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Let me tell you — from the moment I started planning our Aruba trip, the Conchi Natural Pool was non-negotiable on my must-see list (along with Flamingo Beach, because, duh — flamingos!). What I didn’t know was that getting there would turn into quite the trek through the rugged Aruban outback. Spoiler alert: it was 100% worth it!
So, What Even IS the Natural Pool in Aruba?
Picture this: a breathtaking natural pool naturally formed by volcanic rock formations, where waves dramatically crash over the walls when the tide rolls in. It’s basically nature showing off. This incredible natural wonder sits on a remote part of Aruba that most tourists never get to see — well off the beaten path and away from any busy areas. Toss on a snorkel mask and you’ll spot colorful fishes and stunning coral life darting around in the clear waters beneath you.
It’s one of Aruba’s top sightseeing spots — and once you see it, you’ll totally understand why Aruba visitors rave about it endlessly. Some people even call it the best part of this trip to One Happy Island! 🌺
Getting to the Natural Pool in Aruba: Choose Your Own Adventure 🗺️
Here’s the thing nobody tells you upfront — you can’t just stroll up in a regular car or hop on a tour bus. The only way in is via a 4×4 vehicle across the rugged roads of our beautiful island… or your own two feet. Yep. We hiked it. And yes, it was absolutely worth it!
The road out here is no Sunday drive — think bumpy dirt roads, volcanic rocks scattered everywhere, and rocky terrain that would make your average sedan weep. This isn’t the land of paved roads, folks! After my initial moment of “why didn’t I research this better?!” (we’ve ALL been there, right?), my travel partner dove into blog research mode and saved the day. Here are your actual options:
🚌 Option 1: Book a Natural Pool Safari Tour
Plenty of ATV tours and guided excursions head out toward the Natural Pool area, which is great for convenience! Many operators run in a small caravan of open-air vehicles that can handle the terrain. The downside? You get a limited window of time — usually just a half day — in the water before you’re herded back. While we were there, we watched three separate tour groups cycle through while we stayed as long as we pleased. Just saying. 😏
A guided hike option also exists for those who want a more structured experience with someone who actually knows where they’re going!
🚙 Option 2: Rent a 4×4
Renting a jeep sounds like an absolute blast — and honestly, it would be! The catch? Rentals run about $150 a day, which was a little rich for our travel budget. If you’re splitting the cost with a group though, this could actually be a fantastic option for exploring Aruba’s natural pools and other hidden gems like Daimari Beach and the Baby Natural Bridge all in one go!
🥾 Option 3: Hike from the Arikok National Park Visitor Center
This is probably the most straightforward hiking route. Drive to the Arikok National Park Visitor Center, pay a small entrance fee (around $12 per person — total bargain!), park your car, and hit the trail. The scenic route through the park winds past large rocks, beautiful historical sites like the Bushiribana Ruins, fascinating Indian caves, and even the mysterious Baby Natural Bridge. Locals say it’s about a 45-minute hike to the pool from here. We unfortunately couldn’t use this entrance because of rough sea conditions from Hurricane Irma. Mother Nature had other plans!
🐴 Option 4: Hike from the Side Road Near Rancho Daimari (What We Did!)
This is the path less traveled — literally. We parked near Rancho Daimari, a charming horse farm, and hiked in from there. From here, you’re a surprisingly short distance from some of the most dramatic scenery on this side of the island. Fair warning though: the drive down to the parking lot is… adventurous. My knuckles were white the entire time, and honestly, I’m not sure they’ve fully recovered.
Most locals wisely recommend parking at the top of the hill instead of attempting the descent. Learn from our bravery (or foolishness — jury’s still out). If you do park at the top of the hill, just know you’ll be adding some extra walking time to your adventure!
The Hike to The Natural Pool in Aruba: What to Expect 👟
Time: About 45 minutes each way from the horse farm at a comfortable pace
Difficulty: Moderate — but doable for most people!
⚠️ PRO TIP: If you have any serious health concerns, consult your doctor before attempting this hike. The terrain is demanding, and the heat is no joke!
Pack these essentials:
- 🧴 Lots of sunscreen — Aruba’s trade winds are sneaky
- 👕 Lightweight, protective clothing
- 💧 Plenty of water — we cannot stress this enough
- 👟 Water shoes — trust us on this one
We wore water shoes, which worked well overall — though we did get the occasional pebble invasion. A small price to pay for exploring such serious scenery in Aruba!
The landscape along the trail is genuinely jaw-dropping. Think stark, arid, almost lunar terrain made up of ancient volcanic stone and dramatic rock formations. The wall of volcanic rock that cradles the pool is unlike anything you’ve seen before.
But just when you need a little reward for all that walking, you’ll round a corner and stumble upon a deserted stretch of coastline or pristine beaches every ten minutes or so — true natural beauty at its finest.
PRO TIP: Don’t swim at those side beaches, though — the signs warning about dangerous sea conditions are no joke.
We even spotted the rusted carcass of a car by the trail, which painted a pretty vivid picture of how wild this coastline gets!
The only explorers we crossed paths with were a small group on horseback heading in and a couple heading out — who had clearly parked at the top of the hill and had extra walking time tacked on each way. Respect. 💪
The Grand Arrival 🎉
Just when I was thisclose to dramatically asking “Are we THERE yet?” — I spotted it. A handrail. Leading down 92 steps to the tranquil pool below, nestled perfectly behind a wall of volcanic rock formation that blocks the crashing waves. We made it!
The surrounding rocks create a natural amphitheater effect that makes the whole scene feel almost unreal — like your own private paradise on a desertePd stretch of coastline. One heads-up, though: the surrounding rocks and steps are quite rugged, so this spot may be challenging for anyone with mobility issues. That said, we did witness an incredibly determined woman in her 80s slide in on her own terms with a little help from her guide — most inspiring thing I’ve ever witnessed at a tourist attraction. 🙌
The Natural Pool in Aruba is worth going to visit if you are in the area and should be at the top of your sights to see.
Nearby Adventures Worth Adding to Your List 📍
Since you’re already out exploring this remote part of Aruba, why not make a full day of it? Here are some stops worth adding:
- 🦩 Flamingo Beach — yes, actual flamingos on an actual beach. Add it. Do it.
- 🏖️ Eagle Beach — consistently rated one of the most pristine beaches in the Caribbean
- 🌊 Boca Prins — wild, dramatic, RO and totally worth a look
- 🏰 Bushiribana Ruins — beautiful historical sites with incredible views
- 🌊 Baby Beach — a perfect calm, shallow bay on the southern side of the island
- 🕯️ Indian Caves — fascinating rock art and cave formations
- 💡 California Lighthouse — panoramic views of the entire northwest coast
Was It Worth It? Absolutely YES. 🙌
We stayed for over an hour, with no time restrictions, while tour groups came and went around us. We snorkeled through spotted colorful fishes, spotted colorful fishes, and soaked in the most incredible natural beauty Aruba has to offer — all from our very own tranquil pool carved out by ancient volcanic stone. It was the perfect quick getaway from the more touristy busy areas of the island, and honestly the best part of this trip to One Happy Island.
If the Conchi Natural Pool isn’t already on your Aruba itinerary, go ahead and add it right now. A little planning, a little sunscreen, and a serious sense of adventure are all you need. You won’t regret a single step! 🌺
Interested in more things to do in Aruba? Check out these other posts:
- What to see and do in Aruba
- Aruba’s Flamingo Beach
- Guide to Aruba’s famous beaches
- Aruba’s best souvenirs
- Where to eat in Aruba
- Review of the Manchebo Beach Resort & Spa
- Review of the Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino
Happy travels,
Annick, The Common Traveler
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Raised as a third culture kid living in South America and Europe, Annick caught the travel bug early. As an empty-nester, Annick enjoys sharing her tips for traveling for those with champagne taste and beer budgets.
I visited Aruba right before I started blogging, and your post brought back memories of how challenging it was to get to the Natural Pool! It was definitely worth it in the end. I loved everything along the eastern shore of Aruba, the natural beauty there is unlike any other island.
It’s a great place for nature lovers.
That looks like such an amazing experience! I’d really love to explore this part of the world more!
Easy to get to from the US.
Yay on hiking in! Sounds like a grand adventure and one we would much prefer over either driving in with a 4×4 or taking a tour and having to leave when someone else decides (yuck!).
So much better to be in control!
After a hike, as a reward to climb into a pool – and then with this view – fantastic!
Worth the effort!
I like hiking, so this is the way I would want to get there anyways. Do you know when it is least crowded?
Early morning or later in the day since most tour groups get there around 10-3.
I would love to check this place out if I ever get to Aruba. I always find the difficult the place to get to, the crowds are a lot smaller. Also I got a thing about exploring natural places, would defo take the time out to explore this pool.
Definitely worth the visit!
The good thing about it being difficult to get to it that it keeps the crowds down hopefully!
Unfortunately not really but if you hike it, you can stay as long as you want!
Hopefully the Natural Pools will remain difficult to get to which will keep the crowds away! It sounds like the hike wasnt too arduous and you sure were rewarded with a great way to cool down at the end.
Very doable and the destination worth it!
Wow this looks like an amazing experience in Aruba! The pools look amazing and swimming here looks like a dream.
It’s a fun experience.
It was great fun.
From the pictures you posted that hike definitely looks otherworldly indeed. I’m glad you got their safe (I’d be a bit scared seeing the damaged cars around). Being able to spend as much time as your wanted at the natural pool would be pretty amazing though.
Wow! This is definitely a wonderful experience. I can imagine the happiness that you’ll feel upon seeing this beautiful place after a long hike. I would definitely love to do that but thinking of hiking back again makes me feel tired already (haha!) I guess I am going to pass on this natural pool and just make the most out of the flamingo beach.
Sunscreen shirts!! We never go anywhere without them and agree they should be in everyone’s suitcase. This is a hiking adventure for sure- am off the beaten path gem.
Yes! Allan was wearing one but I wasn’t.
Arent places even prettier and better if it takes so much to get to them? 🙂 I would definitely be up for that hike too! The natural pools look amazing! I haven’t been in Aruba yet, but ill definitely go there soon so have to add it to my list!
Really worth the trip – and the hike!
Looks like an absolute stunning place to
Take that dip but yet a bit difficult to get to. Great you guys managed to get there without a 4×4 but the trek will be too much for me travelling with kids. The hard work to get there surely pays off with a dip in the Devine pool surrounding by those rocks. Thanks fir sharing a great post.
It was absolutely amazing!
Wow i am completely in awe of the natural pool. Of aruba. Thanks for the details guide about visiting it. This will save us a lot if tine we’d have apner asking questions to google
You’re welcome!
So funny, I was just there but I took a tour. wanted to go solo but there were no jeeps available for rent! The jeep tour was actually pretty wild –– the drivers went over those steep parts so fast
Isn’t it scary? We went on an ATV tour of the island and were shocked by the speed too!
I think you guys did so well to get here without the 4×4. I’m on the youngish side, but I’m not the fittest, and would probably struggle a little on this hike lol. However, it sounds totally worth it, as the natural pools look fab in Aruba. I wouldn’t say no to this!
I’m not fit at all – we just took our time. The views were amazing!
That pool is gorgeous. I’m glad someone attached a handrail to those 92 steps. 🙂 I’ve never been to Aruba. I’m wondering what is the best time of the year to visit?
We thought we were off-season in September but there were still a lot of people. It is a great destination during hurricane season since it isn’t affected (one was passing off the coast as we were leaving which forced a change in flight plans but only because Miami was closed).