Renaissance Island and the Flamingos: How to Visit

There is a single image that has launched a thousand Aruba vacations: a flock of pink flamingos wading in turquoise water on a perfect white-sand beach. That image is real, and it is taken in only one place: Flamingo Beach on Renaissance Island, the private island owned by the Renaissance Wind Creek Aruba Resort. Here is exactly how to make it happen on your trip.

Where it is and what it is

Renaissance Island is a 40-acre private island just off the coast of Oranjestad. The island has two beaches: Iguana Beach (family-friendly, kid-allowed, populated by curious iguanas) and Flamingo Beach (adults-only, 18+ only, home to the famous flamingos). It is reached by a 10-minute private water-taxi boat from the lobby of the Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino in Oranjestad.

How to get there

There are three ways onto the island, in order of accessibility:

1. Stay at the Renaissance Aruba Resort

Guests of the Renaissance get unlimited access to Renaissance Island included in their stay. This is the most reliable way to see the flamingos. The resort is in Oranjestad, not on Palm Beach, which is worth understanding before you book.

2. Buy a day pass

Non-guests can buy a day pass when available. Day passes cost roughly $125 to $175 per person depending on the season and availability, and include the boat transfer, beach access, and a food and drink credit. Critically, day passes are sold only when there is capacity, and during high season they sell out by 9 AM (or the resort stops offering them entirely).

• Email the resort or call ahead to reserve a day pass
• Show up to the resort lobby early (8 to 9 AM)
• Children are welcome on Iguana Beach with a day pass; only adults can access Flamingo Beach

3. Book a Renaissance dining experience

Some travelers book a meal at the Renaissance Spa Cove Restaurant on the island, which can include boat transfer and a few hours on the island. Availability is similarly limited.

What it is like once you are there

Flamingo Beach is small. Picture a perfect crescent of white sand maybe 100 yards long, with about 8 to 10 pink Caribbean flamingos walking around. The flamingos are habituated to people and will approach you for food (sold from a small vending machine on the beach), which is what produces the iconic close-up photos.

The flamingos are not native to Aruba; they were brought from a nearby breeding facility years ago. The Caribbean flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) is a real Caribbean species, however. Read more on Wikipedia's American flamingo entry.

Tips for the perfect visit

• Go early. Flamingos are most active in the cool morning hours and the beach fills up by 10 AM
• Bring small bills for the flamingo food machine (about $1 per cup)
• Don't grab or chase the birds; they bite, and the resort takes their care seriously
• Wear reef-safe sunscreen; there is reasonable shade but the sun is intense
• Bring or rent a snorkel; the reef just offshore is good
• Save your phone shots for when the flamingos approach the water (the reflection makes the photo)

Alternatives if you cannot get a day pass

If a day pass is not available and you are not staying at the Renaissance, your best alternatives are:

• Book a single night at the Renaissance to guarantee access
• Visit the Aruba Ostrich Farm; not flamingos, but offbeat and easy
• Add an Aruba photoshoot tour; some operators get creative with flamingo lookalikes (this is, however, not the real thing)

Is it worth it?

Yes, but with realistic expectations. The flamingos are real, the beach is genuinely beautiful, and the photos do come out as good as the ones you have seen. But it is a 100-yard beach, the experience lasts a few hours, and during peak season the path to actually getting there is the harder part. Plan in advance, go early, and bring patience for one of the most photographed experiences on the island. For more single-day Aruba itineraries, see our 3 Days in Aruba itinerary.