| Palm Beach | Eagle Beach | |
|---|---|---|
| Hotels | High-rise resorts | Low-rise resorts |
| Feel | Lively yet laid-back, restaurants and nightlife | More tranquil, wide beach |
| Airport taxi | $41 | $37 |
| Water sports | Parasailing launches here; flyboard from Delphi; catamaran departures | Delphi jet ski rental, $75 for 30 minutes |
| Known for | Soft white sand and the piers | The Fofoti trees, the most photographed in Aruba |
| Best for | First visit, evenings out | Couples, quiet beach days |
Sources: the tourism board's hotel and beach pages, Visit Aruba taxi fares and the jet ski page, read in November 2026.
The difference in one paragraph
The tourism board puts it in one line: high-rise properties in bustling Palm Beach and low-rise resorts near the more tranquil Eagle Beach. Palm Beach is known for soft white sand, a variety of water activities and a lively yet laid-back stretch of local dining and nightlife. Eagle Beach is described as the home of the Fofoti trees and as a prime destination for wedding photos. See Palm Beach and Eagle Beach for each beach.
Getting between them
The two are close. A taxi from Palm Beach to Eagle Beach is $16, fixed by the government for up to four passengers, with $5 extra on Sundays, holidays and between 11 pm and 7 am. The Arubus line L10 serves both from the Oranjestad main station at $2.60 a trip, with a $15 day pass. Staying in one area does not stop you eating in the other. See how to get around Aruba.
Water sports and boats
Parasailing launches from Palm Beach, where a speedboat takes riders offshore. Catamarans and sunset sails leave from the Palm Beach piers: the Octopus sunset sail is $89.99 for two hours (see Aruba sunset cruises). Delphi Watersports rents jet skis on Eagle Beach at $75 for 30 minutes and runs flyboard sessions on Palm Beach at $130 for 30 minutes (see Aruba jet ski tours).
Who should choose which
- First visit with evenings out: Palm Beach. Restaurants and nightlife are walkable.
- Couples after quiet days: Eagle Beach, with a wider beach and fewer high-rises.
- Families: compare family resorts in Aruba.
- All-inclusive stays: see all-inclusive resorts in Aruba, and adults-only resorts for a child-free stay.
- Honeymoon: see honeymoon resorts.
Cost
The tourism board gives no hotel prices, and we publish none: compare your own dates in the hotel box. What the sources do state is transport: $37 versus $41 from the airport, so the difference is $4 per taxi each way. A round trip to Eagle Beach costs $74 and to Palm Beach $82.
Typical mistakes
- Choosing Palm Beach for quiet: it is the lively strip.
- Assuming you must stay at one beach to use the other: both are public and $16 apart by taxi.
- Booking without checking the building type: the tourism board contrasts high-rise Palm Beach with low-rise Eagle Beach, so look at the hotel's own description.
FAQ
Is Palm Beach better than Eagle Beach?
Neither is better; Palm Beach has the nightlife and the water sports, Eagle Beach is quieter and wider.
Can I walk from Eagle Beach to Palm Beach?
The two are close and a taxi is $16; the tourism board does not publish a walking distance, so use the bus or a taxi.
Which has the better beach?
The tourism board praises Palm Beach for soft white sand and Eagle Beach for the Fofoti trees.
Which is cheaper to reach from the airport?
Eagle Beach, at $37 against $41 for Palm Beach.
Aruba Authority editorial team, 7 November 2026.
