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Bucuti Beach Resort, April 6 - April 18, 2002
By Chris & Amy
Once again, we want to thank everyone on the Aruba BBs for all of their wonderful suggestions & directions. This report is long and detailed but it is divided into sections, so you only need to read what interests you. I know that I LOVE reading long trip reports because then I can live vicariously and it gives me good ideas for my next visit.
Flight to Aruba
We flew American Airlines from BWI to Boston to Aruba. The security lines moved very swiftly and we only had a problem in BWI. They never announced our flight to Boston but we saw people lining up to board the plane. We got in line, handed them our tickets and started down the stairs to the tarmac (it was a commuter plane). Once everyone was checked-in, they announced that we were now going to board for NY - WHAT?! - where did the Boston flight go? The gate was changed with no announcement at the last minute. Obviously the person didn't even glance at our boarding passes.
We were very worried about missing our flight and our connection to Aruba but Boston doesn't have a separate terminal for commuter planes & international flights so we only had to walk 2 gates to get to our Aruba gate on time. We ran into friends that we had met last year in Aruba on the Kukoo bus. We live in MD and they live in upstate NY so neither thought that we'd be on the same flight in Boston. It was great catching up with Tony & Marlene and we set some dinner & fishing plans for the week.
Bucuti
We cannot say enough wonderful things about this hotel. It is always very clean, very quiet and very inviting. Each year we notice upgrades to the hotel for the benefit of the guests - like the new hot tub by the pool. We were offered champagne or ice water while we checked in. The bungalow was as beautiful as we remember and the view was incredible! This time we took a lot of pictures of the bungalow, the inside and the views because we are often asked about it.
Staff
It is nearly impossible to single out someone at the Bucuti because everyone is so nice and friendly. Many remembered us from last year (and we were only there for 6 days) with comments like, "Wasn't your hair shorter?" and "Weren't you here later in April?"
Everyone we encountered at the Pirate's Nest Restaurant and Bar was very friendly. Carsten gave us some good advice about chartering a boat. Deborah (the manager) did a great job of providing balloons, banners & wine coupons for the BB parties. She also checked on the parties to make sure that we had everything that we needed. The Biemans (owners of the Bucuti) stopped by the BB party on 4/8 and couldn't be more gracious.
Ocean/Pool - We only swam in the ocean off of Eagle Beach on the first day. It was very calm. The rains came after that day and although it didn't rain much during the day, it did cause the water to be a little rougher. The Bucuti's pool was always at the perfect temperature. Warm enough to get right in but cool enough to be refreshing. I met some very nice people while floating around the pool. It's funny that everyone usually asks "where are you from?" instead of "what's your name?" so I remember all of the states & countries, but no names.
The Sandbar - The Bucuti's bar is always a great place to meet some nice people and catch up with the friendly bartenders. The Happy Hour drinks are half price and they serve free munchies. Once again, I remember where everyone was from, but didn't get any names of the friendly bar patrons I met.
Rental Car
We rented with Economy, again. They had the best rates per vehicle and we were very pleased with them last year. We used the VisitAruba Plus card for our 10% off. We rented a Toyota Yaris (same as an Echo) with air & power steering (we needed that for the trails we drove) for 1 week and when we returned it, we rented a Suzuki Jimny, no air, no radio for one day. Some cars are cheaper than the Yaris but they are also smaller and not as fully equipped. The total for the 8 days was $260 with the discount. At $32 a day, it was worth it to avoid taxi fares and to have the freedom to explore the entire island. One word of warning - check the rental agent's math. One woman was very good and on top of everything - the other woman added our discount instead of subtracting it. It was clearly an honest mistake - but be careful.
Parties
The Bulletin Board (BB) party on 4/8 was great. Shelly asked for a separate area for us and the Bucuti set us up on the beach under a large palm tree for shade. Darrell was quick to greet each new arrival and pull up an extra table and chairs. The only negative was that there was so many of us, that it was hard to get to talk to everyone. Chris & Dan took pictures of the "wildlife" on Eagle Beach. Darrell received some digital camera tech support from Chris. The Bucuti gave us Pirate's Nest postcards and we passed them around so we could get everyone's signature. It was like the last day of high school - trying to get everyone to sign your yearbook. I think that we missed some of the late-comers. One group left early to go on the Kukoo bus and one group stayed late enough to enjoy dinner at the Pirate's Nest.
The BB party on 4/17 wasn't as crowded as the one on 4/8, which gave us a better chance to get to know everyone. The Bucuti set us up in the same spot and once again provided balloons, banners, snacks (yummy ribs) & wine coupons. I passed around my list of who had "RSVPd" on the BB so we could see who was there and who was missing. I was a little disappointed that some of the people didn't show. I know that in Aruba, it's hard to keep track of dates and times but we were really looking forward to meeting some of the people we had been chatting with for months on the BB. Deborah, the Bucuti's Manager, stopped by the party for awhile to see how things were going and she stayed to discuss a few future upgrades to the Bucuti - including bathrooms at the Pirate's Nest - for those who drink a little too much and can't walk the distance to the restrooms in the Bucuti. We had late reservations for dinner so we stayed after everyone left and chatted with Julie & Cameron. They were also staying at the Bucuti and we had tried to meet up earlier in our vacation but kept missing each other. That night we saw the most beautiful sunset we have ever seen, anywhere! Chris & Julie got some great pics.
Snorkeling
Baby Beach
- This was our first time at Baby Beach. Just like everyone on the BB said, you need to swim out to the channel to see the fish. It started pouring rain, but we were already in the water and didn't care. Of course, the rain didn't last long. Not only did we see a variety of fish but many of the fish there were very large. We saw Trigger Angels, Parrotfish, Sergeant Majors and many more. Although Baby Beach is a family spot, there were some topless sunbathers there. We ran into Shelly, Dan, Karen & Pat who we met at the BB party the night before.
Boca Catalina - This was our favorite spot last year. It is not very far from the hotels and is close to some of the wrecks. Since there were a number of storms and brief showers, the water was very cloudy and churned up. It was difficult to see any fish. Chris did see his first large starfish, but we doubt the pictures will come out. I spotted a large flounder, but he was difficult to follow. We didn't stay long and didn't go back because of the lack of visibility.
Fishing
We decided to go deep-sea fishing with our friends Tony & Marlene (who we met last year on the Kukoo bus). We reserved our seats on the Rainbow Runner. It was $60 for a half-day plus snacks. Carsten at the Activities Desk recommended that for $15 more a person, we could have our own boat and could go after larger fish. The Rainbow Runner is a bottom fishing boat and we wanted to go further off the coast. We chartered the "First Light" for $300 - so it was $75 per person.
Cederic is the captain and Ronny was the first mate. We chose the order of how we'd alternate who reeled in each fish. Marlene was up first, but her fish got off the hook before she could get him on board. Chris was next and he brought in a nice size bonita. Tony went third and caught a small bonita. I went fourth and also caught a nice size bonita. Although bonita are in the tuna family, they aren't good to eat. Chris threw his back before the first mate could stop him (we're used to catching & releasing when the fish aren't good to eat). But Ronnie kept the rest of the bonita for bait. The boat ride itself was wonderful. It was a beautiful day with few clouds in the sky and we could see Venezuela.
Souvenirs
We bought souvenirs in a couple of the little shops at the Seaport Mall and waited in line to pet Tessa the tiger ($25 a person includes a picture with you and Tessa). The Bucuti & Manchebo gift shops also had some nice souvenirs.
Driving/Sightseeing
We did a lot of exploring on our own this trip. We found a great map in the Bucuti Gift Shop for about $5. I was the navigator, which isn't easy in Aruba since very few of the streets have name signs. I'd just have to count how many crossroads until we turned. We first drove to the California Lighthouse and drove all around the dunes (in our little Yaris). After our trip to Baby Beach, we drove to find the Colorado lighthouse. We did see a box with a light but I don't know that I'd call that a lighthouse (unless we missed it somehow). We explored all around the Seroe Colorado area and Chris took some great pictures of the crashing waves.
We finally found the Temple Beth Shalom. We had hoped to make the Friday night service, but we were too early and we hadn't eaten dinner and wouldn't have a chance to eat and get back in time. We took a couple of pictures and wrote down good directions, for the next person asking how to get there. We went back a few days later to get some pictures in the daylight.
On another day we explored the Alto Vista region. The church was much smaller than I had expected and I liked that many of the pews were outside the church. Chris took some incredible scenic pictures from that area. We then drove by Casabari (we had climbed it on a previous trip) and stopped to climb the Ayo rocks. We stopped at the Natural Bridge for souvenirs and pictures.
One Sunday, we drove all over San Nicholas (even found Charlie's Bar - it was closed) but that was not intentional. We were trying to find the Promenade restaurant. On our way back to the hotel, we decided to drive up Mount Jamanota (once again in our little Yaris). That was a fun drive and quite beautiful. There were these trees with beautiful yellow flowers. On our way down the mountain we saw a woman (Dianne) taking photos of the yellow trees. We stopped to say "hello" and she explained that they only bloomed for 3 days and that today they were at full bloom. She was originally from New York but had lived in Aruba for 27 years.
Our last day of sightseeing was in the 4x4 we rented for one day. I'm sure you know where we intended to go - the Natural Pool. The map showed a path to the Natural Pool but when you got to the beach there was a restricted sign. We didn't think there was any other way to go so we started across the beach. A guy came out of nowhere (there is nothing around there) to stop us. After talking with him and showing him our map, he told us how to get to the Natural Pool and allowed us to cross the beach. If you know how to get there, it doesn't take long - however - no one gives good directions because there are NO street signs.
So your first time there, it will take awhile and you have to drive slowly because it is bumpier than you can imagine. Our jeep had no a/c and there wasn't much of a breeze that day. We were pretty hot and tired by the time we finally found the pool. And you feel so victorious that you almost expect a welcoming party to congratulate you. Once you finally get to the parking area, you still need to climb down a good amount of rock/stairs to get to the pool. The pool itself requires climbing over rocks to get in. Of course, there are no facilities there. I'm not trying to discourage anyone, I just want you to be prepared. You MUST have a 4x4 and you MUST be very good at driving clutch. We had planned on doing other things that day but the Natural Pool ate up most of the day. For those who like to snorkel, there are tons of fish in the Natural Pool.
After the Natural Pool we went to the famous Divi Divi tree to take a picture of that beautiful tree. We couldn't get out of there faster - boy does it smell bad there!
Our last night on the island with a vehicle, we drove up to the California lighthouse. We parked and just looked at the stars and the town's lights below. It was very beautiful & peaceful.
Wildlife
We saw a couple of adorable stray dogs at the Alto Vista church and gave them some crackers that we had. They were very sweet and non-threatening. The woman there selling ice cream had a bowl of water out for them. One of Chris' favorite pastimes in Aruba is feeding the iguanas. There were plenty at the Bucuti to feed and he even recognized a few from last year (to me they all look pretty much the same). There was a woman from Holland who was terrified of them because she didn't know what they were. Chris explained to her that they were vegetarians and that they wouldn't attack her or jump on her. She felt much better after talking to him. The birds were also plentiful and we saw a couple of new species we hadn't seen last year including black & yellow birds, a red bird, and many small green parrots. This year we spotted several butterflies that must have escaped from the Butterfly Farm.
Dining
Chalet Suisse - We made reservations from home for our first dinner in Aruba. We can't say enough wonderful things about this restaurant. As soon as we walked in, Benny the Maitre D, said "Welcome Home" and that is how we felt and were treated. We had reserved one of the special small booths and they needed a few minutes to set it up, since we arrived 15 minutes early. As we sat at the bar we wondered if Benny really remembered us from last year - we had only been there once because of our short trip. We listened to see if he greeted everyone else the same way - and he did not! How did he remember? We had garden salads with their excellent Creamy Garlic house dressing, we split the Shrimp Scampi appetizer (which we could have skipped - too much food), and Chateaubriand (filet mignon for two - sliced). They also have great garlic bread on the table - we couldn't resist. We were too full for the chocolate fondue. Chris had a few Balashi's. The total, with 15% service charge added in, was $82. Good deal for such an extraordinary dining experience.
We also ate here our last night in Aruba. Salads, Chateaubriand & chocolate fondue (we saved room this time) - only 1 Balashi - was $85 with 15% included.
Pirate's Nest
Breakfasts - Rather than the $12.95 champagne buffet, we each opted for the other b-fasts. Chris had the hot b-fast (eggs - cooked to order, bacon, sausage, potatoes etc) for $9.95 and I had the cold b-fast (fruit, smoked salmon, cold meats, breads) for $8.95. Both were all you can eat and included juice/coffee etc. The food was excellent and if you eat a little later, will hold you through lunch.
Lunches - Our first lunch at the Pirate's Nest we picked up the tab for us and a couple of friends who stopped by to say hello. Chicken Quesadilla, BLT, chicken sandwich and a side of great French fries - $25 with 15% service charge added. One day we had a grilled cheese sandwich & large garden salad for $16 with 15% added. Other lunches consisted of a bacon cheeseburger & a fish fillet sandwich (both large & delicious) for $20 with 15% added.
Dinner - We ate dinner here only once because we were trying out so many new places. First a word about the fly situation. We sat down early enough to watch the sunset but took our time in ordering. The couple next to us was already eating and trying to fight the flies at the same time. The waiter kept trying to help. He explained that the flies disappear after the sun goes down. I must say that I was a disbeliever until the sun went down and the flies completely disappeared!
Chris started with the salad bar and I had the escargot. We both ordered the Captain Kidd's Shrimp Treasure (which is their signature dish). There were 5 shrimp, in a delicious sauce, that were gigantic! Chris took a picture of them next to a pack of cigarettes to show that each shrimp was literally that big. The dish is a little spicy and very filling. The VisitAruba Plus card got us a free bottle of wine (which Chris finished off by himself). $77 with 15% service charge included - very reasonable.
French Steakhouse - Although it is right next door, we hadn't yet eaten there. The Ambassador's special looked like a lot of food, so we decided that I would get it, Chris would get a different steak he wanted from the regular menu (Fire & Spice Churassco) and we'd split the appetizer, salad & dessert that comes with the special. Since only one of us got the special, instead of the full bottle of wine, we received a carafe. I don't like wine, so Chris drank it all. I ordered the Churassco but it came with mushroom sauce that was not listed on the menu. I really hate mushrooms and was worried that this would ruin the taste of the meat. The meat was still very delicious. The sauce hadn't ruined anything. Chris loves mushrooms and ate my sauce. It wasn't the tenderest piece of meat that I have had, but it was very good and tasty. It was also cooked just the way I had ordered it. Chris and I couldn't finish our steaks so we brought them back and ate them for b-fast the next morning - still very yummy. We forgot to use our VisitAruba card for an additional 10% off. $65 with 15% service charge included.
Iguana Joe's - We ate several meals here because: you never needed reservations, the prices are very reasonable. the food is always pretty good, and the drinks are even better.
Cactus Colada, Pink Iguana, nachos, cheeseburger & chicken club sandwich was $42 - no service charge included. The burger was pretty bad - it tasted like something pre-formed out of a box.
Nachos, cheese sticks, taco salad, french fries, lethal lizard (huge drink) - $34 - no service charge.
Nachos, cheese quesadilla, steak fajitas, 2 lethal lizards, 1 bahama mamma-type drink (sorry, can't remember the name but it was awesome and large) - $?? - who can remember after all of those drinks?
Buccaneer - This was our first time here - we loved eating next to the fish tanks - especially the large one with the sea turtles. The catch of the day was Barracuda. Don't be afraid to try it. It's only poisonous here in the states. The fish was very white & flaky. We had the barracuda and stuffed salmon and June & David had the lobster bisque, steak, and ½ chicken (all included salads & garlic bread) + sodas - $73 with 15% service charge included. One night when El Gaucho would only give us reservations for 5:30 or 9:30 (and we called a day ahead), we decided that no restaurant was worth that and went back to the Buccaneer. We both had the barracuda, I had the escargot (which was the best I have eaten), a mudslide & we split a dessert - $36 with 15% included.
Amazonia - Our friends Tony & Marlene wanted to try this place. I'm sure that everyone knows how it works. First you help yourself to a nice salad bar, then you turn your shaker to green for "go" - bring on the orgy of meats. At first it was slow and we only got a few bites at a time - then our plates were suddenly full and we had to turn the shaker over to red - "stop." One really nice thing about this meal is that it takes awhile and we had a lot to catch up on over the past year since seeing Tony & Marlene. The food was good - not great. The side dishes (fried plantains, fried bananas, garlic mashed potatoes & cheese rolls) were very good. It is a nice way to taste a lot of different meats. It was $176 for 4 meals, 2 coffees & 1 dessert - with 15% included. Too bad we forgot out VisitAruba card for 15% off.
Paddock - This is the only restaurant we love and hate. The food is great, the views of the harbor are nice and the prices very reasonable but the service is the worst! We waited at least 15 minutes after being seated for a menu! Several times the waiter/waitress (they kept switching people on us) would come back without what we asked for - water, silverware. They had simply forgotten. The restaurant was not very crowded but the bar was and the servers were also waiting on people at the bar. Not a smart way to run a business. Have some waiters set aside for the bar and some for the restaurant.
We started with an order of French bread that was served with incredible garlic butter. We both ordered the mixed grill platter (steak, chicken, pork tenderloin, pork sate & spare ribs). We both agreed that the pork was the best. I liked the tenderloin and Chris the sate. I had a Brown Lady and Chris had a soda. We wanted dessert but couldn't bear to wait for the dessert menu. $39 without service charge. We actually waited the 15 minutes for the free shirt we got with the VisitAruba card.
Amici's - After our dinner at the Paddock, we still we in the mood for something sweet. I remembered reading about a great ice cream place on the BB and remembered it being near the hi-rises. I had Chris drive by slowly until I saw the name "Amici's" and knew that that was the place. We didn't have any cash on us and they didn't take credit cards, but a quick run across the street to the ATM and we were good to go. I had a scoop of coffee ice cream (but was dying for the tiramisu) and Chris had a coffee ice cream milk shake. The ice cream is very obviously homemade and was absolutely delicious. We thought that we would make it back again - I hear the tiramisu calling my name - but never did on this trip.
Madame Jeanette's - We were given bad directions and couldn't find it but a nice Aruban at the Texaco nearby pointed us in the right direction. The setting is very beautiful. The bread & garlic butter were delicious and they give you pickled onions that we don't eat but a woman at a nearby table couldn't eat them fast enough. I ordered the surf & turf (filet mignon, shrimp & ½ lobster tail) - all very good. Chris wanted the rib-eye steak, but they were out of it. He was very disappointed but ordered the filet mignon. It was the tenderest piece of meat either of us has eaten. Chris was very happy with his meal selection. I will be ordering that the next time! The 2 meals plus a few sodas was only $46 with no service charge. What an incredible bargain!
Promenade - We had quite a bit of trouble finding this place. We even found Charlie's Bar while circling San Nicolas - but it was closed on Sunday. We finally found it.
The restaurant came highly recommended. There is no parking except for valet parking. The interior was very quaint and there was a guy singing and playing guitar. We were late for our reservation and explained about getting lost. The hostess took a bit of an attitude with us and sat us at the worst table - right inside the door next to the hostess stand. We were given a menu and they explained that we ask for what we want and they'll bring it to us - as much as we want. We both ordered the shrimp cocktail. It came covered in a pink sauce that tasted like ranch dressing with a little ketchup.
Our second course, I ordered escargot and Chris got the crab cocktail that was imitation crab meat. Chris wanted to get the mushroom dish but it came with a hollandaise sauce on top. He asked if he could get it without the sauce and the waitress said that you couldn't. I've never heard of a restaurant refusing to serve something without the sauce. Next, I wanted to try the red snapper, because I've never had it before and thought this was the perfect way to try something new. The waitress said, "Don't you want any more appetizers?" and seemed upset that I stopped ordering them. Chris ordered the chicken caesar salad. Both were excellent and both were huge. I only ate half of the fish because there were still other things I wanted to try and it was served with several side dishes I didn't like.
When we asked for the surf & turf (filet mignon, shrimp & fish) the waitress said, "but you haven't finished the dish in front of you." I explained that it was much larger than I wanted and that I was trying to save room to try other dishes. She seemed upset that I didn't clean my plate. That's why I prefer buffets - you can take a little taste and not take side dishes you know you don't want. The filet was tasty but very thin and overcooked. The shrimp was in a heavy sauce we didn't like and the fish was the excellent red snapper.
For dessert, Chris ordered chocolate ice cream with chocolate sauce (the dish he liked the best that day) and I ordered another escargot (this time it was a little tough). The service wasn't very good. The guys who kept refilling the delicious garlic bread and mimosas and cleared the plates were great but the waitress sort of ignored us until we waved her over. It was about $50 with 15% service charge included. Not worth the price to us. Every other restaurant we have visited in Aruba had better food and service.
King Ribs - After a day of driving to the top of Mount Jamanota and all over Aruba, we were pretty exhausted for dinner and hadn't made any prior reservations. It was a Sunday and many places were closed. We decided to stop at King Ribs and bring dinner home with us. They are only opened on Thurs - Sunday. We arrived at 5:55pm and they close at 6pm on Sundays so there wasn't much selection left. We got two full orders of the baby back ribs. They came in the typical square styrofoam containers. The containers were bursting open with all of the food. It included an ear of corn, a large scoop of potatoes and as many ribs as they could stuff in. We ate on our balcony. $18 for a very large amount of ribs & side dishes.
Street People - We have never in the past been approached by people begging for money in Aruba - although we have experienced that on other islands in the Caribbean. In San Nicholas when we were looking for the Promenade, a local guy walking along flagged us down and asked if we were lost - he offered to get in our car to show us the way, but we didn't feel very comfortable with this. Instead he told us some directions and then asked us for a dollar - we had never been asked that before in Aruba but we thought it was fair since he did help us out. As Chris was reaching for a couple of dollars, he then asked for $5 - Chris gave him $2 and he started to complain about the amount. We just drove off. After our brunch we saw him on the street again. This time he started to clean our windshield when we stopped. We just took off as quickly as we could.
On another occasion in Oranjestad at night, we were looking for parking across from the Royal Plaza Mall and a local guy walking around pointed out a parking space (there were many to chose from). As we were locking the car, he told Chris that he would guard the car until we came back. Chris said, "whatever" and we walked away. He wasn't there when we returned but we did notice an officer patrolling near the Royal Plaza Mall. We never felt threatened but it was a little strange.
Rain - It rained almost every day (very unusual), but usually in the middle of the night. A couple of showers came during the day but they passed very quickly. We didn't feel like the rain prevented us from doing anything or changed any of our plans. Once we just had to sit in the car for 5 minutes before we went shopping.
Flight back to the USA - We arrived at the airport 3 hours before our flight and there was only a small line for American Airlines. Some of the other airlines had longer lines. There were many lines to stand in before we got on the plane, but they all moved very smoothly and quickly.
Cigarettes at the airport were half the Costco price at home. There is now a little food place by the gates. You should get any last minute souvenirs at the duty free shops before security/customs. You won't find much at the gates. The flight left late (about 40 min) but we made up the time in the air. The landing at JFK was extremely rough. You could hear everyone on the plane gasping at the same time. The bathroom door even flew open. It was very scary. JFK is remodeling and it was a bit of a hike to the commuter planes. The flight from JFK to BWI was pretty full and uneventful.
Final Thoughts - It was so nice to be there for 12 days. I wish that we could have made it longer. We made reservations for next year before we left the Bucuti. The summer rates don't go into effect until later in 2003 so we'll be there 4/26-5/8 in our favorite bungalow.
Please feel free to ask any questions and visit our website (give us a few days to update it with new pics) at www.inaruba.homestead.com
Amy B. & Chris B.
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