Aruba’s south coast is made for kayaking: shallow turquoise water, mangroves, a chain of small reef islands and the famous Seaglass Island. You can paddle a guided tour through the lagoons, book a clear kayak for photos you will actually frame, or go out at night with lights glowing under the hull. Here is how to choose, what it costs and which tours are worth it.
- Where
- South coast: Mangel Halto, Spanish Lagoon, the reef islands and Seaglass Island
- Duration
- About 1 hour (clear kayak photoshoot) to 3 hours (guided tour with snorkeling)
- Price range
- About $55-$115 per person
- Experience
- No experience needed; calm, shallow water
- What to bring
- Reef-safe sunscreen, water shoes, a dry bag for your phone
- Cancellation
- Free up to 24 h on most bookings
Top-rated Aruba kayak tours
Which kayak experience should you book?
| Guided lagoon & reef tour | Clear kayak photoshoot | Night glass kayak | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Paddle through the mangroves and reef islands with a guide, usually with a snorkel stop | A short session in a see-through kayak while a photographer shoots you from the water or a drone | A clear kayak lit from below after dark |
| Length | About 2.5-3 hours | About 1 hour | About 1.5 hours |
| Typical price | $80-$115 | $55-$65 | Around $80 |
| Best for | Active travellers, snorkelers | Couples, honeymooners, Instagram | Something different on a non-beach evening |
| Includes | Guide, gear, often snorkel equipment and drinks | Photos and video, often delivered the same day | Guide and lights |
The most-booked kayak tours right now
- Clear kayak photoshoots ($54-$65, rated 4.7-5 stars across hundreds of reviews). The fastest-growing activity on the island: you paddle a transparent kayak over white sand while a photographer delivers edited photos and video, often the same day.
- Glass-bottom kayak tour through the mangrove forest (about $70, 4.6 stars, 230 reviews). A guided paddle through the mangroves where you can see the seabed under you.
- Seaglass Island and clear kayak adventure (about $100, 4.4 stars). Paddle out to the small island whose beach is covered in sea glass, with a swim and snorkel.
- Kayak tour to Seaglass Island (about $80, 4.6 stars). The same destination in a standard sit-on-top kayak.
- Night glass kayak tour (about $80, 4.6 stars). Lit kayaks after dark, when fish come up to the light.
- Kayak tour at Mangel Halto and Spanish Lagoon (about $95, 4.6 stars). The longest paddle, through the calmest water on the island.
Prices are what the tours were listing at the time of writing; the live price shows on each tour card above.
Where you will paddle
Mangel Halto is the starting point for most tours: a sheltered beach on the south coast with mangroves on one side and a reef that keeps the water flat. From there, tours head west along the reef to the small islands off Pos Chikito, or into Spanish Lagoon, the long inlet that cuts inland toward the Frenchman’s Pass area. Seaglass Island is a tiny islet whose shoreline is made of tumbled sea glass rather than sand; it is the most popular stop and the reason many people book. The clear kayak photoshoots usually run from calm beaches on the west or south coast where the water is shallow and the sand is white.
Before you book
- Go in the morning. The trade winds pick up through the day; morning water is calmer, clearer and easier to paddle.
- No experience needed. The south-coast water is shallow and protected by the reef. Guides give a short lesson before you launch.
- Wear water shoes. Launch points and the reef islands have rock and coral underfoot.
- Use reef-safe sunscreen and reapply; there is no shade on the water.
- Protect your phone. A dry bag or waterproof pouch is worth it, though the photoshoots handle the pictures for you.
- Don’t take the sea glass. Leave it for the next paddlers.
Kayak, snorkel cruise or catamaran?
A kayak tour is active, small-group and close to the water. If you would rather sit back, a catamaran cruise covers the snorkel spots with an open bar, and a dedicated snorkeling tour reaches the Antilla shipwreck and deeper reefs. Many visitors do both: a morning kayak and a sunset sail later in the week.
Pair it with
Lunch at one of the south-coast spots in Savaneta, the Baby Beach area further east, or a day at De Palm Island. For more water ideas see Aruba water sports.
Want the photos without the paddling? Compare clear kayak and sunset photoshoots in our Aruba photoshoot guide.
