Swimming with dolphins is on many people’s bucket list, but most don’t know you can also swim with flamingos. They may not be the most popular creature to swim with, but it must be pretty cool to have such an up-close experience with such an unusual animal.
Taking a dip with feathery, pink creatures
Just a ten-minute boat ride from Aruba, you will find an exclusive island where flamingos roam freely. This island is only accessible by sailboat and is owned by the luxurious Renaissance Hotel chain. There are two beaches on this island; one is called Flamingo Beach, and that’s where you can take a dip with these majestic creatures with pink feathers.
Photo: Getty ImagesAll year round
All around the world, flamingos are known to migrate from July to March in search of warmer weather, but this place is an exception. Here, you can see flamingos all year round. Some vacationers believe the reason these flamingos don’t migrate, is because their wings have been clipped. This would mean that they’re unable to fly, hence they cannot leave the island. There is, however, no evidence to support this theory.
A worthwhile price to pay
If you want to experience swimming and interacting with real-life flamingos, you can either pay $99 to spend the day on the island, or book yourself a room for a night or two. Only 30 tickets are sold per day to visitors not staying at the hotel. So to ensure you get a ticket, you have to get to the hotel by 8 am or you’ll miss out. If you opt to stay at the luxurious hotel, that will be an unforgettable experience on its own. Renaissance has a reputation for having exquisite hotel rooms and suites for guests to enjoy. Either way, a trip to this island will be eventful and worthwhile.
Feeding the flamingos
These flamingos are wild, but they seem uninterested and unfazed by the visitors. They just bob around and look for food. These beaches have been popular and filled with tourists for so long that these birds are used to humans. When you arrive on the island, you will find a vending machine selling flamingo food. Interacting with these birds and feeding them by hand is definitely a once in a lifetime experience.
Photo: Getty ImagesOther flamingo islands
This island is the only one where you can spot flamingos all year round, but it isn’t the only island in the Caribbean where you can see these graceful pink birds. The only thing is, you’ll have to plan your trip around their migratory patterns in order to see them. These islands include, the Yucatan peninsula, Island of Bonaire around Goto Lake, and the Galápagos Islands.
Other activities
The Renaissance Aruba Resort is an adult-only beach, but there is a beach nearby that is family-friendly. Here you won’t be able to swim with flamingos, but you will find lizards that roam the beach. You can also do some plane spotting while there because the airport’s runway is a mere 15-minute walk away from the hotel.
Photo: Getty ImagesWhether you intend on spending a few nights at the hotel or not, don’t miss the opportunity to interact with these exotic birds, and get the obligatory selfie.
