Mangel Halto

Mangel Halto is often named as one of Aruba's most beautiful beaches. 

It's easy to see why. The beach is made up of a few interconnected coves with colorful waters perfect for swimming, as they are protected from the surf by a small reef a short distance out from the shore.

Lying about a 15 minute drive south of the airport, Mangel Halto tends to be overlooked by much of the tourist traffic that sticks to the Eagle Beach area or heads further south for Baby Beach. This is just as well, as the intimate coves still get a fair amount of visitors, so you'll likely find yourself sharing the sand unless you're lucky enough to get one of the smaller stretches of sand through the mangroves.

The first area of beach that you'll encounter is a wooden plank dock area down a rickety looking set of steps. The dock offers easy access to the calm emerald waters. A short distance from this dock, snorkelers and divers might swim to the Kappel, the youngest shipwreck on the island intentionally placed to create a diving destination. As the ship was submerged in 2009, it hasn't had the time to develop a mature bed of coral, however it still provides a refuge for fish and makes an interesting destination for those with snorkel masks or dive tanks.

Past the Mangel Halto stone signage and down a wooden ramp are a dense thick of mangroves, through which lies a wide sandy cove. The water in this cove is also protected by a reef, and the bowl shape cove is great for swimming, as well as walking out. If you'll be spending any time in or around the mangroves, bug spray is a valuable item to pack.

Beyond the mangroves, locals will often be found sitting out on chairs along the cliffs, with sunsets being a particularly social time. A few shaded palapas are available to grab a seat at.

Parking is available along the shoulder of the road. There is no water, bathrooms, or lifeguards at Mangel Halto.