to snap away. Flamingo food is sold on the island in a small gumball style vending machine. For USD $1, you can get 1 cup of kibble for the cute Aruba pink flamingos. Make sure you bring US quarters as the gumball style vending machine only accepts quarters.
Most Frequently Asked Questions about Flamingo Beach Aruba
We are answering some of the most commonly asked questions about visiting Flamingo Island in Aruba so that you have all the answers in one place.
Where is the Flamingo Island?
Flamingo Beach is located on the private Renaissance Island, which is sometimes also referred to as Flamingo Island. The island is located just offshore the main island of Aruba, and is just a 10 to 15 minute boat ride from the main Aruba harbor in Oranjestad.
Is Flamingo Island Worth It?
A day pass to Flamingo Island is $125 USD per person. Included in the day pass is the water taxi from the main island, towels, beach chairs, snorkeling equipment, kayaks, paddle boards, and floats; first come first serve1 lunch meal and 1 cocktail at the Papagayo Bar & Grill or Mangrove Beach Bar on Renaissance Island. Whether or not the Flamingo Island is worth it depends on how much you want to experience the flamingos up close.
How Many Flamingos are on Flamingo Island Aruba?
There are 8 flamingos on Flamingo Island in Aruba. They walk around freely and you can feed them as much as you like or take photos with them.
Where Do You See Flamingos in Aruba?
You can see the famous flamingos in Aruba on Flamingo Island. On the island, there is flamingo beach which is where the birds hang out during the day. In the morning before 9am and in the evening, the flamingos wander to Iguana beach and you can see them there.
What Beaches Have Flamingos in Aruba?
The only beach in Aruba that officially has flamingos is Flamingo Beach on Flamingo Island / Renaissance Island. However, the birds are free to walk around on Flamingo island and you can sometimes find them on Iguana beach as well.
Have you Been to Flamingo Beach Aruba?
Have you been to Flamingo Beach Aruba and visited the beautiful pink flamingos? Let us know in the comments how you enjoyed the experience!
Pin this post to your Aruba travel Pinterest board so you are fully prepared to visit the flamingo beach when you are planning to visit the One Happy Island.
